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Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
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HISTORY

The WPIAL was founded in 1906 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to insure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among the schools in Western Pennsylvania. The lack of scholastic requirements permitted the schools of that day to hire the best players in the vicinity, outfit them in high school uniforms and stack them against each other in grim battles. Representatives of Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh , and Central High Schools and Shady Side Academy initiated the effort in the early stages. E. W. Rynearson of Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue, Headmaster Jones of Allegheny Prep, and W. R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy drew up the first set of eligibility rules. The new league grew despite criticism of the rules as detrimental to athletics and difficult to enforce.

Gradually the scope of the League was expanded to many towns near Pittsburgh. Only the old Allegheny Valley League was absorbed as an organization. All schools who applied for membership were admitted as volunteer members who would abide by the rules of the association. The success of the efforts of the founders of the WPIAL were transferred to the formation of a state association known as Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) in 1914. The founders, which included Edward Sergeant of New Castle and J. H. Saul of Pittsburgh, formulated a plan based on the benefits that resulted to the schools from the formation of the WPIAL.

The original WPIAL Constitution drawn in 1906 was revised in 1919, 1924, 1946, 1949, 1958 and 1966 as the membership grew and the menu of activities expanded per the wishes of the membership. Eventually the WPIAL document was retired and the League adopted the PIAA Constitution in 1973. In 1982 the WPIAL, which had been designated as District VII in 1914 when the PIAA first organized, officially became WPIAL/District VII.

In 1938 the growth of junior high school activities necessitated the creation of a junior WPIAL organization. A member of that group was added to the Decision Committee in 1967. The separate junior high organization was absorbed into the WPIAL in 1986.

The original Decision Committee of three high school principals was expanded over the years as the League grew in size and scope. In 1964 there were ten people who served the WPIAL in this capacity. They were: eight high school principals, a representative of the school boards of the WPIAL member schools and a game officials representative. In 1971 recognition by the League of the participation in interscholastic athletic activities by girls was the impetus that created a WPIAL girls athletics administrative unit under the direction of the Decision Committee. In 1974 a representative of that unit was added to the WPIAL Board of Control (as the new title of the governing body was named). The current Board of Control membership of sixteen was established in 1983 when a representative of the superintendents of the WPIAL member schools was added. The rapid growth of the girls program, the addition of new boys activities, and the need to establish a League office to assist the Board of Control in the management and administration of the business of the League on a daily basis resulted in the employment of a full-time Executive Director in 1976.


WPIAL SPORTS

WPIAL Fall Sports: Football, Golf, Girls Tennis, Cross Country, Girls Volleyball, Field Hockey, Soccer

WPIAL Winter Sports: Riffle, Gymnastics, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Basketball

WPIAL Spring Sports: Girls Lacrosse, Boys Tennis, Softball, Baseball, Boys Volleyball, Track & Field


2006-2007 FOOTBALL ALIGNMENT


WPIAL Class AAAA

  • Quad North Conference -- Butler, North Allegheny, North Hills, Seneca Valley, Shaler.

  • Quad South -- Central Catholic, Connellsville, Hempfield, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford.

  • Quad East -- Fox Chapel, Gateway, Kiski Area, Plum, Penn Hills, Woodland Hills.

  • Quad West -- Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, McKeesport, Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair.



WPIAL Class AAA


  • Big Seven -- Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Peters Township, Keystone Oaks, Thomas Jefferson(04 state champs), Trinity, West Mifflin.

  • Keystone -- Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Derry, Ringgold, Laurel Highlands, Mount Pleasant, Uniontown.

  • Parkway -- Ambridge, Blackhawk, Hopewell, Montour, Moon, New Castle, West Allegheny.

  • Greater Allegheny -- Franklin Regional, Hampton, Highlands, Indiana, Greensburg Salem, Knoch, Pine-Richland.



WPIAL Class AA


  • Century -- Brentwood, Burgettstown, Charleroi, Carlynton, Seton-LaSalle, South Allegheny, South Fayette, South Park, Steel Valley.

  • Allegheny -- Burrell, Deer Lakes, Ford City, Freeport, Kittanning, Shady Side Academy, Valley, West Shamokin, Northgate.

  • Midwestern -- Aliquippa, Beaver, Beaver Falls, Center---, Ellwood City, Freedom, New Brighton, Quaker Valley, Sto-Rox.

  • Tri-County North -- Laurel, Mars, Mohawk, Neshannock, Riverside, Shenango, Summit Academy, Union, Cornell.

  • Interstate -- Brownsville, East Allegheny, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, McGuffey, Southmoreland, Washington, Waynesburg, Yough.

  • Of note: In Class AAAA, AAA and A, the top four teams in each conference make the playoffs. In Class AA, the top three teams from each conference make the playoffs, plus one wild-card fourth-place team.



WPIAL Class A

  • Eastern -- Apollo-Ridge, Clairton, Duquesne, Leechburg, Riverview, Springdale, Wilkinsburg.

  • Black Hills -- Avella, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Frazier, Serra, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry.

  • Big Seven -- Avonworth, Bishop Canevin, Monaca---, North Catholic, Rochester, South Side Beaver, Western Beaver.

  • Tri-County South -- California, Carmichaels, Geibel, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, Monessen, West Greene.



  • Note'': The Center and Monaca school districts are currently discussing a merger . If it goes through, the new school would be in Class AAA, likely in the Parkway Conference.


  • ---The Executive Director is Larry Hanley, he however will be replaced on April 1st, 2006 and then Tim O'Malley will take over as Executive Director.



PAST CHAMPIONS

Class A
2005: Duquesne Defeated Rochester 14-6 (Heinz Field)
2004: Rochester Defeated Clariton 15-14 (Heinz Field)
2003: Springdale Defeated Sto-Rox 30-13 (Heinz Field)
2002: Rochester Defeated Duquesne 26-13 (Heinz Field)
2001: Rochester Defeated Fort Cherry 27-19 (Heinz Field)

Class AA
(updated later)
Class AAA

Class AAAA


REFERENCES