Volleyball notes: 5-class won't happen in 2011-12

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Penta-classed girls' sports in Iowa might be a thing of the future. But not the extremely near future.The representative council of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union met Friday, and officials shared eight options on reclassification, all of which were of the five-class variety."It won't happen next year," said IGHSAU executive director Mike Dick. "The soonest it would happen would be (the) 2012-13 (school year)."If adopted, the five-class system would include volleyball, basketball and softball.Volleyball was a single-class sport from its inception of 1970 through 1980, when it became a two-class sport. It shifted to three classes in 1994 and four in 2003.Meanwhile, the number of schools in Iowa has dropped, and the trend is projected to continue, if not accelerate.Dick said the Union is looking at class expansion "to give eight more schools and eight more communities a chance to experience" state-tournament competition.And what would he say to those that would suggest it was a revenue-generator?"Obviously, that's an advantage," he said. "It's just good business. If there's a way to accomplish other things, and make some money, why not?"In the eight models the council received, the number of schools in "5A" varies from 32 to 40 to 48. Currently, 48 schools are in 4A, with a variance in enrollment (grades 10-12) from 2,016 (West Des Moines Valley) to 564 (Western Dubuque).Dick wants the council to present its favorite two options to the advisory committees of each sport. The advisory committees will decide if they prefer to stay at four classes or move to five."We're nowhere near making any type of decision."

Call to the HallThe 13th Iowa Volleyball Hall of Fame class will be inducted before the Class 3A championship match, around 1 p.m. Saturday.Those selected:*

Mary Beck, a 1981 graduate of Dubuque Senior. She was a two-time first-team all-stater and led Senior to the 1980 state championship. She went on to become an all-Gateway Conference performer at Southwest Missouri State.*

Jill Arganbright, a 1999 graduate of Iowa City West. She is second all-time on West's assist chart. She was a four-year starter at Northern Iowa, finishing her career as the school and Missouri Valley Conference assist leader, with 6,064.*

Rachael Rogers, a 2002 graduate of Dubuque Wahlert. She was a two-time Elite all-stater and a two-time all-tournament captain. She played softball at UNI. Rogers is Wahlert's ninth inductee.Meanwhile, Cedar Rapids official

Jim Owara will be named to the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame next week. A teacher in the Cedar Rapids Community School system for more than 40 years, Owara has officiated high school, middle school and church-league volleyball for more than 40 years.