GAINESVILLE — The response amongst northeast Georgia's coaches was overwhelmingly positive following the Georgia High School Association's announcement on Thursday that it will no longer hold its annual basketball championship games in the Macon Coliseum.
The GHSA is moving the contests to the University of Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum and Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion. The move will go into effect for the 2016-17 season. The GHSA will hold eight games over two days in Athens and eight games over two days in Atlanta
"I think it is absolutely the right thing do," said Gainesville boys coach Benjie Wood, who guided both the Johnson girls and North Hall boys to Macon in the Final Four before taking over the Red Elephants. "This is good for high school basketball. I really think this will make (the tournament) more exciting for the kids."
The move was precipitated by one of the biggest controvesies in the history of Georgia high school sports. During this year's championship round, the goals were found to be non-regulation and when approached by coaches, those running the Macon Coliseum decided not to change in the middle of the finals. There also were reports that team buses were made to pay as much as $20 to park.
Lumpkin County boys coach Jeff Steele said the GHSA needed to do something.
"To me, they rectified all of that stuff with this decision," Steele said. "They needed to try and get back the confidence of the people. I like this move. I think it'll be good for the sport."
"With the issues at the Coliseum the last couple of years, something had to be done," Lakeview Academy boys coach Todd Cottrell said. "I think its a great move."
Cottrell twice led Gainesville's boys to Macon, once in the semifinals and once to the 2013 Class AAAAA title game.
"For me, the tournament venue needs to be a great experience for the kids. Lately, I don't think it has been (in Macon)," Cottrell said. "This seems like a good solution. It's two of the premier facilities in the Southeast which should be fun for the kids since they see the courts on TV all the time."
Buford girls coach Gene Durden, who has make the trek to Macon nine times as a coach, felt the tournament was becoming more than what the Macon Centreplex could offer.
"I really feel like the tournament had outgrown the venue," Durden said."The players should have the best facilities we can offer them. This is a really good move, in my opinion. But I do believe the recent controversy helped push this along."
East Hall boys coach Joe Dix, who helped the Vikings win three titles during the early to mid 2000s, had some mixed feelings.
"It's a good move for the sport, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed that we can't have all the games in one place. That was always fun," Dix said. "But, with so many classifications now that probably wasn't going to be possible. Georgia and Georgia Tech both have great venues so this should really make things exciting for the kids. A key in all this is that the GHSA responded to the concerns of the coaches and administrators and made a positive change."
Dawson County girls coach Steve Sweat, who has taken five teams to Macon, including taking the 1999 West Hall girls and the 2014 Lady Tigers to the championship game, said it would be a little bittersweet for him.
"It is something I plan every year it to go to Macon for all the games. It's a nice tradition so my first thought was a little sadness that the tradition of it would be gone," he said. "But there had been some problems the last couple of years so maybe this will be a good thing. It should be fun to play in the nicer arenas.
"My guess is this will also help the attendance from the teams around the Atlanta area. New is always fun so we'll see how it goes."
To read the official GHSA announcement, click here.
