LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE IN NSAA RULES AND REGULATIONS
Title:		Flexible Seeding Date for Class A and Class B Cross Country District Serpentine Assignments
Author:		Jeff Squier
School:		South Sioux City
NSAA District:		3

Proposal for:		Activities Manual

Classes Affected:		Class A Class B
Activities Affected:		Boys Cross-Country Girls Cross-Country
This proposal:		WILL increase costs to the school WILL increase costs to the NSAA WILL increase travel for participating schools WILL decrease a student's or coach's instruction time
Implementation date:		2027-08-01
Sections affected in Activities Manual:		Page 3 9	Article	Section NSAA Cross Country Approved Rulings & District Assignment Procedures (Class A & Class B) district assignments district assignments
Summary:		District assignments for Class A and Class B shall be determined using a serpentine method based on regular-season competition differentials and rankings. The data evaluation period for serpentine seeding shall close on [Current Established Deadline Date]. EXCEPTION / ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITY: If severe weather, environmental hazards, or emergency cancellations prevent a significant portion of Class A or Class B teams from competing in scheduled regular-season meets, or if designated Conference Championship meets are postponed, the NSAA Executive Director or Cross Country Director shall have the discretion to extend the serpentine calculation deadline. In such events, the seeding deadline may be moved to a date no later than [e.g., 48 hours prior to the first scheduled District meet], allowing pending competition results (including Conference Championships) to be submitted and factored into the final district assignments.
Rationale:		1. Competitive Fairness & Competitive Integrity The serpentine method relies heavily on multi-meet average differentials to generate balanced district fields. If weather disrupts late-season meets, teams are artificially locked into rankings based on incomplete or early-season data, undermining the accuracy of the serpentine system. 2. Impact of Conference Championships Conference meets late in the season represent some of the highest-density, most competitive racing of the regular season. When severe weather forces a conference meet to be postponed past the default seeding deadline, schools are deprived of using their most relevant performance data for postseason seeding. 3. Protection Against Weather Disruptions Fall weather in Nebraska can be unpredictable (e.g., heat warnings, severe storms, or early winter conditions). School administrators and coaches should not be forced to choose between running in unsafe conditions to make a seeding cutoff or sacrificing their team’s accurate seed by canceling. 4/ Minimal Administrative Burden This proposal does not alter how the serpentine calculation is computed; it simply introduces a narrow, conditional window of flexibility that the NSAA office can activate when weather or scheduling emergencies arise.
Pros:		School / Student Impact: Ensures that post-season district assignments reflect true, complete regular-season performances, fostering equitable competition across all Class A and Class B districts.
Cons:		Administrative Impact: Minor adjustments to the NSAA digital submission portal window for coaches when an extension is granted.