AHSAA releases new classifications for 2024-2025 football seasons

Published 2:34 pm Friday, December 29, 2023

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control has released the football reclassification results for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.

In accordance with the AHSAA constitution and by-laws, the AHSAA Central Board of Control manages championship play and classification. Member schools are reclassified every two years. The high schools are currently divided into seven classifications (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A) for competition in championship programs.

The reclassification of 1A Region 1 includes Sweet Water, Marengo, Fruitdale, J.F. Shields Leroy, McIntosh, Millry, and Southern Choctaw. Linden is in Region 3 with Choctaw County Francis Marion, Holy Spirit, Pickens Academy, R.C. Hatch, and the University Charter School. A.L. Johnson High School will not field a varsity football team for the 2024-25 season but will field a new junior varsity team.

Email newsletter signup

Demopolis remains in 5A Region 3 and will be joined by Jemison, Montevallo, Northside, Selma, Shelby County, and Sipsey Valley.

Under the new classification system, Class 1A has 67 schools, and Class 5A has 62 schools. Class 2A has 62 schools, Class 3A has 65 schools, Class 4A has 66 schools, Class 6A has 57 schools, and Class 7A has 32 schools.

Central Board of Control President Mike Welsh, Superintendent of Cherokee County Schools, said, “This new classification and fall sport recommendations came after many hours of study and discussion. Everyone involved gave their valuable time to evaluate our classification system thoroughly and provided input in ways to improve that system. On behalf of the Central Board of Control and our member schools, I want to thank AHSAA staff for their hard work. I also want to thank our Central Board for their commitment to making decisions that are best for all our member schools.”

AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs said that “more than 190,000 student-athletes” are expected to participate in AHSAA sports activities during the upcoming classification period.

“I want to thank the Central Board and AHSAA staff for their dedicated efforts,” Briggs said. “As always, it was a difficult job, but everyone worked together to find the best solution as we move forward.”

School classifications are based on Average Daily Membership (ADM) figures produced by the State Department of Education.