MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Board of Trustees for the Alabama Independent School Association has voted to eliminate all athletics from member schools, starting with the 2027–2028 school year.
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The AISA currently sanctions sports including baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
The decision comes eight months to the day after the AHSAA announced a major restructuring of its championship format, creating a system in which private schools compete against other private schools within the AHSAA for state titles.
“This is an emotional decision because athletics has been an important part of AISA for more than half a century,” said AISA Executive Director Michael McLendon.
Here’s how the change could affect students:
•108 schools are currently under the AISA structure.
•21 of those schools do not serve grades 9–12, leaving at least 87 schools with high school grades.
•21 schools are academically under AISA but already compete athletically in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), leaving 66 schools that rely on AISA for sports.
•Of those 66 schools, at least 44 (about 66%) field at least one athletic team.
•Across those 44 schools, there are more than 240 teams/induvial combined.
AISA believes the changing landscape of private school athletics presents an opportunity for a fresh approach.
This is breaking news that will be updated.
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