Manchester parent urges NHIAA exception after softball coop denied; committee to seek review

Leanne McNamara, a Manchester parent, told the Manchester School District Special Committee on Athletics on Jan. 8 that her daughter, a West senior, may be unable to play softball this season after the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) denied a three-school co-op.

"My concern is that my daughter's not gonna get to play this year. And it's her senior year, and I would really like to respectfully request that she be allowed to go and play with Trinity," McNamara said during the committee's public forum.

The committee heard staff and athletics officials explain the denial was based on NHIAA classification and co-op rules. Mr. Dichard, representing district athletics, said the softball committee initially approved a request to allow West to field players, but NHIAA classification later denied the co-op because the combined enrollment of the three Manchester schools exceeded the enrollment of Pinkerton, the state's largest school, by about 100 students. "Per their bylaws, you cannot have a coop team with more enrolled students in the coop schools than the largest school in the state of New Hampshire. It was denied," Dichard said.

Dichard also described exceptions the NHIAA has allowed in the past: boys and girls hockey have been permitted three-school co-ops because hockey participation statewide has fallen, creating an exception for that sport. He added West has advertised a coaching vacancy and had four candidates for the position; Mike Cotter, described in the meeting as West's athletic coordinator, was scheduling interviews.

Committee member Turner and others pressed staff on whether an appeal or reconsideration was possible. Committee members were told there is no formal appeal process in the NHIAA bylaws for this classification decision, though Dichard said, because he sits on the NHIAA executive committee, he could try to raise the matter there. The chair asked Dichard to approach the executive committee on McNamara's behalf; Dichard said he would try to bring it forward.

The committee formally received and filed the public comments. A motion to "take all comments under advisement and to further receive and file any written documentation" was moved by Dr. Barr and seconded by committee member Turner and the committee voted in favor.

Committee members and staff discussed local efforts to grow participation, noting Parkside recently fielded a full middle school softball team and that district staff are recruiting middle-school players to feed the high school program. Staff said they currently estimate 12 to 14 ninth-grade and middle-school girls have expressed interest but cautioned some may not follow through; staff emphasized softball requires specialized positions such as pitchers and catchers.

The committee framed next steps as a mix of discussion and direction: public comment was formally received, staff will continue local recruitment and coaching hires, and Mr. Dichard agreed to pursue asking the NHIAA executive committee for reconsideration. No binding change to NHIAA classification was recorded by the committee during the meeting.

The committee also acknowledged broader concerns about NHIAA governance raised during the discussion, including questions about committee selection and transparency; members said those governance questions remain external to the district and would not be decided by the committee.

The committee closed the topic by asking staff to convey committee support for attempting an exception and for continued local efforts to field a West team.