FAYETTEVILLE -- Haas Hall Academy has endured the growing pains that come with the infancy stages of its athletic teams, and has enjoyed some success in the process.

The Fayetteville-based charter school's boys track team has finished second and third in the Class 1A state track meet over the past two years, while the Lady Mastiffs took third and fourth during that time span. The same applies for its cross country teams, which each finished third in the Class 1A/2A state meet last fall.

There will be some new growing pains Haas Hall must face over the next two years. Its enrollment has grown so much over the past two years that the school was bumped to Class 3A status in the Arkansas Activities Association's 2014-2016 reclassification cycle, and will become a member of the 3A-1 West Conference when school resumes in August.

"We're definitely going into a great sports conference," said Rebecca Moll, who serves as the school's athletic director as well as the track and cross country coach. "That's exciting, in more ways than one. There's some good excitement, some scary excitement ... but it's great that we've moving into it."

The reclassification process happens every two years and uses a three-year average attendance in grades 9-11 to place schools in their proper class. Haas Hall's average attendance used for the 2012-2014 cycle, which was completed in May, was 131 students and made it the state's fourth-largest school in Class 1A, even though there were 14 schools in Class 2A with lower attendance numbers.

The reason behind that is simple. Those 14 schools -- which included Decatur -- have football teams, while Haas Hall doesn't. The smallest non-football school in Class 2A during that time was White County Central with a three-year average of 141 students.

The process becomes different when the AAA determines which schools go to Class 3A and which ones to go Class 2A. Once the AAA draws the line for Class 4A schools, the next 48 football-playing schools -- which includes private schools that must play one classification higher than their attendance figures will put them -- fall into Class 3A status, and any non-football schools with similar numbers fall in there, as well.

Haas Hall's attendance totals used for the 2014-16 cycle had jumped to 201 students -- higher than six Class 3A schools that play football, including Greenland. It is the smallest non-football school in Class 3A, while Pangburn is the largest non-football school in Class 2A with 187 students.

"We knew we were near the line between Class 2A and Class 3A when we were doing the precalculations," said Moll. "We were trying to figure out where we would go so we could get prepared for it. To finally see 3A, it was like 'OK.'

Two Sides Of Reclassification

Whether Haas Hall will benefit from the move to Class 3A or be hurt by it depends on the angle one views the school's situation.

Basketball coach Basil Seymour-Davies said he had hoped his teams would play in the 2A-4 West Conference with teams like Decatur, Hackett and Eureka Springs. He prepared for that to happen by scheduling some nonconference games against those schools last year.

Instead, Haas Hall will have to play Elkins, Greenland and West Fork in the 3A-1 West. Those schools have the advantage of taking seventh-graders and allow them to grow up into their basketball programs, while Haas Hall doesn't have junior high teams, and all athletic activities as done after classes are over each day.

There is also the facilities issue. Those schools have gymnasiums on their campuses, while Haas Hall plays its home games at Fayetteville Christian's gym. Sometimes, the basketball teams are relegated to doing their workouts in a classroom.

"It's not just a matter of competition level, but the familiarity with the competition," Seymour-Davies said. "We've played teams like Hackett, Decatur and Eureka Springs, and after playing a couple of seasons against them, joining their league would be a piece of cake as far as transition.

"When we landed in Class 3A, at first there was a big sigh. You're just a little worried about how we will transition into that level of play. But after playing a couple of games against Class 3A and 4A teams last year, I think it was easier for myself and the players to realize. While the competition level is better, it's not an enormous jump."

The change won't affect Haas Hall's other athletic teams as much because they are not locked into a conference schedule as much as basketball is. Moll already had a jump on the move as she scheduled the track and cross country teams to compete in local meets against Class 7A schools.

"It's been beneficial and we have noticed the teams in our area," Moll said. "Elkins and Greenland have great track programs, and West Fork is getting a great program. We've seen them, and it's exciting know we're going to be in Class 3A with them.

"Knowing our competition is a big thing. Before, it's been sort of a surprise."

The flip side of that picture is the decrease in travel involved. Conference games in the 1A-1 West meant Haas Hall had to take twisted highways to Oark or make long trips to County Line or Scranton, both of which were at least 90 miles away.

Meanwhile, half of the schools in the 3A-1 West are in Washington County and less than 20 miles away. That will be considered a major blessing for a school known more for its academics and must rely on its booster club and parents to provide help for any funds the athletic program may need throughout the year.

"What makes us different from a lot of schools is that, if we want to have a sport, we have to fund-raise for it," Moll said. "We don't take any funds from the school budget. What the state gives to the school, none of that goes to sports.

"Our parents do a great job of fund-raising, whether it's through a chili supper or other projects. We bring in these funds to have those sports, and if we don't bring in the funds, then we don't have it."

The closeness of some of these new conference schools will allow Haas Hall to establish some sort of rivalries because players and fans have a better chance of knowing each other. It could help the school continue its growth trend, as well.

"I think that is really exciting, with the extra exposure," Seymour-Davies said. "We might have kids from a place like West Fork who are very academically minded and might have thought of Haas Hall as a realistic place for school. Now that we are in Class 3A and they can see us compete, and that could open some avenues for other athletes in our region.

"I think we have gone through the whole range of emotions about it. I think the exposure of Class 3A is really exciting and the competition is exciting, and less mileage on the car is really exciting, too."

Sports on 06/14/2014