Alberta Schools' Athletic Association

Alberta Schools' Athletic Association
AbbreviationASAA
FormationMarch 17, 1956
TypeVolunteer; NPO
Legal statusAssociation
PurposeAthletic/Educational
Headquarters11759 Groat Road
Edmonton, Alberta
T5M 3K6
Region served
Alberta
President
Jason Arrell[1]
WebsiteASAA.ca

The Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (ASAA) is the governing body that oversees amateur athletics in schools for the province of Alberta. It is a voluntary, non profit organization that has 405 member high schools as of 2023. It enforces policies as dictated by the provincial board of Governors.

As is the case with all provincial governing bodies for school athletics in Canada, the ASAA is an affiliate member of the United States–based National Federation of State High School Associations.

History

The ASAA was founded in Calgary in 1956 to coordinate high school championships among member schools. After starting their activities by organizing a regional basketball tournament, more sports were added throughout the years, starting with track and field in 1958, badminton, volleyball and cross-country running in the 1960s; gymnastics, wrestling, and curling in the 1970s; and golf, cheerleading and football in the 1980s. Gymnastics was discontinued in 1989. Girls' wrestling was added in 1995. More recently rugby was added in 2006, team handball in 2010, and six-man football in 2011.[2]

The association is structured in eight geographical zones, Calgary and Edmonton as urban zones, complemented by six rural zones.

District zones

The eight geographic zones of the ASAA are:[3] : 8–9 

  • Calgary
  • Calgary Independent
  • Central
  • Edmonton
  • North East
  • North Central
  • North West
  • South
  • South Central

Regional associations

Within these geographic zones, the policies set forth by the ASAA are administered by the regional associations:

Notes
  • ^1 Calgary has two associations; the Calgary Independent Schools Athletic Association is in charge of all private and chartered schools.
  • ^2 Edmonton Metro handles 15 school boards (Public, Catholic, Francophone, and Independent) from Edmonton and the surrounding area. Edmonton Public Schools formed its own regional association until 2013.
  • ^3 Rocky View Sports Association controls cities, townships, and hamlets schools outside the city of Calgary.

Structure

In order to provide a competitive balance, member schools are placed into classifications for all major sports based on the schools' enrollments. Divisions and the tier classification systems are not equivalent. Exact sizes are:

Divisions

  • 1A schools: fewer than 100 students
  • 2A schools: 100–299 students
  • 3A schools: 300–799 students
  • 4A schools: 800 or more students

[3]: 35 

Football Tiers

  • Tier IV schools: fewer than 450 students (all Division IA and 2A schools, and the smaller Division 3A schools)
  • Tier III schools: 450–749 students (mid-sized Division 3A schools)
  • Tier II schools: 750–1249 students (largest Division 3A and smaller Division 4A schools)
  • Tier I schools: 1250 or more students (largest Division 4A schools)

[3]: 101–102 

Team Handball Tiers

  • Tier II schools: fewer than 500 students (all Division 1A and 2A schools and the smaller Division 3A schools)
  • Tier I schools: 500 or more students (mid-sized Division 3A and Division 4A schools)

[3]: 117 

Rugby Tiers

  • Tier III schools: fewer than 600 students (all Division 1A and 2A schools and the smaller Division 3A schools)
  • Tier II schools: 600–1249 students (larger Division 3A schools and the smaller Division 4A schools)
  • Tier I schools: 1250 or more students (largest Division 4A schools)

[3]: 113 

Sports governing bodies

The sports sanctioned by the ASAA are steered by the governing sports bodies and its guidelines to provide an equitable competition and ethical standards for all male and females students and coaches involved within that sports' program. The governing sports bodies are:[4]

Sports

Thirty-three provincial championships are held annually for 11 ASAA sports:[2][5]

  • Badminton
  • Basketball
    • Boys
      • Division 1A
      • Division 2A
      • Division 3A
      • Division 4A
    • Girls
      • Division 1A
      • Division 2A
      • Division 3A
      • Division 4A
  • Cross Country
  • Curling
  • Football
    • Tier I
    • Tier II
    • Tier III
    • Tier IV
    • 6-Man[6]
  • Golf
  • Rugby
    • Tier I
    • Tier II
    • Tier III
  • Team Handball
  • Track and Field
  • Volleyball
    • Boys
      • Division 1A
      • Division 2A
      • Division 3A
      • Division 4A
    • Girls
      • Division 1A
      • Division 2A
      • Division 3A
      • Division 4A
  • Wrestling (Boys & Girls)
    • Rural
    • Provincial

Cheerleading was removed as a sport in June 2024.[7]

Results from all sports:[8]

Titles

Cheerleading

The first ASAA sponsored provincial cheerleading championship was awarded in 1984.[9]

Cheerleading was removed as a Sport in June 2024.[7]

Year Div I Div II Coed Game Day
1984 Salisbury
1985 Victoria
1986 Victoria Queen Elizabeth
1987 Strathcona Queen Elizabeth
1988 Raymond High Queen Elizabeth
1989 Raymond High Queen Elizabeth
1990 Raymond High Lethbridge Collegiate
1991 Lethbridge Collegiate Victoria
1992 Magrath School Queen Elizabeth
1993 Magrath School John Maland Victoria
1994 Spruce Grove Composite John Maland Victoria
1995 John Maland Victoria Queen Elizabeth
1996 Stirling Victoria Victoria
1997 Spruce Grove Composite Harry Ainlay Victoria
1998 Stirling High Victoria Victoria
1999 Notre Dame Harry Ainlay Victoria
2000 Stirling High Victoria Victoria
2001 McNally Victoria Victoria
2002 Stirling High Harry Ainlay Victoria
2003 Highwood Harry Ainlay Ross Sheppard
2004 George McDougall Ross Sheppard Victoria
2005 Memorial Harry Ainlay Victoria
2006 Austin O'Brien Harry Ainlay Victoria
2007 Ross Sheppard Harry Ainlay Victoria
2008 McNally Harry Ainlay Victoria
2009 Ross Sheppard Harry Ainlay Victoria
2010 Lillian Osborne Harry Ainlay Victoria
2011 St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School Ross Sheppard Victoria
2012 Morinville Community Salisbury Victoria
2013 St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School Harry Ainlay Victoria
2014 Harry Ainlay Harry Ainlay Victoria
2015 St. Francis Xavier Harry Ainlay Austin O'Brien
2016 St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School St. Francis Xavier Victoria
2017 St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School Harry Ainlay Victoria Paul Kane High
2018 St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School Harry Ainlay Ross Sheppard Paul Kane High
2019 St. Francis Xavier Victoria St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School Morinville Community
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada
2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada
2022 W.P. Wagner Harry Ainlay Harry Ainlay Lillian Osborne
2023 W.P. Wagner Harry Ainlay Lilllian Osborne
2024 W.P. Wagner Harry Ainlay

Football

The first ASAA sponsored provincial Senior Varsity football championship was awarded in 1985. Due to the cold inclement weather, the inaugural championship games were cancelled, and the competing schools were declared co-champions.[10]

Year Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV
1985 L.C.I. & Harry Ainlay Catholic Central & Stettler
1986 Salisbury Stettler Cochrane
1987 Harry Ainlay Cardston Cochrane
1988 L.C.I. Salisbury Medicine Hat
1989 L.C.I. Archbishop Jordan Rocky Mountain House
1990 L.C.I. Cardston Raymond
1991 Henry Wise Wood Cardston Raymond
1992 L.C.I Cardston Raymond
1993 L.C.I Cardston Bert Church
1994 L.C.I Lloydminster Wainwright
1995 St. Francis Brooks Kate Andrews
1996 Raymond Cochrane Sexsmith
1997 Raymond Brooks Springbank
1998 Raymond Cochrane McCoy
1999 Jasper Place George McDougall W.R. Myers Oilfields
2000 Strathcona Foothills W.R. Myers Oilfields
2001 Strathcona Medicine Hat W.R. Myers Ardrossan
2002 Bev Facey Archbishop Jordan Cochrane Bow Valley
2003 St. Francis Archbishop Jordan Cochrane Bow Valley
2004 St. Francis Foothills Cochrane Ardrossan
2005 Raymond St. Mary's Cochrane Ardrossan
2006 Salisbury Foothills Wetaskiwin Willow Creek
2007 St. Francis Notre Dame ( Cal.) Cochrane Sylvan Lake Creek
2008 Raymond Notre Dame (Cal.) Cochrane Ardrossan
2009 Raymond Foothills Brooks Rundle College
2010 Raymond Catholic Central Cardston Rundle College
2011 Harry Ainlay Austin O'Brien Wm E Hay Drumheller
2012 Notre Dame ( Cal.) Austin O'Brien Cochrane Drumheller
2013 Notre Dame ( Cal.) Austin O'Brien Cardston Drumheller
2014 Notre Dame ( Cal.) St. Joseph's (G.P.) Cochrane Holy Rosary
2015 St. Francis Foothills Cochrane Ardrossan
2016 St. Francis Foothills Cochrane Bow Valley
2017 Harry Ainlay Foothills Cochrane Willow Creek
2018 St. Francis Lloydminster Cochrane Canmore

Team Handball

The first ASAA sponsored provincial Senior Varsity Team handball championship was awarded in April 2010.[2][11]

Year Tier I Boys Tier II Boys Tier I Girls Tier II Girls
2010 Ross Sheppard High School Bentley School Salisbury Composite High School Bentley School
2011 Harry Ainlay High School École Mallaig Community School Salisbury Composite High School Bentley School
2012 J. Percy Page High School Mayerthorpe High School Bev Facey Community High School Bentley School
2013 Bev Facey Community High School Old Scona Academic High School Harry Ainlay High School Blessed Sacrament School
2014 Eastglen High School Old Scona Academic High School Harry Ainlay High School Blessed Sacrament School
2015 Eastglen High School Mayerthorpe High School Bev Facey Community High School Blessed Sacrament School
2016 Bev Facey Community High School Ecole Notre Dame High School Bev Facey Community High School École Mallaig Community School
2017 Lillian Osborne High School Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy Harry Ainlay High School École Mallaig Community School
2018 Lillian Osborne High School Blessed Sacrament School St. Peter the Apostle Catholic High School École Mallaig Community School
2019 Lillian Osborne High School Bentley School Salisbury Composite High School École Mallaig Community School
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in North America

Volleyball

The first ASAA sponsored provincial Senior Varsity volleyball championship was awarded in 1964.[2]

Year 1A Boys 1A Girls 2A Boys 2A Girls 3A Boys 3A Girls 4A Boys 4A Girls
1995 Central Alberta Christian Senator Gershaw (Bow Island) Thorhild Crowsnest Consolidated Lacombe High Louis St. Laurent Scona (Edmonton) Salisbury Composite (Sherwood Park)
1996 Mistassiniy, Desmarais St. Matthews (Rocky Mountain House) Three Hills Senator Gershaw Notre Dame (Red Deer) Beaverlodge Harry Ainley Scona
1997 Mistassiniy, Desmarais St. Matthews Thorhild Senator Gershaw Central Alberta Christian Lacombe Composite Louis St. Laurent Grand Prairie Composite
1998 Ecole Mallaig Provost Prairie High Senator Gershaw Central Alberta Christian Sexsmith Secondary Harry Ainlay Salisbury
1999 Rosemary St. Thomas Fairview Vegreville Composite Central High (Sedgewick) Brooks Composite Sexsmith Harry Ainlay Sir Winston Churchill
2000 Foremost St. Thomas Fairview Calgary Christian F.P. Walshe (Fort Macleod) Archbishop Jordan Sexsmith Harry Ainley Harry Ainley
2001 Vilna New Norway Bawlf Fairview Brooks Composite W.R. Meyers (Taber) Sir Winston Churchill Lindsey Thurber
2002 New Norway Ecole Mallaig Calgary Christian Vauxhall St. Thomas Aquinas W.R. Meyers (Taber) Grande Prairie Composite Lindsey Thurber
2003 Two Hills High Standard School Edmonton Christian Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Ponoka Composite George McDougall High Grande Prairie Composite Lindsey Thurber
2004 St. Thomas Fairview Standard School Calgary Christian Vauxhall George McDougall High Beaverlodge Grande Prairie Composite Catholic Central (Lethbridge)
2005 St. Thomas Fairview Standard School Edmonton Christian Fairview Central Alberta Christian St. Joseph Grande Prairie Western Canada (Calgary) Catholic Central
2006 New Norway Standard School Assumption Drumheller Barrhead St. Joseph Grande Prairie Calgary Christian Lindsay Thurber
2007 New Norway Standard School Grand Trunk (Evansburg) Senator Gershaw (Bow Island) Calgary Christian Camrose Composite Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Grande Prairie Composite
2008 Ecole Mallaig School Standard School Picture Butte Vegreville Composite Barrhead Brooks Harry Ainley William Aberhart (Calgary)
2009 Foremost Standard School JH Picard Spirit River Regional Academy Barrhead St. Joseph Grande Prairie Grande Prairie Composite Harry Ainley
2010 Acme High St. Mary's (Taber) Calgary Christian Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Barrhead Cold Lake High Grande Prairie Composite Centennial High (Calgary)
2011 Acme High Clearwater Academy (Calgary) Prairie Christian Academy

(Three Hills)

Spirit River Regional Academy Edmonton Christian Holy Trinity (Edmonton) Dr. E.P. Scarlett (Calgary) Centennial High
2012 Bawlf Ecole Heritage (Falher) Picture Butte Vauxhall St. Joseph Grande Prairie Lacombe Composite Harry Ainley Chinook High (Lethbridge)
2013 Bawlf Acme High Calgary Christian Spirit River Regional Academy Louis St. Laurent Eagle Butte High (Dunmore) Lindsey Thurber Chinnok High
2014 St. Jerome (Vermillion) Bawlf Calgary Christian Magrath School Magrath School Peace Wapiti (Grande Prairie) Jasper Place (Edmonton) William Aberhart
2015 Ecole Heritage (Fahler) St. Thomas Aquinas Edmonton Christian Edmonton Christian Barrhead St. Albert Catholic Highschool Jasper Place William Aberhart
2016 Ecole Mallaig Provost Central Alberta Christian Spirit River Regional Academy Strathcona Christian Academy St.Joseph Grande Prairie Dr. E.P. Scarlett Jasper Place
2017 Central Alberta Christian Eaglesham School Immanuel Christian High (Lethbridge) Spirit River Regional Academy Barrhead St. Joseph Grande Prairie Harry Ainley Lindsay Thurber
2018 Senator Gershaw Central Alberta Christian F.G. Miller (Elk Point) Vauxhall Barrhead Cochrane High Jasper Place Lindsay Thurber
2019 Central Alberta Christian Acme High Immanuel Christian High Rundle College (Calgary) Strathcona Christian Academy Springbank Community William Aberhart Western Canada
2020 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
2021 Central Alberta Christian Magrath Magrath St. Peter the Apostle William Aberhart Lindsay Thurber
2022 Ecole Plamondon Bawlf OLMP (Camrose) Ecole Notre Dame High Barrhead St. John Paul II Catholic Magrath Lindsay Thurber
2023 St. Jerome St. Mary's (Taber) Calgary Christian Calgary Christian George McDougall High St. Peter the Apostle Western Canada Western Canada

References

  1. ^ "ASAA Executive". Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "About". Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Official Handbook: 2015-2016" (PDF). Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Sponsors | Alberta Schools' Athletic Association". Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
  5. ^ "Championship Host Websites". Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  6. ^ assa.ca/new/sports/football1415.php
  7. ^ a b Kamal-Choufi, Hiba (June 18, 2024). "ASAA makes changes to high school cheerleading". Archived from the original on November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  8. ^ "All Sports". Google Docs. Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Cheerleading Trophies - Google Drive". docs.google.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-11. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  10. ^ "Football Alberta: High School Football". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  11. ^ "Team Handball Trophies". Google Docs. Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.