"Road to Troy" championship

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

Alabama Independent School Association football programs could all have Troy on their minds come this fall.

No, they won’t all be coming to play Pike Liberal Arts, the city’s very own AISA sanctioned school, but a move is in the works for the organization to bring it’s football championship program to Troy State University.

Much like the Super 6 format used by the AHSAA and public schools football championships in Birmingham, AISA and the independent schools have decided to go to the championship format in football, the only of their sports not set up in that fashion.

As of this week, AISA has narrowed its decision down to two sites – Selma and Troy. Selma already hosts a number of AISA championship programs as well as some of its All-Star games.

AISA Executive Director John Faircloth was on hand Thursday at the Troy Tourism Committee meeting at the Holiday Inn to address the members about the chance of Troy being named as the site for the 2000 championship.

"Certainly Troy State is an attractive facility," Faircloth said. "We just wanted to meet with the city and see if they desire to bring the program in because we will be bringing a lot of people in. We just like to keep them informed so that they can help us out in any way they can.

"We are determined to try this format out for two years," Faircloth added. "If it proves to be an effective program and a beneficial program to our schools and the association we’ll continue to do it. If not we’ll go back to local level play."

Faircloth, himself a native of Brundidge and a Troy State alumni, was very complimentary of the facilities at TSU and of the community as well. He feels that holding the event in Troy is a win-win situation for all involved.

"This is a venture that we are going to give 110 percent," Faircloth said. "Where ever we hold it we’re going to do a super job marketing the program and do anything we can to bring a lot of people into the site. Hopefully that will mean a lot of money and everyone will be happy."

The format would bring six teams to Troy on Friday, Nov. 17 to compete in the final title game of all three AISA classifications. The games would be held on a Friday to help draw support and not compete with the big college games happening on the following Saturday with Troy State going to Jacksonville State that day as well as the Auburn Alabama game.

"You certainly want to hold this in a classy facility and Troy State has that," Faircloth said. "Any football player would relish the opportunity to play at Troy State Stadium, there’s no doubt about that. Getting to play in a college stadium is a little bit different.

"We have all of our championship programs at central and neutral sites except for football," he continued. "I’ve observed the public schools since they went to the Super 6 formate and talked to some coaches who have participated. They seem to be very pleased with it and the crowds have been excellent."

Faircloth said that he and the committee which will make the decision plan to have everything decided and begin preparations on or around June 14.