The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) is an interscholastic athletic

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

 association in Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...

. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association

Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. is one of the governing bodies of high school and junior high school sports for the state of Pennsylvania, United States....

. The league is colloquially

Colloquialism

A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...

 known as "WIP-ee-al". As of 2006, the Executive Director is Tim O'Malley.

History

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1907 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to insure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among the schools in Western Pennsylvania. WPIAL schools would hire the best local players to play for their teams. In 1903, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Central High School, and Shady Side Academy began working on developing the league. In 1906, E. W. Rynearson of Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue with Headmaster Jones of Allegheny Prep and W. R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy wrote the first eligibility rules.

In the beginning, the league was poorly received by the public, and the league found it difficult to enforce the rules. However, the league slowly spread throughout the Pittsburgh area. The league controlled the growth to small numbers that they could handle. As such, the only organization absorbed as a whole was the old Allegheny Valley League. Following the local success of WPIAL, the idea was brought to the whole state in 1914 when the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) was founded. Within PIAA, WPIAL has been designated as District 7, and since 1982, WPIAL/District 7. Although officially known as District 7, the WPIAL is grandfathered

Grandfather clause

Grandfather clause is a legal term used to describe a situation in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations, while a new rule will apply to all future situations. It is often used as a verb: to grandfather means to grant such an exemption...

 to keep the older name due to it predating the PIAA.

Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981-82 school year. Currently there are 138 high schools and 147 junior high school members in the WPIAL.http://www.wpial.org/history.asp

Member schools

The league is made up of 136 public school districts

School district

School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...

 and private school

Private school

Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...

s located in Allegheny

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...

, Armstrong

Armstrong County, Pennsylvania

Armstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,941. It is located northeast of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Armstrong County was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003.The county seat is Kittanning...

, Beaver

Beaver County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...

, Butler

Butler County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...

, Fayette

Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....

, Greene

Greene County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...

, Lawrence

Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....

, Washington

Washington County, Pennsylvania

-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...

, Westmoreland

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...

 and Indiana

Indiana County, Pennsylvania

-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 58,077 registered voters in Indiana County .* Democratic: 26,653 * Republican: 24,159 * Other Parties: 7,265 -County commissioners:*Rodney Ruddock, Chairman, Republican...

 counties.

Exceptions include:

• Ligonier Valley School District in Westmoreland County
  Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
  
  , which opts to participate in District 6.
• Pittsburgh Public Schools
  Pittsburgh Public Schools
  Pittsburgh Public Schools is the public school district in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and adjacent Mount Oliver.The combined land area of these municipalities is with a population of 342,503 according to the 2000 census. In August 2005, the superintendent became Mark Roosevelt. His tenure ends...
  
   in Allegheny County
  Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
  Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
  
  , which create District 8.
• Slippery Rock and Moniteau high schools in Butler County
  Butler County, Pennsylvania
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
  
  , who participate in District 10
  PIAA District 10
  District 10 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association is an interscholastic athletic association in Northwest Pennsylvania. District 10 is one of the PIAA's 12 athletic conferences and comprises mostly high schools in Erie, Pennsylvania and a few surrounding counties to the south and...
  
   and 9 respectfully.
• Wilmington Area in Lawrence and Mercer Counties, a District 10 member.
• Altoona Area High School
  Altoona Area High School
  Altoona Area High School is the public high school for the Altoona Area School District in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The high school serves the populations living in Altoona, Logan Township, and a small portion of Tyrone Township...
  
   in Blair County
  Blair County, Pennsylvania
  -Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
  
   from District 6 as of Fall 2010 as a "conditional member."
• Hollidaysburg Area High School
  Hollidaysburg Area High School
  Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School is the public high school for the Hollidaysburg Area School District. The high school is located at 1510 North Montgomery St. in Hollidaysburg, Blair County...
  
   in Blair County
  Blair County, Pennsylvania
  -Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
  
   from District 6 as of Fall 2010 as a "conditional member."
• McDowell High School
  McDowell High School
  McDowell High School is a public high school located in Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania a suburb of Erie. It is the only high school in the Millcreek Township School District. The current principal is Timothy Rankin. The school's mascot is the Trojan...
  
   just outside of Erie
  Erie, Pennsylvania
  Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
  
   in Erie County
  Erie County, Pennsylvania
  Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 280,566. Its county seat is the City of Erie.- Geography :...
  
   from District 10 as of Fall 2010 as a "conditional member."

Alphabetical List of WPIAL Member Schools:

http://www.wpial.org/memberschools.asp

Addresses and school district website links:

http://www.hsfootballweb.com/wpial.htm

Sports

Note: While some sports are dominated by one sex

Sex

In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...

, there is no rule that mandates sex segregation

Sex segregation

Sex segregation is the separation of people according to their sex.The term gender apartheid also has been applied to segregation of people by gender, implying that it is sexual discrimination...

 in PIAA sports, even if a school has teams for each sex.

Fall: Football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

, Golf

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

, Tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 (girls), Cross Country

Cross country running

Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

, Volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

 (girls), Field Hockey

Field hockey

Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...

, Soccer

Winter: Rifle

Rifle

A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...

, Gymnastics

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

, Swimming

Swimming (sport)

Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

 & Diving

Diving

Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...

, Wrestling

Collegiate wrestling

Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...

, Basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

Spring: Lacrosse

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...

 (girls), Tennis (boys), Softball

Softball

Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

, Baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

, Volleyball (boys), Track & Field

Recent Football Champions

Class AAAA:

• 2011: North Allegheny
• 2010: North Allegheny
• 2009: Woodland Hills
• 2008: Bethel Park
• 2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
• 2006: Upper St. Clair
• 2005: McKeesport
• 2004: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
• 2003: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
• 2002: Woodland Hills
• 2001: Woodland Hills
• 2000: Mt. Lebanon

Class AAA:

• 2011: Montour
• 2010: Central Valley
• 2009: West Allegheny
• 2008: Thomas Jefferson
• 2007: Thomas Jefferson
• 2006: Thomas Jefferson
• 2005: Franklin Regional
• 2004: Thomas Jefferson
• 2003: Pine-Richland
• 2002: Hopewell
• 2001: West Allegheny
• 2000: West Allegheny

Class AA:

• 2011: Aliquippa
• 2010: South Fayette
• 2009: Greensburg Central Catholic
• 2008: Aliquippa
• 2007: Jeanette
• 2006: Jeanette
• 2005: South Park
• 2004: Seton-LaSalle
• 2003: Aliquippa
• 2002: Seton-LaSalle
• 2001: Washington
• 2000: Aliquippa

Class A:

• 2011: Clairton
• 2010: Clairton
• 2009: Clairton
• 2008: Clairton
• 2007: Serra Catholic
• 2006: Clairton
• 2005: Duquesne
• 2004: Rochester
• 2003: Springdale
• 2002: Rochester
• 2001: Rochester
• 2000: Rochester

Recent Boy's Basketball Champions

Class AAAA:

• 2011: Gateway
• 2010: Mt. Lebanon
• 2009: Peters Township
• 2008: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
• 2007: Bethel Park
• 2006: Mt. Lebanon
• 2005: Upper St. Clair
• 2004: Chartiers Valley
• 2003: Penn Hills
• 2002: Uniontown
• 2001: Chartiers Valley
• 2000: Penn Hills

Class AAA:

• 2011: Montour
• 2010: Chartiers Valley
• 2009: Hampton Township
• 2008: Blackhawk
• 2007: West Allegheny
• 2006: Moon
• 2005: Moon
• 2004: Moon
• 2003: Blackhawk
• 2002: Steel Valley
• 2001: Brownsville
• 2000: Blackhawk

Class AA:

• 2011: Monessen
• 2010: North Catholic
• 2009: North Catholic
• 2008: Jeanette
• 2007: Aliquippa
• 2006: Aliquippa
• 2005: Beaver Falls
• 2004: Aliquippa
• 2003: Aliquippa
• 2002: Sto-Rox
• 2001: Sto-Rox
• 2000: Aliquippa

Class A:

• 2011: Vincentian Academy
• 2010: Sewickley Academy
• 2009: Sewickley Academy
• 2008: Serra Catholic
• 2007: Leechburg
• 2006: Clairton
• 2005: Duquesne
• 2004: Sewickley Academy
• 2003: Union Township
• 2002: Monessen
• 2001: Monessen
• 2000: Cornell

External links

• Official WPIAL site
• High School Football - WPIAL