As president of the league I really appreciate all the support and following of the WCLL on these message boards. I have been a member of the league's Board of Directors for about 20 of my 23 years coaching and can honestly say we have gone through many league alignments and playoff scenarios during that time.
There are a tremendous number of variables that need to be taken into consideration when we meet as a Board each year to bring back recommendations to the entire body of team representatives each fall. Not just in regards to the playoff structure but also in the league alignment, new teams, problem teams, championship weekend and MCLA demands etc. What you all must be aware of is that "the WCLL" is controlled by the member institutions who all vote on these recommendations and topics. The BOD doesn't make all the decisions nor place edicts down to the teams as to what takes place each season.
This past fall we tabled the discussion on league alignment changes in order to allow the MCLA to make their decision on what constituted teams for each Division. We felt this was needed prior to trying to tackle the daunting task of how to distribute the teams fairly keeping in mind both competitive and geographical considerations. It isn't as simple as some think to just move teams around (ie. UCSB to the Central and Cal to the North, as one proposal has suggested). We fully expect that San Jose State and UNLV will be forced to moved to Division 1 in the next few years (again depending upon MCLA rules). That would add another team into the Central and would allow us to move a Central team to the North. If we were then to add UCSB to the Central, we would just shift the inequity that is present in the LA Division to the Central division.
At the last annual meeting, the Board was tasked to create several committees to look into the realignment and playoff structure issues. Seeding of the quarterfinals and then reseeding the semifinal teams were discussed as well but consensus couldn't be reached in the single afternoon meeting.
So in conclusion, I would appreciate that all of you please allow us to do our jobs and help guide the conference. We appreciate your input but there are proper vehicles and pathways to direct that input rather then bashing the "all inclusive league" on the message boards. Feel free to email me directly at
gjpodesta@msn.com if you have any specific questions ro suggestions. Please don't PM me through this website, it only goes to my email anyway so I don't need the extra work right now!!
To Catlax Man, Craig is correct and there was actually a post earlier in this thread that accused or suggested the BOD of sitting in a back smoke filled room and coming up with these policies and did indeed imply that there was collusion to harm some teams in the league. I am too tired to actually go back in the thread and find it.
