GISA partners with other states to form SECIS

THOMASTON, Ga — There was already a collaborative effort among the private school associations in the Southeast, but the formation of the Southeastern Commission of Independent Schools in January is the next step in showing the tangible results of that partnership.

Representatives from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina will gather this weekend at Callaway Garden’s Mountain View Course in Pine Mountain, Ga., for an all-star event featuring the best golfers from each state association.

Georgia Independent School Association Director of Athletics Jon Dorminey said “competing in events on a regional level will increase the visibility and credibility of the organizations.”

“We think it’s going to be a great opportunity for our students and our associations to create a bigger footprint within our own states,” he said. “It is going to give us an opportunity to showcase our students more, and offer something new.”

“I think the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete at a high level and fellowship with other student-athletes from across the southeast region is an important part of the education process,” said Alabama Independent School Association Executive Director Randy Skipper. “We are excited to be a part of creating this opportunity for our student-athletes and we look forward to watching them compete against some of the Southeast’s best high school golfers.”

The SECIS was officially organized in January 2016 to bring together some of the Southeast’s brightest student-athletes in academic and athletic competition. The Georgia Independent School Association, Alabama Independent School Association, Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, and South Carolina Independent School Association had worked together in the past, but have now formed a new organization dedicated to enhancing the programs of both the associations and their member schools.

“South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama were meeting every other year,” Skipper said. “About two years ago, we decided to meet yearly. We’d meet and talk about the operational aspects of the associations and share ideas.”

“Then we started talking about coming together in a more organized approach, so we formed the SECIS. Our first collaborative event will be a golf tournament at Callaway Gardens. We’re also looking at the possibility of coordinating academic competitions like math competitions, quiz bowls, and spelling bees.”

South Carolina Independent School Association Athletic Director Michael Fanning said there are several benefits for the 123-member association as a partner in the SECIS.

“Number one, it’s an opportunity to recognize students, such as the future plans for spelling bee and quiz bowl teams to compete at a regional level after district and state competition in South Carolina,” he said. “It gives them more recognition, and more exposure to pursue their passions even more. Our members think it’s a great way to add another level of recognition and competition.”

“From a state association basis, we think it’s a great professional alliance because we share so many things in common from testing, to the challenges facing independent education in our states. We share so many concerns, challenges, and expertise. There are some great folks in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia that we would love to exchange ideas with in things each of them do well.”

Because each association has different athletic calendars – for example, softball is a fall sport in Mississippi and Georgia and a spring sport in Alabama and South Carolina – there may some difficulty in adding regional events in some sports but officials are currently working on football and basketball events as well as academic competitions.

“We want to make sure this is not just about athletics, but we are excited to see this golf tournament come together,” Skipper said. “This will be a great way to provide our students with a larger platform to demonstrate their talents and abilities.”

While the Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi associations are roughly twice as large as the Alabama association, the four associations are similar in makeup and goals, making the alliance an easy fit.

“You’re comparing apples to apples,” said Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Director of Activities Les Triplett. “There’s probably a little variety in how many students each (school) has but for the most part you’re playing against schools that are pretty much your size. It’s a great barometer to see where you are athletically.”

The formation of SECIS will open other doors to the four associations, which in turn may lead to more state organizations joining in the future.

“We are already seeing interest from other state associations, so the SECIS has a lot of growth potential,” Skipper said. “As the SECIS grows and evolves, it will only create more opportunities for our member schools and students across the southeast, which aligns with the mission of each organization.”