BOYS DIVISIONS
GIRLS DIVISIONS
The Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations was established in 1948 as a group of six associations. It has since burgeoned into 19 autonomous associations representing a total of 800 schools.
Those 19 associations: Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA); Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association (CWOSSA); Eastern Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (EOSSAA); Georgian Bay Secondary Schools Association (GBSSAA); Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference (GHAC); Lake Ontario Secondary Schools Association (LOSSA); National Capital Secondary Schools Athletic Association (NCSSAA); Northern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (NOSSA); North Eastern Ontario Athletic Association (NEOAA, formerly the Interscholastic Association of the Gold Belt, IAGB???); North Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (NWOSSAA); Region of Peel Secondary Schools Athletic Association (ROPSSAA); Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (SOSSA); Scarborough Secondary Schools Athletic Association (SSSAA); South Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association (SWOSSA); Toronto District College Athletic Association (TDCAA); TRI-CITY (cities of Etobicoke, North York and York); Toronto Secondary Schools Athletic Association (TSSAA); the Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association (WOSSA); and the York Region Athletic Association (YRAA). The NCSSAA was formerly the Ottawa Valley High School Athletic Association and formerly included areas like Pembroke and Renfrew, which are now part of EOSSAA. LOSSA and YRAA formed in 1995 from the Durham-York Secondary Schools Athletic Association (DYOSSAA).
OFSSA runs its championships on a modified elimination draw with winners and losers moving to both sides of the draw. Winners on each side meet to determine the OFSAA champion. Each athletic association is entitled to one representative but if there aren’t enough teams thus entered; a maximum of three entries are accepted on the following basis 1) school from association hosting the tourney; 2) school representing association which won previous year’s tourney 3) school representing association from runner-up of previous year; and 4) school representing association from third-place finisher of previous year. But no association can have more than two entries in any given year.
Classifications are determined both by school population and by population density of region in which the school is located. For the purposes of classification, the province is divided up into “high” and “low” density areas with differing school populations required in high v. low density areas for classification as either an AAA, AAA, AA or A school. Under the classification system AAAA schools are those within high density areas have an enrolment over 1250, or alternatively, an all-boys schools with an enrolment over 375. AAA schools are those with enrolments between 901-1,250. AA schools have enrolments between 501-900 and A school’s enrolments under 500.
In April, 2015, OFSAA eliminates its Quad-A designation, ostensibly because of declining enrolments and cost savings for high schools through the elimination of six championships in various sports. “They (cost savings) would be to individual schools based on transportation (including flights for some teams), hotels and other costs associated with travel and paying substitute (teachers) while teacher-coaches travel with their teams,” wrote OFSAA. Commencing in 2015-16, high schools up to 500 students will be ‘A’, schools between 501-950 are now ‘AA’ and 951 and up will be ‘AAA’. The 2014-15 season had ‘A’ up to 500, ‘AA’ were 501-900 and ‘AAA’ was 901-1,250. ‘AAAA’ was 1,250 and up. The Quad-A division was discontinued after the 2015 campaign.
All teams are seeded 1-18 by tournament committee based on season’s tournament results, league records and previous performances in OFSAA competition.
OFSAA does not select, nor does it permit the selection of an all-tourney team or a Most Valuable Player in the tournament. OFSAA argues that such selections would detract from the “team nature” of the sport and would invite the “Americanization” of basketball.
Prior to the formation of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations in 1948, an invitational tournament known as the “Golden Ball” was held at the Broadview Y.M.C.A. in East Toronto. For several years, the Golden Ball champ was considered the provincial champ, though juvenile club teams were allowed to participate.
As of December, 2018, OFSAA bylaws state that “Associations shall place their schools in classifications for the following school year based on their student full time equivalent enrolment as of October 31st of the current school year: Northern Associations (NEOAA, NOSSA, NWOSSAA, and schools within the Muskoka-Parry Sound Athletic Association (part of GBSSA)) – “A” = 1-600; “AA” = 601-950; “AAA” = 951 +. For all other Associations – “A” = 1-500; “AA” = 501-900; “AAA” = 901-1250; “AAAA” = 1251 +.”