No Warmups: PCL Pivots to a December Start
Last season is barely in the rearview mirror but I’m already looking at next year. The Philadelphia Catholic League schedule is undergoing a revamp next season. Between a new face in the crowd and a slight recalibration of the calendar, the "typical" PCL season may no longer exist.
First and foremost, the league expands next year. The introduction of Holy Ghost Prep as the 15th member adds a new opponent and a fresh trip to Bensalem. A larger league means more scheduling slots, which seems to be a primary driver behind the calendar shift.
Historically, PCL play has been a New Year’s tradition, typically tipping off the first week of January after the holiday break. Aside from occasional exceptions for travel schedules, December was reserved for nonleague games and showcase events. That now changes. Next season, league play begins almost immediately:
PIAA Opening Night:December 4th
PCL Opening Night:December 7th
With just three days between the state’s opening night and the first league whistle, teams will be thrown into pivotal matchups right from the jump. The first three Mondays of the season -December 7th, 14th, and 21st, are all slated for PCL competition.
There is a strategic upside to this early start: the elimination of the three game week. In years past, the "Sunday-Wednesday-Friday" or "Monday-Wednesday-Friday" gauntlets were common. By utilizing December, the league has moved to a two game per week model. There is now only one Wednesday gameday in the entirety of January and February.
For coaches, this is a curveball for nonleague scheduling. The luxury of using December to test things out and get your feet wet against outside competition is much different. Now those marquee matchups and holiday tournaments will have to be woven around critical league matchups that carry playoff implications.
However, the league has offered a bit of a safety valve: the games officially scheduled for Mondays are flexible.Schools have the option to move those matchups to any other day within that same week. While this helps avoid logistical headaches, it adds a new layer of to the calendar.
Coaches will have to decide: do you move that Monday game to get an extra day of scout or keep it early to stay fresh for a weekend showcase? If you have a crucial PCL game, how do you schedule a tough nonleague opponent around it when the date is fluid? The margin for error is now slimmer, and the chess match begins long before the opening night.