As local high school athletes and coaches in Snowmass and across Colorado prepare for the upcoming competitions, a major change will be underway for how playoff seeding and postseason qualification are determined.
What’s Changing: From RPI to MaxPreps
The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) is replacing the long-used Ratings Performance Index (RPI) system with MaxPreps rankings for many sports. This shift—voted in by the CHSAA Board—will apply in a two-year cycle and begins with the fall season.
Which Sports Are Affected First
Fall sports such as tackle football, flag football, field hockey, girls volleyball, boys soccer and softball will use MaxPreps rankings for their playoff seeding. This method will expand into winter and spring seasons—adopting MaxPreps for basketball, ice hockey, baseball, lacrosse, boys volleyball, and girls soccer in later periods. Other sports will continue with their existing systems. The change is designed to offer more predictive accuracy based on match results and strength of schedule.
Why It Matters to Snowmass Coaches and Students
For smaller schools around Snowmass and the Roaring Fork Valley, scheduling tougher non-conference games might carry increased weight now. Because MaxPreps considers strength of schedule and results (not legacy performance or subjective ratings), teams that take on more challenging opponents stand to gain.
Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
- Opportunity: Underdog teams with strong performance may rise faster than before.
- Challenge: Travel costs and logistics for scheduling competitive non-league matches could strain smaller schools.
- Strategy Change: Coaches may adjust game planning to prioritize margins of victory or strength of opponent.
What Snowmass Students Should Do
If you’re a student-athlete or coach, it’s a good time to review your schedule and make sure your team is competing where strength counts. For parents, watching how region and conference alignment affect matchups will be key. And for everyone, staying informed—checking weekly MaxPreps updates and CHSAA bulletins—will help you navigate the new landscape.
This isn’t just a technical shift — it represents a change in how high school sports in Colorado reward performance. Whether Snowmass teams respond with bold scheduling, fierce competition, or strategic planning, one thing is clear: the scoreboard matters more than ever.