A proposal that could reshape the landscape of the entire Sac-Joaquin Section was unveiled on Thursday morning.

As administrators and coaches tuned into YouTube from across the region, those from the Central California Athletic League gathered inside Latif’s by Pedretti to watch the section share the initial realignment proposal for the 2028-2032 cycle in a nearly hour-long livestream.

The proposal that appeared on the television screen at the iconic Turlock dining establishment was drastic, as it would cut the number of leagues in half from 26 to 13, if passed next spring. That plan includes the disbandment of the CCAL, the 67-year-old Trans-Valley League and the Southern League.

The new format, presented by SJS Commissioner Mike Garrison and other section employees, would feature the 13 withstanding leagues consisting of two divisions, the Capital and Valley “tiers.” Tiers would be made up of different schools based on football and all other sports.

The CCAL was established in 2018 and has consisted of local schools Turlock and Pitman as well as Modesto programs Downey, Enochs, Gregori and Modesto since its inception.

Under the new format, though, the Bulldogs and Pride would instead be placed in a revamped Valley Oak League, both in the Capital tier alongside East Union (Manteca), Gregori, Mountain House, Oakdale and Sierra (Manteca) for all sports excluding football. On the gridiron, the Bulldogs would be in the Capital tier with Hughson, Downey, Oakdale, Escalon, Patterson and Sonora. The Pitman gridders would be in the Valley tier with East Union, Enochs, Gregori, Mountain House, Ripon and Sierra.

As for Hughson, winners of three straight section titles and a state crown in football between the 2022 and 2024 seasons, will be placed in the Valley tiers for all other sports, competing against Downey, Enochs, Escalon, Patterson, Ripon and Sonora.

The Huskies’ varsity football coaching staff walked the sidelines Friday night sporting new gear: all black shirts with a monogram featuring the letters “TVL” in bold, yellow font, a logo similar to that of the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference, showing pride in being one of seven members of what many consider to be the toughest small-school conference in California.

Contributing to the TVL’s football successes in recent years has been Hilmar, with four section titles since 2008 and a state championship in 2018. The Yellowjackets would compete in the Mother Lode League under the proposed format. In football, the program would be set to compete in the Capital tier with Southern League power Denair (also a state football champion in 2018), Calaveras, Le Grand, Linden, Orestimba, Stone Ridge Christian and Summerville.

The tier would remain unchanged in all other sports competitions with the exception of Stone Ridge Christian being placed in the Valley tier and Bret Harte coming over to the Capital tier.

Turlock Christian would be the one school competing across multiple conferences if it were to field a football program. A powerhouse in baseball over the past four years with consistent postseason success in basketball, the Eagles would remain in the Central California Athletic Alliance for all sports excluding football. The Eagles would be slated to compete in the Valley tier with Don Pedro, Elliot Christian (Lodi), Lodi Academy, Modesto Christian, Stockton Christian and Tioga (Groveland).

If the football program could be revitalized (this is the first season in three years in which the Eagles are not competing in an 8-man season), it would be placed in the Sacramento Metro Athletic League alongside Modesto Christian, Delta (Clarksburg), Florin (Elk Grove), Kairos (Vacaville), Millennium and Valley (Sacramento).

Garrison and his assistants outlined how the section mapped out the proposed format.

“We want our membership to understand not only what is being proposed, but why,” Garrison said in the video. “With nearly 200 schools spread across a large and diverse geographic area, there will never be a perfect alignment for every individual school.

“Our responsibility is to look beyond any school or league and develop a structure that best serves the section as a whole. Competitive equity will remain at the center of that work, while also recognizing the realities of geography, travel, enrollment, program offerings and the unique needs of our member schools.”

There are three criteria the section is using for realignment. Primary criteria includes competitive equity, scope of athletic program and school enrollment. The desires of the schools, school districts and leagues make up the secondary criteria. Lastly, general considerations such as distance traveled and geography are examined.

The section has also devised a way to quantify competitive equity, using data such as final MaxPreps rankings, playoff performance and league standings from the past three years.

“It’s just the first step,” Graham said. “We all have the opportunity to make our case for where we want to be. We know it’s not set in stone. At this site, we’re ready to do the work and advocate for our kids and our programs.”

The next step is for schools to send alternative proposals suggesting swapping and leagues and tiers, which are due Oct. 30. A public hearing for the southern half of the SJS will take place Dec. 8, and members from the northern half will have their say the following day. Section staff will then review proposals and send back a realignment plan Feb. 8 for schools to vote on. After CIF review, the SJS Board of Managers will make a final vote for ratification on April 21.

“League alignment is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a section,” Garrison said. “It impacts competition, scheduling, travel, school communities and, ultimately, the experience we provide for our student-athletes ...

“Our goal is to provide a process that is thoughtful, transparent, data driven and focused on the long-term health of our membership.”