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For years while most of the state has held girls' high school volleyball season in the fall, the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference has been one of the few holdouts, competing instead during the winter sports season.

But the conference has taken a major step toward changing that. At the CVAC's June meeting, the athletic directors voted to move volleyball season to the fall starting with the 2010-11 school year.

The move must be approved by the Section VII Athletic Council, which meets in August.

"I'm one of the older coaches, so I can see it both ways. I think it's time," said Plattsburgh High coach and Section VII Coordinator Vicki McMillan, who has coached volleyball since 1979. "I think there will be some growing pains. I liked it where it was, but I can see the benefits of both. I think it will be a good thing."

In Section VII, only CVAC schools currently participate in volleyball, and both McMillan and CVAC Executive Secretary Lee Yaeger said they're optimistic that the move will be approved. The Section VII Athletic Council includes representatives from all CVAC and Mountain & Valley Athletic Conference schools as well as representatives from the two conferences.

"Seeing as CVAC schools are the only schools in the section that have volleyball, it's not a situation where it's a problem for the MVAC, because it doesn't have teams," Yaeger said. "So I'm thinking that it should pass in August."

The biggest draw to a fall season is the NYSPHSAA playoffs are held then, with the champions decided in late November. Currently, Sections VII and III and part of Section IV hold a winter season and then compete against each other in a regional tournament. By then the state champions, All-State selections and state rankings have already been determined.

"I think it's an excellent opportunity for the girls to have a chance to play for a state title," Beekmantown coach Shana Hileman said. "They've only been able to go so far with volleyball, unlike other sports where they have opportunities for true regional and state competition."

McMillan is on the state volleyball committee and said she gave the committee advanced notice.

"I had told them a couple seasons ago that we may be doing this in the next four or five years," she said. "They have us pencilled in a regional scenario. So we know we have that — it won't be a shock to the state committee."

Hileman said there were discussions of switching seasons when she played for Beekmantown in the late 1990s, and McMillan added that as new, younger coaches have taken over some teams in recent years, there has been more and more interest in making the change.

Yaeger said McMillan's end-of-the season report, which reflects input from the other coaches, requested the change.

"In the past they have also asked for that in the postseason report, but at that time the CVAC athletic directors just felt it was better to keep it in the winter," Yaeger said. "But that feeling has changed.

"For the majority of these schools that have volleyball, they were in favor of it."

"I think as a whole, everyone respected each other's opinion," Hileman said. "I think collectively as coaches we can see the positives. I can't speak for all the coaches, but I think the majority of the coaches are for it."

In a June 23 press release announcing the decision, the CVAC said the switch won't happen until 2010 in order to give athletes time to adjust. If the change is approved, volleyball will be held at the same time as soccer, cross country and gymnastics, forcing some girls to choose between two sports that so far have been in different seasons.

"The juniors will be the ones that are going to get caught in it," McMillan said. "They'll play as juniors, and then their senior year, if they play soccer or gymnastics, they'll have to make a choice. I feel bad for those kids. But after that, it will work out fine, I think. I think it's time to join the rest of the state.

"It'll take a couple seasons probably, and after a cycle of four years, the kids won't know anything different."

Hileman agreed and said she doesn't anticipate losing a lot of athletes to other sports.

"I think the chips are going to fall the way they fall. The kids will chose. But I think it will balance out," Hileman said.

"I think the girls who are passionate about soccer, gymnastics or cross country will stick with them. And if they're passionate about volleyball, they'll stick with that.

"As long as coaches respect the decisions and be positive about it, I think it will be fine. As a coach I would never pressure or push an athlete. Whatever they choose, I'll support, and I know a lot of the other coaches will be supportive as well."

And McMillan noted that teams may pick up some basketball players who up to this point haven't been able to play volleyball.

Besides the chance to play in the state tournament, competing in the fall should give local teams more opportunities during the regular season. They often have to travel to Section III (the Syracuse area) — sometimes making five-hour bus trips in winter weather — to get exposure to different teams and playing styles.

"I think Section VII does a great job, but we see the same faces all the time," Hileman said. "A lot of times, you learn from watching. So I'd love to be able to travel to Chateaugay, Malone, South Glens Falls. And I think it would be easier on the districts since it's an hour-and-a-half trip instead of five hours."

Hileman said she holds a camp for girls from throughout the section in July, and another plus of a fall season is that the camp will serve to get girls ready for preseason practice.

Hileman said she has heard positive reaction to the change from Beekmantown players.

"I've talked to some girls; they've heard about it. They know they can't get too excited unless it's set in stone," Hileman said. "But they seem excited about it."

E-mail Courtney Lewis at: clewis@pressrepublican.com