Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus
04/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/29/2026 15:07
Watro Supports Bill to Level Playing Field in High School Sports
Apr. 29, 2026
HARRISBURG - State Rep. Dane Watro (R-Luzerne/Schuylkill) today voted in favor of House Bill 41, legislation he co-sponsored that would allow the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) to establish separate playoff systems and championships for public (boundary) and private, charter, and parochial (non-boundary) schools.
"To uphold fairness in sports, I co-sponsored and voted in favor of legislation to allow the PIAA to establish separate playoffs and championships for public and private schools," said Watro. "This is long overdue because private schools can recruit while public schools cannot, creating a significant competitive advantage for non-boundary schools."
Watro said the imbalance has been evident in recent years, particularly in football and basketball, where non-boundary schools have dominated postseason play. He emphasized that while sports are meant to teach teamwork, sportsmanship and resilience, those lessons are diminished when one side holds a structural advantage.
"Public schools are limited by geographic boundaries, while private, charter and parochial schools can attract top talent. That imbalance not only affects fairness but raises concerns about the safety of student-athletes when physical disparities become too great," Watro added.
House Bill 41 now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
Representative Dane Watro
116th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Chris Comisac
717-772-9845
[email protected]
RepWatro.com / Facebook.com/RepWatro
"To uphold fairness in sports, I co-sponsored and voted in favor of legislation to allow the PIAA to establish separate playoffs and championships for public and private schools," said Watro. "This is long overdue because private schools can recruit while public schools cannot, creating a significant competitive advantage for non-boundary schools."
Watro said the imbalance has been evident in recent years, particularly in football and basketball, where non-boundary schools have dominated postseason play. He emphasized that while sports are meant to teach teamwork, sportsmanship and resilience, those lessons are diminished when one side holds a structural advantage.
"Public schools are limited by geographic boundaries, while private, charter and parochial schools can attract top talent. That imbalance not only affects fairness but raises concerns about the safety of student-athletes when physical disparities become too great," Watro added.
House Bill 41 now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
Representative Dane Watro
116th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Chris Comisac
717-772-9845
[email protected]
RepWatro.com / Facebook.com/RepWatro
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