If three is good, four must be better.
Maybe, maybe not.
In a recent vote, the member schools of the Missouri State High School Activities Association decided to add a fourth class to boys and girls soccer starting with the 2014-15 season.
Helias boys coach Chuck Register believes the 277-235 vote says positive things about the state of soccer in Missouri.
"It's a sign showing how incredibly popular soccer has become," he said. "There are a lot of schools that are playing soccer and it's a great outlet to give kids something to do."
And while it may be a positive for the overall game, what the vote will do to the playoffs is still to be decided.
"It's really a mess," Jefferson City boys and girls coach Eddie Horn said.
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In recent years, the soccer playoffs have undergone several changes.
It started with two classes, then went to three with no standard breaks. The next change came with the multiplier for private schools. And then standard enrollment breaks turned into equal breaks.
"With all the changes, it seems like some people think if I complain enough, I will get what I want and get a better chance of winning instead of realizing my team is not at the level to compete for a title and do a better job of coaching and teaching," Horn said. "They're trying to squeeze to where they think they will have an advantage.
"It's not good for the game. I think we have a responsibility as a coach and educator to embrace competition, not run from it."
In the current postseason format, soccer schools are divided by enrollment breaks into three classes comprised of 16 districts. Those 16 hold tournaments to see who advances to the sectional round, the first in the state playoffs.
But adding the fourth class could bring changes to that format. The vote decided to add a class, not how the playoffs would work.
Horn said two public schools, both currently in Class 3, spearheaded the charge toward four classes for the 224 soccer-playing schools.
"There's a part of me that thinks we should maybe break the schools into 74-74-74 and 2. Then get those two their trophy and say, "Congratulations,'" Horn said.
There are four possible options provided to soccer-playing schools to provide feedback to MSHSAA, whose board of directors will make the final decision.
"You want to try and make things as even as possible for everyone," Register said.
The first option is to split the schools evenly into four districts. But that would leave 56 schools in each class, meaning half of the 16 districts would have just three teams.
"You can't have a district tournament with three teams," Horn said.
The second is to have even enrollment breaks in classes with eight districts, with the district winner going to quarterfinals. That would cut out the sectional round, a stream of revenue for MSHSAA.
The third option is to divide the 192 smallest schools in Classes 1-3 and make Class 4 the catch-all class comprised of the 32 biggest schools.
"To make it the top 32, there is such quality soccer among the top two classes we have now, to make it 32 wouldn't make any sense to me," Helias girls coach Brad Dempsey said.
And with the multiplier, Class 4 is where many of the private schools in St. Louis and Kansas City would be assigned.
"That is almost the first step into separate public and private championships and I strongly oppose that," Horn said. "That is not good for this game or in any sport, for that matter.
"And that's coming from a coach in boys soccer that hasn't seen a public school state champion in any class in the last seven years."
The fourth option would be to make Class 1 the smallest class with 32 schools and put 64 schools in Classes 2-4.
"That would help boost the interest in the smaller communities that have either just started soccer or are thinking about starting it while keeping the integrity in the top class," Horn said. "Tell me people at those 32 schools wouldn't be excited about the chance if they win a district title to just be one win away from a Final Four.
"And then that might get some of their neighboring small schools that don't have football see that excitement and decide to start soccer. That would grow the game."
Two things are for sure. Whatever option is used, Jefferson City will be in Class 4 and Helias will be in Class 3.
"We'll be in a class that's competitive and we'll be ready to play," Register said.
The decision on what format will be used is expected to be made in the next few weeks.