A decision by the Clark County School District could mean Class 4-A girls soccer will be played in the winter -- and that affects Pahrump Valley.

Expecting to play during the fall season, PVHS girls will now have to decide between competing in basketball or soccer in the winter. Pahrump Valley moves into the Class 4-A Sunset Region Southwest Division in fall 2008, after almost two decades in Class 3-A.

"The (CCSD) principals are going to meet April 18 to decide whether to play girls soccer in the fall and possibily face a lawsuit, or go along with moving it back to the winter (where it has been for eight years)," said Bob Hopkins, the Pahrump Valley High School athletics director. "We will make a decision about our girls' soccer program after meeting."

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities had wanted to move girls soccer from winter to fall to allow for a true state champion to be decided in a post-season tournament.

Last week, Eric Johnson, the father of Green Valley High School freshman Emma Johnson, filed a Title IX lawsuit in federal court seeking to stop the move. Ray Mathis, director of athletics for the CCSD, indicated he would ask the NIAA to allow Las Vegas- and Henderson-area schools to continue playing in the winter for one more season.

Title IX, in effect since the 1970s, guarantees equal treatment between male and female students.

According to a story in the Sunday Las Vegas Review-Journal, Mathis, who also serves as president of the NIAA board of control, said he was instructed by superintendent Walt Rulffes to make the request to the NIAA.

"He recommended that I put a request in writing requesting an extension or requesting an opportunity to not participate in the fall but to allow Clark County to participate in the winter for another season," Mathis told the R-J. "That way we have an opportunity to go in and address some Title IX concerns and hopefully implement another (girls) sport by the 2009-2010 school year."

The district's decision to keep playing in the winter apparently satisfied Johnson, according to the R-J.

"Essentially, we're not moving forward on any basis on our suit at this time since that action basically accomplishes what we were trying to receive," Johnson said. "At this point, I've been assured that the district plans to keep girls soccer in the winter until a new girls sport opportunity can be offered. We're thrilled with that decision."

Emma Johnson participated in soccer and volleyball as a freshman this school year but would have to choose between the two sports if soccer were moved to the fall.

If girls soccer moved to the fall, the only sports available to girls during the winter season would be basketball and bowling. Boys would have basketball, bowling and wrestling, and the Johnsons claimed that would violate Title IX.

The NIAA originally voted to move 4-A girls soccer to the fall in 2005. The board again voted to move the season in a special meeting March 26.

Girls soccer in the Northern 4-A Leagues is played in the fall. The Class 3-A Southern League, which currently includes the Trojans, Las Vegas Faith Lutheran, Boulder City, Mesquite Virgin Valley and Overton Moapa Valley, plays in the fall. Class 2-A schools The Meadows and Ely White Pine compete in the 3-A League in boys and girls soccer. Lake Mead Christian Academy's boys, a 1-A team, also competes in the fall.

Mathis told the R-J the move to the fall was designed to benefit girls. Not only would it have allowed them to play for a state championship, but they would have been playing in better weather on the same fields as the boys. Most teams are forced to use ragged football fields in the winter to play under the lights.

"Our best plan to do what's right for girls seemed to backfire in our face," Mathis said. "There's only one parent that stands in the way from doing what we all believe is right for girls."

All of the Las Vegas 4-A schools play girls soccer, which means that more than 600 players will be affected if the sport is played in the winter. They will now have to decide between soccer and basketball, and in some schools swimming and bowling.