Momma told me certain things are not to be rushed into — getting married, buying a house, and trading a Hall of Fame wide receiver.

Let’s add realigning Maine high school football to that list.

Ernie Clark in the Bangor Daily News reported last week that the Maine Principals’ Association’s classification subcommittee tabled reclassification at the request of the football subcommittee. It seems there are still a number of concerns that the committee needs to address, which it plans to do this month.

Better to put the brakes on realignment now and get it right than rush into a “solution” that is just going to create different problems and inequities.

Based on my discussions with coaches and administrators since the four-class plan was first unveiled last summer, the concerns are wide-ranging. Some don’t like the proposed division formats and/or their accompanying travel, schedule balance and playoff structuring. Others don’t want to lose long-standing rivalries.

Some correctly point out that the proposed realignment merely shifts the competitive balance issues from some schools to others. Breaking down the classes strictly based on enrollment does not solve the problem.

For example, the current proposal would include a new Rockland/Georges Valley co-op team and still-developing Nokomis and Camden Hills programs competing in Class A with the likes Lawrence, Cony and Mt. Blue. Class B would pit a Sacopee Valley program that is currently gasping for breath in Class C against Mountain Valley, Cape Elizabeth and Wells.

Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway has said that he worries about teams that are currently struggling or programs that are trying to establish themselves not being able to compete, setting off a downward spiral where they lose numbers and ultimately have to fold. Nokomis coach Haggie Pratt has already publicly expressed his fear that the proposed format would “kill” his team, and he coaches at a school with an enrollment which would rank near the top of the new Class A.

Everyone agrees something needs to be done to address the influx of new programs into Maine high school football and create the most competitive environment. Numerous coaches, administrators and fans have drawn up their own proposals. Hopefully, now that it is taking a step back, the MPA is willing to listen to some of their ideas.

No restructuring plan can be perfect. There will never be true parity in high school football. It would be boring if it ever happened.

But above all else, players, coaches and fans want football played in a competitive environment. Most of them don’t care if they’re playing schools with the exact same enrollment, double the enrollment or half of the enrollment.

To achieve this, all of them must be willing to be flexible, to compromise and, yes, even make some sacrifices. Otherwise, the future of high school football is going to be stuck in meetings.