advertisement

Conference call - a look at how realignment is shaping up

One of our favorite sayings in the travel softball world when a player decides to switch teams is, "Well, they think the grass will be greener on the other side."

That statement most certainly applies to schools that are continually looking for a new conference affiliation.

Published reports last week suggesting the schools of the Mid-Suburban League, the Central Suburban League and the North Suburban Conference might consider a mega conference conjured up some conversation over the weekend about what's happening with some other conference shake-ups, most notably the Upstate Eight, the Fox Valley and the Big Northern.

Most immediate on that list is the Upstate Eight, which will see Waubonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley depart after this school year for the DuPage Valley Conference.

It doesn't take a math major to figure out how difficult scheduling a 13-school conference will be but the UEC may be stuck with just that, at least for 2015-16.

"I think most of the ADs still believe 16 would be best," Larkin athletic director Mark Ribbens told me Monday.

While that may be the UEC's preference, time is running short to get it done for next fall. Ribbens said no formal talks have been held with any potential schools. The UEC has sent out over 20 letters to schools, he said, but the only one that made any official reply to that letter was Glenbard North, which not so long ago said thanks but no thanks to the UEC.

Ribbens also agreed time is running short on getting anything done for next school year. Some scheduling has already begun and even if the UEC could attract three interested schools, getting those schools to leave their current conferences for 2015-16 would be unlikely.

Further complicating matters for the Upstate Eight is that the three schools leaving are all in the Valley Division, meaning if the league has to go with the remaining 13 schools next year division realignment will be necessary.

"Hopefully in the next six weeks we'll have a final number of schools we're looking at and we'll begin the courting process but, yes, I would think by Thanksgiving we'd have to have something done if it's going to happen for next year," Ribbens said.

Anytime conferences start shaking up it has a domino effect. The recent announcement that the North Suburban Conference is breaking up has a direct affect on the Fox Valley Conference as Grayslake Central and Grayslake North will be leaving the FVC for a yet-to-be-named league that will also include Wauconda, Antioch, Lakes, Grant, Round Lake and North Chicago.

With the departure this year of Johnsburg to the Big Northern and the Woodstocks announcing they'll be leaving the FVC for the new Kishwaukee River Valley Conference in 2016-17, the FVC suddenly is looking at nine schools in two years.

There doesn't appear to be anyone knocking on the FVC's door to get in, and nine is as difficult as 13 when it comes to scheduling. One colleague said to me over the weekend that maybe the UEC and FVC should think about becoming one conference - a mega conference, if you will.

Can't see that happening. And while we throw out that term mega conference let's remember that this is not college sports and big money we're talking about.

But it certainly does create some interesting conversation, and one of the first schools to come up in that conversation is Huntley, the one school that continues to grow and grow and grow. The future at Huntley just might be the one to keep the closest eye on. Will there be a second high school at some point in the future? If so, will the district choose to keep athletics under one umbrella? Both viable questions.

But the bigger question that looms will be this: Will Huntley be content to stay in a nine-school FVC, or might it consider jumping to the Upstate Eight? Makes some sense for Huntley to at least consider the UEC, and it would put the FVC at a much more manageable eight schools.

Meanwhile, Burlington Central AD Steve Diversey said Monday the new Kishwaukee River Valley is holding steady with seven schools - BC, Marengo, Woodstock, Woodstock North, Harvard, Johnsburg and Richmond-Burton - set to go for 2016-17 but that the KRC would ideally like an eighth school. The logical choice there would be Genoa-Kingston, which at this point has chosen to remain in the Big Northern after initially showing interest in the KRC.

"We want an eighth," Diversey said. "It's a heck of a lot easier for scheduling. But we're ready to move forward with seven."

The clearest thing about all of the above is that this will be far from the last time we visit the subject.

A thank-you note: The response to the announcement of my IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award selection has been humbly overwhelming and I want to take just a couple lines of ink today to send out a sincere thank you to each of you. To be recognized by my peers in the media with this award is truly humbling and appreciated, and to have so many of you send cards, emails, Facebook and Twitter posts, text messages, etc., is more gratifying than I can explain.

I hope that many of you can attend the ceremony at Burlington Central on Saturday, Dec. 6, because things like this don't happen without you, the loyal readers I've done my best to tell stories to for, well, a very long time now.

Thank you, everyone.

jradtke@dailyherald.com

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.