Time for FVC to go to 14 - and here's a vote for Hampshire

When the Fox Valley Conference expanded to 13 schools by taking on Woodstock North, the league's leaders knew it would only be a matter of time before a 14th school would be added to the mix.

It appears the FVC is on the threshold of becoming a 14-school conference, and it appears Hampshire just might be that 14th school.

"There has been a formal invitation from the Fox Valley Conference for us to join," said Hampshire principal Chuck Bumbales on Monday. "Obviously the Fox Valley is in a situation where they're at an odd number. We were extended this invitation two years ago but at that time we only had 650 students. Now we're at 1,015. Our circumstances have changed."

That, and the scheduling difficulties that come with it, are the primary reasons the FVC would desperately like to get to 14 schools.

"With 13 schools, scheduling is very difficult," said Johnsburg athletic director Bruce Harbecke, who is president of the FVC ADs this year. "We see this is a good opportunity for Hampshire. It's a growing community with a new school and great facilities."

Hampshire, which currently competes in the East Division of the Big Northern Conference, will be present at the FVC principal's meeting on Oct. 14 to further discuss jumping to the FVC and until then Bumbales and his staff will be on a fact-finding mission of sorts.

"We're exchanging information right now," Bumbales said. "We want to look at enrollment data, travel distances and competition levels, things like that. We'd also be interested in learning which side we'd be on ... where do we fit in and what would crossovers look like. We also want to look at more than just athletics - things like academics and clubs."

As for which side Hampshire would be on, one would presume the Whip-Purs would be in the smaller enrollment Fox Division and that Woodstock or Prairie Ridge would move to the Valley. Woodstock went to the Fox Division this year as Huntley moved to the Valley.

Being in the FVC Fox would mean Hampshire would travel to Woodstock, Crystal Lake, Johnsburg and Grayslake for its in-division contests. While Grayslake may not be around the corner, it's no more of a trip than Hampshire takes now when it travels to Harvard or North Boone for BN-East competition. And crossovers would be better for Hampshire in the FVC than they are now in the Big Northern. Gassing up the bus for Dundee-Crown, Jacobs, Crystal Lake South, Cary-Grove ... places like that would beat the heck out of all those trips to Byron, Oregon and Winnebago.

"We think the travel situation would be good," Harbecke said.

Above and beyond the travel issues would be the burning question of whether Hampshire could compete in the FVC. We all remember when Huntley left the Big Northern for the FVC and the Red Raiders took their lumps. But now, just a few short years later, Huntley is in the FVC's "large school" division and no one is complaining that the Red Raiders can't compete.

Hampshire's enrollment will most likely continue to increase, and if the economy straightens out, it could increase tremendously in the next 5-10 years. And if Hampshire doesn't join the FVC now, it might not get another chance. The FVC is eager to add a school and Harbecke acknowledged the league also has received interest from Marian Central, which surely wouldn't mind leaving the new Suburban Christian Conference, a league that now has schools in Chicago and as far south as Palos Heights.

Even though Harbecke didn't come out and say it, we hear that Hampshire is clearly the FVC's first choice, and it should be. Hampshire's district sisterhood with FVC members Dundee-Crown and Jacobs make it a natural fit for the FVC.

"We just want to gather the information we need to make an intelligent decision," Bumbales said. "We need to look at what the benefits would be and what the challenges would be. We knew this day would come and we have to examine what's best for our students and our athletes."

Bumbales was also quick to point out that Hampshire has no problems with the Big Northern and is not entertaining the idea of moving to the FVC because there's anything wrong with the Big Northern.

"It's an outstanding conference and this has nothing to do with being disgruntled or anything negative with the Big Northern," he said. "We have great relationships in the Big Northern. But we are now the second largest school in the conference (35 fewer students than Burlington Central) and by next year we'll be the largest.

"We've been upfront with the Big Northern and we've told them we're examining the plusses and the minuses."

If Hampshire were to leave the BNC, where would that then leave Burlington Central? Administrators there have maintained they're happy with the Big Northern and have no desire to leave, but one would have to think that mentality may be changing as well.

Would the FVC entertain the idea of a 16-team conference that would include Burlington and Marian? That's something to kick around, for sure, but the smart money says if Burlington were to leave the BNC it would more likely opt to go west, possibly joining the new Northern Illinois Big 12 if something doesn't work out with one of the schools in that league. The "East" division of that league, which begins play next fall, includes Kaneland, Yorkville, Sycamore, Rochelle, Morris and DeKalb. But I also know people around Rocket Hill who are starting to feel like they're on an island they'd like to get off before the big one hits.

In any event, Harbecke said the FVC's meeting with Marian Central won't take place until January, so the 14th school in the FVC likely won't be decided on until after that, and that school wouldn't join the FVC until the fall of 2011.

Two final thoughts: First, if Hampshire does go to the FVC, I implore the school to continue to schedule Burlington Central in as many sports as possible. Just like Elgin and Larkin should always play each other no matter what, I can't fathom not having Hampshire-Central games. Secondly, if Hampshire moves to the FVC, it says here that it's time for Burlington to look for greener pastures as well.

Time changes things, and the ambience of a small school conference is gone for both Hampshire and Burlington. It's time for both to move on and provide their student-athletes with better and more suitable situations.

jradtke@dailyherald.com