Iowa High School BEDS count 24-25

[geoff]

This. And more lower level competition. Quite a few Alliance schools struggle to put 9/10/JV teams on the field/floor.

Better competition probably varies by year and sport (and why not stay in CIML if that was the goal?) but the 9/10/JV does certainly seem like a problem worth moving for.

Our boys basketball program only offers 9, JV, and Varsity and I think that is probably the same at all DMPS schools. The lack of a 10th grade team isn't for players' interest, I think its lack of funding and keeping opportunities equitable across the district.

 

[Kinch]

They would end up like Cardinal, struggling to compete with the bigger schools that they would have to play night to night. VB was hurt by Harmony going under, and Maharishi not having much for teams. They would also be on the edge of the conference, road trips to Clark would be pushing 2 hours, only schools close would be DC and Cardinal.

Probably. Financially, reorganizing with Harmony helped save VB. SCC would have some long road trips, but they already have that now with some of the northern schools. Competitively it would be a struggle, like you said.

 

[Kinch]

Newton and Oskaloosa are a lot bigger than DMC but ya you could be into something

I think Newton is losing some students through open enrollment and kids going to Pella Christian.

 

[Kinch]

They would end up like Cardinal, struggling to compete with the bigger schools that they would have to play night to night. VB was hurt by Harmony going under, and Maharishi not having much for teams. They would also be on the edge of the conference, road trips to Clark would be pushing 2 hours, only schools close would be DC and Cardinal.

Why do you think Knoxville left?

 

[CloneJD]

Why do you think Knoxville left?

They are only invited so far. I think they stay SCC.

 

[AuH2O]

This. And more lower level competition. Quite a few Alliance schools struggle to put 9/10/JV teams on the field/floor.

They are getting games cancelled even at the varsity level in sports like GBB and baseball.

When the Alliance first got announced there were at least a few solid teams in some of these sports. At that time in girls BB at least at the varsity level Roosevelt and North were good, Mason City and Ft. Dodge were pretty good. But the lower levels just didn't have numbers, and now the last couple of years all the teams are really bad and some are forfeiting games.

Across various sports, Ames best group of local peer schools that would result in lots of competitive athletics is probably something like this big school division of the LHC. Urbandale, Indianola, Norwalk, DC-G, etc.

For some sports, Mason City, Ft. Dodge, and Ottumwa have been reasonable competition in the Alliance, and Roosevelt in some cases, but mostly it's been trading being a mid- to lower-level CIML team to having a lot of non-competitive games, and in some cases no games at all, especially at the lower levels.

Baseball is not so bad because there are enough games that they will play most of the CIML, Cedar Falls, Kennedy, DC-G, North Polk, Indianola, etc. But there still is a lot of scrambling to fill out lower levels I believe.

 

[AuH2O]

Better competition probably varies by year and sport (and why not stay in CIML if that was the goal?) but the 9/10/JV does certainly seem like a problem worth moving for.

Our boys basketball program only offers 9, JV, and Varsity and I think that is probably the same at all DMPS schools. The lack of a 10th grade team isn't for players' interest, I think its lack of funding and keeping opportunities equitable across the district.

I'd say boys BBall is probably the easiest of all sports to compete and fill out teams. The rest are pretty tough both from numbers, funding, and coaches.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Why do you think Knoxville left?

I know nothing about Knoxville and why they left.

 

[AltoonaFish]

I know nothing about Knoxville and why they left.

I would assume smaller numbers; and to get away from Pella and maybe be more competitive.

 

[NWtornado]

Should ask top of Iowa how that is going, they had 18 teams. Rockford left, Eagle grove, Garner and forest city just voted to leave in 2 years. North Union sounds to be looking to leave and I know North Iowa has had discussions also.

I can tell you as a current Siouxland conference school, there is about zero interest from current schools to add any the new schools. Among other things, driving nearly 2 hours for a conference game, no thanks. Kids getting home from games well after 11 o’clock.

The state is forcing it on the Siouxland conference. Enough of the school boards agreed to it on a trial basis because the state was going to make it happen either way. If the school boards approved it, everyone was locked in for 2 years. If the state forced it I believe it was locked in for 5.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Little Hawkeye Conference invites, Ames Urbandale, Knoxville, Nevada, Des Moines Christian, PCM, and Van Meter to join:

Joint Statement from the Little Hawkeye Conference – Norwalk Community School District

www.norwalkschools.org

KCCI just reported that both Van Meter and Knoxville issued statements that they were not interested in joining the conference. Sounds like both want to stay where they currently are.

 

[Kinch]

KCCI just reported that both Van Meter and Knoxville issued statements that they were not interested in joining the conference. Sounds like both want to stay where they currently are.

sounds like the small schools like Pella Christian are struggling to compete in the Little Hawkeye and SCC won’t take them so they wanted the Little Hawkeye to send out feelers to Van Meter and Knoxville. I don’t know.

 

[Kinch]

Someone posted that SCC has GO TV and Little Hawkeye allows just audio. Lots of people watch SCC.

 

[AltoonaFish]

Someone posted that SCC has GO TV and Little Hawkeye allows just audio. Lots of people watch SCC.

SCC tv is awesome. My nephew went to Albia and it was a pretty good product, almost as good as ESPN plus.

 

[IASTATE07]

AJ and crew do a great job with gopitchtv. He's an Iowa State grad.

 

[cyballrulz93]

https://www.kcci.com/article/urband...le-hawkeye-conference-eyes-expansion/63581008

 

[Cyowa 14]

KCCI just reported that both Van Meter and Knoxville issued statements that they were not interested in joining the conference. Sounds like both want to stay where they currently are.

I would have been stunned if Knoxville and PCM would have decided to go, I was 50/50 on Van Meter but not surprised they are staying in the end. Pretty sure DMC is leaving and that is a good move for them.

On Van Meter, their enrollment has really stayed in the 200-225 range for the past 10ish years even though it feels like they are growing like crazy. They obviously win a lot in the West Central and they do really well in all state tournaments, good move on their part to stay for at least another 5 years probably IMHO

 

[tman24]

dmc nevada and urbandale make sense to join.

 

[CloneJD]

dmc nevada and urbandale make sense to join.

I’ve heard DMC, Ames, and Urbandale are making the move and the others were more of a long shot. Will split into divisions after the three kove.

 

[BCClone]

I’ve heard DMC, Ames, and Urbandale are making the move and the others were more of a long shot. Will split into divisions after the three kove.

Heard DMC says there are some issues and its tricky.