School tackles sports co-op issues again
School tackles sports co-op issues again
By ALLAN TINKER
Sports and the dwindling student base for participation was a central issue again at the October 8 meeting of the McClusky School District. Individual sports, such as track and cross country, are less of a problem but those requiring subs and more than one team are. The ability to schedule competitions relies upon numbers and teams in place for the next season well ahead of time.
Co-op proposals need to be submitted to the proper authorities before state tournament time for that particular sport, which limits the amount of time that schools have in the year for completing applications or changing a previous agreement and/or entering into a new one, according to information presented at the meeting.
In particular the numbers possible for next year’s volleyball team look dim. McClusky might have 12 students, Goodrich 2, maybe. This year the teams totaled 18: 11 McClusky and 7 Goodrich. Illnesses and absences make it hard to play more than one team, with this year only varsity and C-squads formed.
The possible co-ops with Turtle Lake were given the go ahead by the board, in direction to Supt. Kelm and the sports co-op committees. Heidi Strobel asked the board for confirmation, “That is our ultimate goal, to get everything there (Turtle Lake) anyway, isn’t it?”
The loss of seniors for girls’ basketball will also take a “huge hit” this year said Principal Dan Klemisch.
The football co-op had but one year left in the agreement with Drake Anamoose High School. The NDHSAA denied the McClusky School District request to dissolve the 7-12 football cooperative for the 2010-2011 year.
NDHSAA suggested re-applying for a request to remove the 7th and 8th grade portion of the football co-op for 2011-2012 and specified dates that this would need to be completed.
The McClusky School District had cited all the other co-op agreements with Turtle Lake-Mercer and the desire to have all the co-ops for sports with the same school. Traveling on gravel roads with a longer distance currently traveled to Drake-Anamoose. This would compare to a shorter distance on paved roads with a co-op with Turtle Lake- Mercer.
In another agenda item, the Renaissance Zone issue met with little discussion as the county had refused support and the project could not go forward without support from both the county and school.
