Nixa doesn't want to play Parkview in most sports and that goes both ways. Lots of kids and parents would rather travel more and have a better chance to win or if you are really good they want better competition.
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I agree with that in concept but how I see it is they are losing long trips to uncompetetive Neosho in exchange for a 15 min ride to uncompetetive Parkview. What difference does it make to Parkview if they get smashed by Nixa and Republic vs Lebanon and West Plains and Camdenton. Same competition but hours less driving sounds like a win to me. Across all sports I see Kickapoo and Glendale on par with WC, if not better than Carthage and Joplin. Central and Hillcrest aren't good at FB but not terrible in other sports last I knew.
Btw I passed by the stadium a bit ago and saw CJ was up on Webb City 14-0, I think it was 7th grade.
Yeah both of the CJ junior high teams are pretty good. They swept Nixa earlier this year. One reason I would like CJ to hang around a few more years.
for some talent comes in cycles, others are blessed with it every year, and then some rarely get to see it.
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That is like poetry man.
Are there any Springfield area fans on this board, or should I say football board? I know many come here during basketball but are many posting during football?
There used to be a Glendale guy post here fairly regularly but I haven't see him in awhile.
I don't think that's true at all. Is Parkview any worse than say CJ or Neosho across the board? And outside of football, what does even Webb add to the equation for a Nixa? It's essentially a wash, except for the tens of thousands of dollars and minutes saved. Joplin/Webb/Carthage/CJ/Neosho aren't really any more or less competitive (gotta think across the board here, NOT just in regards to varsity football) than Poo/Glendale/Parkview/Central/Hillcrest. I know that might hurt feelings, but sometimes the truth is hard.
Yeah I went to the basketball board to see if anybody is posting about it over there. I have to think that these conference alignments will not only just be about football especially in the Springfield area. Basketball is king in and around the queen city so conference alignment there is more about basketball than football.
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Pretty sure there aren't 10 total football fans in the SPS boundaries.
He "liked" a bunch of my posts the other day on this thread I think. So he's around.
point taken... but Webb does bring baseball, too. Nixa-Webb baseball is a great matchup
And Parkview-Nixa basketball is normally pretty fun too. You can ping-pong ball this the whole way through the list of activities. There are outliers, but at the end of the day it's pretty much a net wash. But agreed, Webb's baseball program is pretty stout.
Webb and Nixa are going to play in most sports whether they are in the same conference or not. The Joplin schools go to Springfield to play the SPS schools all of the time for non conference games now. If the SPS schools created a conference with the suburban schools they are still going to play the Joplin schools in non conference. It doesn't really matter if they are in the same league. They will play regardless.
Thank you for posting this. It's a football board, I get it...but too often we think of football only when looking at athletic success.
Willard has arguably the best baseball program in the area. Softball is always solid and will play for a COC title this Thursday. Track and Field is always really strong, and they produce state championship level throwers nearly every season. Volleyball is down right now but has multiple Final Fours and a State Championship just a couple years ago. Wrestling program is a big deal and is always competitive. Girls golf won the COC last year. Have had some fantastic tennis players the past few years as well.
They're not Nixa and able to be top level in everything, but it's hard to match Nixa in terms of what they have to work with.
Football is the most publicly visible sport but it's not the only sport.
Football and boys basketball are the only sports that matter.
Ulitmately in the eyes of the public, yes. Which is why I (and many others) sometimes feel pretty down about my Missouri State Bears even though they have dominated the Valley in many other sports (WBB, soccer, swimming, etc). I know you know what I'm talking about!!
Simple OC and COC Merger
By region
East
Camdenton
Waynesville
Lebanon
Rolla
West Plains
Bolivar
Metro
Kickapoo
Glendale
Parkview
Hillcrest
Nixa
Ozark
Branson
West
Joplin
Neosho
Carthage
Webb City
Republic
Willard
Carl Junction
By Enrollment
Big
Joplin
Kickapoo
Nixa
Ozark
Waynesville
Carthage
Republic
Middle
Neosho
Lebanon
Glendale
Willard
Branson
Rolla
Small
Parkview
Webb City
Camdenton
West plains
Hillcrest
Carl Junction
Bolivar
Or a Combo of the 2
Large
Joplin
Kickapoo
Nixa
Ozark
Waynesville
Carthage
Republic
East
Camdenton
Lebanon
West Plains
Rolla
Bolivar
Branson
West
Neosho
Hillcrest
Parkview
Glendale
Webb City
Willard
Carl Junction
By region
East
Camdenton
Waynesville
Lebanon
Rolla
West Plains
Bolivar
Metro
Kickapoo
Glendale
Parkview
Hillcrest
Nixa
Ozark
Branson
West
Joplin
Neosho
Carthage
Webb City
Republic
Willard
Carl Junction
By Enrollment
Big
Joplin
Kickapoo
Nixa
Ozark
Waynesville
Carthage
Republic
Middle
Neosho
Lebanon
Glendale
Willard
Branson
Rolla
Small
Parkview
Webb City
Camdenton
West plains
Hillcrest
Carl Junction
Bolivar
Or a Combo of the 2
Large
Joplin
Kickapoo
Nixa
Ozark
Waynesville
Carthage
Republic
East
Camdenton
Lebanon
West Plains
Rolla
Bolivar
Branson
West
Neosho
Hillcrest
Parkview
Glendale
Webb City
Willard
Carl Junction
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Republic and Willard literally pull students FROM SPRINGFIELD but have to go out West for conference? Not gonna happen.
Maybe, maybe not. The thing is, it doesn't force it. And in the sports outside of basketball or baseball that have smaller schedules, you definitely save some serious cash and time.
When realignment happens, there will be things some wont like. Thats why multiple options were given. There have already been talks between the two conferences. One of these WILL HAPPEN at some point.
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I seemingly can't say this slowly enough for you west COC guys. If something happens with movement, it's not going to involve the western schools. Why would it? If you're going to change it, but keep it the same...then why change it in the first place?
I think a school like Hollister cares about travel. I don't think the larger schools do as much because they are going to play each other either way
Correct. These west COC folks can't wrap their mind around the fact that IF things do change, it most likely won't include them. If it would...why in the world would there be any change?
That's simply false. Nixa wouldn't travel to play in football, JH sports, or basically any other sport that doesn't require a huge schedule like basketball. And even in basketball, those schools get to choose. Some might choose to, some might not.
I am from The Springfield Metro. I have heard this from a current OC head coach and a current COC AD. Both the scenarios they talked about were similar. Things could change but it didn't sound like it.
From what I heard the biggest issue both Conferences have was the size difference between the biggest and smallest members. Number 2 issue was travel time . Thats why I think it will go Large division, then East and West.
Not the way it works and won't ever be. But I totally agree that it'd make the most sense...which is obviously why it won't work.
Both conferences have the same issues. Those issues could, conceivably, be easily solved. But it involves telling Joplin/CJ/Webb/Carthage/Neosho and Camdenton/Bolivar/Waynesville/Rolla/Lebanon/West Plains to figure it out on their own. For the life of me, I can't figure out why that won't happen. It's truly mind-boggling. But they won't ever pull the trigger on it, that much I'm sure of...The reason I don't think the "super" conference will ever happen is SPS relinquishing control over the conference they're in. The moment a "super" conference happens, that's over for them.
The reason is I think the Springfield schools want to play the Joplin schools so it doesn't really matter if it is conference or non conference. They are going to play anyway.
Could be true. I have no idea. SPS JH sports create an issue too, IIRC. Their seasons don't exactly mesh with the "suburb" schools seasons. I feel like in winter sports it was a mess.
Am I the only one that thinks Reeds Springs is a poor fit for the Mid Lakes?
You're not wrong, but they are an even worse fit for the the upcoming Big 8.
They are larger than other Mid Lakes schools, but not sure they will dominate in anything. They will contend most every year in football. Baseball they are not better off than they would have been in the Big 8. Boys Basketball in their new league is better than what was going to be left in the Big 8. Girls basketball is a whole lot better in the Mid Lakes. Football is the driver though and nothing compares to Big 8 football.
Yes Big 8 girls basketball will take a hit if Marshfield and Rogersville leave.
The issue in all these conference realignments there is always somebody holding the keys and others being upset about it.
Correct. And I honestly think it's SPS in this scenario...BUT...if what I've heard (and keep hearing, fwiw) is Rog, Bolivar, Camdenton, Lebanon, Marshfield, West Plains, and Branson are in talks to form their own conference. Idk if it'll happen, but I honestly believe there's some truth to it. If that happens, then that obviously forces SPS's hand. At that point, things would get interesting.
