GRC Expands to 16
- Thread starter KB522
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Who are the 16 schools in the GRC now?
What will now become of the Tri Rivers Conference? Won't they be down to 4 teams now?
What will now become of the Tri Rivers Conference? Won't they be down to 4 teams now?
Sounds like the football competition will move up a bit with those additions. Milan has had several solid teams since 2010 and has been 41-4 the last four seasons. Putnam County has a tradition of playing some solid football, in the early 2000s but recently, times have been tougher. Putnam County has gone 10-30 in the previous four seasons. What will the GRC do now as far as a conference champion?
First of all, I certainly do not mean to offend anyone by my thoughts here. There is a lot of information about this that those schools have that I don't, but I can't really figure this as a good move for Milan and Putnam. Milan has a great record the last few years playing in the Tri-Rivers, but has gotten very rudely bounced from the playoffs each time by a team from the Lewis & Clark or Clarence Cannon. I don't see a move to the Grand River as beefing up Milan or Putnam's schedule. It seems to me that if beefing up the schedule was a factor, a move to the Lewis & Clark made more sense.
Additionally, both Milan and Putnam have baseball. Do any schools in the GRC? Braymer did until they joined the GRC and then dropped it I believe. Several schools in the Lewis & Clark have baseball if not all of them (don't think Marceline does). This is another reason I am scratching my head over a move to the GRC.
I do remember some talk of Milan going to the GRC from about 25 years ago or so, so maybe it's just taken this long to simmer. At any rate, I do wish Milan and Putnam Co. well in their new conference home.
This post was edited on 2/19 5:00 PM by GooseHOF
Additionally, both Milan and Putnam have baseball. Do any schools in the GRC? Braymer did until they joined the GRC and then dropped it I believe. Several schools in the Lewis & Clark have baseball if not all of them (don't think Marceline does). This is another reason I am scratching my head over a move to the GRC.
I do remember some talk of Milan going to the GRC from about 25 years ago or so, so maybe it's just taken this long to simmer. At any rate, I do wish Milan and Putnam Co. well in their new conference home.
This post was edited on 2/19 5:00 PM by GooseHOF
I am almost positive that the GRC is not adding baseball across the board. It would kill the track programs.
It is my understanding that Braymer has added baseball already. I'm guessing they have picked up an independent schedule. Yes, the schools east of 65 highway play baseball. Not so much west of 65. Yes, every town asks for baseball, despite the fact that school enrollments are dropping and kids are already busy with FFA, Scholar Bowl, jobs, track, etc in the spring.
I'm pretty sure Trenton will not look to add baseball and they have the largest enrollment in the newly formed GRC.
People want EVERYTHING, and then complain when it's not a quality product.
This post was edited on 2/19 10:01 PM by old_spartan
This post was edited on 2/19 10:02 PM by old_spartan
This post was edited on 2/20 6:16 AM by old_spartan
It is my understanding that Braymer has added baseball already. I'm guessing they have picked up an independent schedule. Yes, the schools east of 65 highway play baseball. Not so much west of 65. Yes, every town asks for baseball, despite the fact that school enrollments are dropping and kids are already busy with FFA, Scholar Bowl, jobs, track, etc in the spring.
I'm pretty sure Trenton will not look to add baseball and they have the largest enrollment in the newly formed GRC.
People want EVERYTHING, and then complain when it's not a quality product.
This post was edited on 2/19 10:01 PM by old_spartan
This post was edited on 2/19 10:02 PM by old_spartan
This post was edited on 2/20 6:16 AM by old_spartan
Here is the article from St. Joe News Press.
I am also a bit surprised. I thought LCC and TRC would merge. I wonder what will happen with the 4 remaining TRC schools. I bet they will all be calling the LCC.. I think they are a better fit for the LCC based on size, but Scotland and Schuyler have very long drives for games now, but they will need to play someone. Maybe they will fill their schedule with Iowa teams. Clark will only have one game free. They played Scotland last season.
As for GRC, the article suggests that both King City and Braymer are discussing going to 8-man. That would make 2 divisions of 8 teams each in football. That would provide both Putnam and Milan two non-con games to play former TRC teams. Also, if Braymer doesn't go 8-man, they are talking about co-oping with Polo which would also make 8 teams in 11-man division.
Will be interesting to see what happens in both GRC, TRC and LCC in the next two years.
Putnam County latest to join
I am also a bit surprised. I thought LCC and TRC would merge. I wonder what will happen with the 4 remaining TRC schools. I bet they will all be calling the LCC.. I think they are a better fit for the LCC based on size, but Scotland and Schuyler have very long drives for games now, but they will need to play someone. Maybe they will fill their schedule with Iowa teams. Clark will only have one game free. They played Scotland last season.
As for GRC, the article suggests that both King City and Braymer are discussing going to 8-man. That would make 2 divisions of 8 teams each in football. That would provide both Putnam and Milan two non-con games to play former TRC teams. Also, if Braymer doesn't go 8-man, they are talking about co-oping with Polo which would also make 8 teams in 11-man division.
Will be interesting to see what happens in both GRC, TRC and LCC in the next two years.
Putnam County latest to join
You know what really kills track programs? Lack of natural talent. You're either fast or you're not. You can either jump or you can't. The idea that track is a team sport is a fallacy. The truth is that in the small classes of high school track and field 1 or 2 athletes can and do make all the difference. Coaches can fine tune a kid from 11.3 in the 100 down to 11.0, but they can't make a kid that runs a 12.2 into an 11.0 sprinter. You can't make a kid with a 4" vertical a 6'6" high jumper and you can't get a 120 pound sophomore boy to throw the shot put 55'. Kids are busy year round, not just in the spring. If numbers of students participating is the problem, why not have volleyball in the fall (six players needed) versus softball (nine players needed). Just depends on your point of view. Braymer has an active baseball community. I don't pretend to know if Trenton does or not. As to wanting everything - is there anything more painful to watch than a 3200 meter race in high school where coaches shove kids in to score points? I'm a big track fan, but quality performances at the Class 1 level are few and far between.
I'm not speaking on behalf of Trenton. And I don't have the answers for numbers.
But I am close to the situation and I know that baseball has not been discussed in regards to expanding the GRC. I do know that several of the schools have been approached by community members requesting baseball, but it has not gone much further than that.
I also know this is an OCR compliance year for some schools. That process determines whether or not you are compliant with Title IX. I suppose if a school finds itself out of compliance for boys sports a school might look to add a sport. But seldom are schools out of compliance for boys.
Brayc, I wish Braymer nothing but the best, but I don't see baseball being added.
But I am close to the situation and I know that baseball has not been discussed in regards to expanding the GRC. I do know that several of the schools have been approached by community members requesting baseball, but it has not gone much further than that.
I also know this is an OCR compliance year for some schools. That process determines whether or not you are compliant with Title IX. I suppose if a school finds itself out of compliance for boys sports a school might look to add a sport. But seldom are schools out of compliance for boys.
Brayc, I wish Braymer nothing but the best, but I don't see baseball being added.
I have heard this argument for years to try to shoot down baseball. This is just not accurate. Granted, time constraints can be difficult, but if you have coaches that can play well with others, you can make it work. Green City last year won district titles in both baseball and boys track. The pre-season #1 class 1 baseball team is Atlanta. They also have track. Laplata I believe is ranked #10 or so in pre-season baseball rankings. They always compete for conference and district championships in track. The 2 sports are not mutually exclusive. I notice that many GRC schools have wrestling. I would think that would kill the basketball programs, but I don't see those schools dropping either of those programs.
I'm not speaking on behalf of Braymer. I have no affiliation with the school. Evidently the people who told me they were adding baseball as one of their sports were wrong about the GRC. I have seen baseball and track co-exist rather well in a lot of schools (although it takes coaches and the athletic director working well with one another). Almost all I-70 schools do both, and do them well. Santa Fe and Concordia stand out.
I listened to the interviews with both Milan and Putnam and I believe that both would have preferred the LCC, but since the LCC voted no on the merger, they felt they needed to do this for stability. I can understand it from that standpoint. Just a sad day for the TRC.
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