High School Football Conference Realignment – a closer look
This second of a three part series in the changes in store for area high school football conferences, beginning with the 2024-25 season, asks area coaches for their thoughts. We surveyed coaches from across central Wisconsin to gain insight from a coaching perspective.
Part 1 – structure (take a look at part 1) HERE
Part 2 – coach feedback and thoughts
Part 3 – Fan feedback
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Jerry Sinz, Edgar
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
I am not sure what the positives are. We don’t officially join it until 2024. I was happy with our current Conference, other than the thought that Stratford should have still been in the Marawood.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
We are now losing Marathon, who is our closest neighbor in the Marawood and a team we have played since the early 60’s when the Conference 1st formed. Some of our opponents will definitely be further away than teams like Stratford and Marathon. We are hoping that
no one else decides to consider 8 man. Would be nice if some 8 man teams came back to 11 man.
Any additional comments you want to share:
Parents and fans can no longer keep track of who is in our Conference anymore. It seems to change every 2 years. We had an excellent, solid, compact Conference for many. many years and that is now gone with all the realignment.
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Derek Baker, Nekoosa
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
For the conference we will be in next year – better travel schedule and more competitive balance.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
So many continuous changes has made it difficult to develop true rivalries like there used to be.
Any additional comments you want to share:
We will remain in the CWC-Large this year but move back to the SCC next year
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Jay Anderson, Auburndale
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
I don’t know if there are a lot of positives… we are one of the larger schools in the conference, which is usually helpful but that isn’t always an indicator of success.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
We lose some common, traditionally based opponents. Not many and we do have the opportunity to add them as non-conference opponents.
Any additional comments you want to share:
From an athletic director’s perspective, it will be nice having a set schedule again. Trying to find opponents on random opening weeks throughout the season is difficult. We are back to having the first two weeks as bye weeks and then going into the conference schedule. Hopefully, that will be something that is common year to year.
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Dustin Vickerman, Mauston
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
The 2 primary positives in my eyes are:
1) It gives us an eight-team conference which eliminates the crossover game we have to play every year.
2) I think it strengthens our conference a little bit with the teams being dropped vs. the teams being added.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
The only real negative I can think of is a little bit more travel for us for away games.
Any additional comments you want to share:
I really like our new conference alignment for the South Central.
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Jeff Sullivan, Assumption
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
With more and more small schools going to 8 man, it has been difficult to find games, so at least now we have our schedules set for weeks 3 through 9. It will also be fun getting back to some of the old Marawood and Cloverwood rivalry games, as well as keeping the recent CWC opponents.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
I don’t see much for negatives except more small schools going 8 man.
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Tony Biolo, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
We keep as many as the “old” WVC together as we can…
Adding EC Memorial and North is the same trip that we use to take to Rhinelander and Antigo.. I think it will add some excitement as well as keep some of our rivalries going…
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
Adjusting conferences every two to four years is tough on teams…
Any additional comments you want to share:
The initial rationale for FB-Only conferences was to create uniformity in conference size and games (this mattered for playoff qualifying) and equity in size (division) of schools playing each other. It seems that schools have utilized the process to just leave a conference because it is too competitive, rather than size of schools they are playing.
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Jim Hagen, Colby
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in? It will certainly be a strong conference and the competition will be excellent from week to week. Travel distance other than a few games will be nice and manageable.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment? Since it will be such a strong and competitive conference, there will not be any so-called easy games. If you are not an overly strong team in any given year, you may not make the play-offs.
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Jake Knapmiller, Abbotsford
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
Keeping our conference a traditional small school conference is positive. I think we are the largest school but other factors that our district has as challenges really makes our conference competitive but balanced with enrollment
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
People may argue that traditional match ups are impacted but we don’t see that as much because we have move so much through the years. The non-conference games are opportunities to keep rivalries alive.
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Adrian Harmsen, Waupun
What are the positives from the new aligned football conference you are in?
The new conference that we are in is a far more competitive conference for our team. Skill level between the schools seems to be far better based on stats and playoffs.
What are the negatives of the new football conference alignment?
The only negative would be that our travel time is further, however we will gladly travel 30 minutes further for games that will be more competitive.
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Part 1: Structure and analysis
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
