STEVENS POINT - Beaver Dam and Watertown moved a step closer to joining the Badger Conference in 2017-18 under a plan approved by the WIAA Board of Control Friday.
The board voted 9-1 to approve a revised plan for a Milwaukee-area conference realignment. The original proposal would have moved Beaver Dam and Watertown to the Badger Conference, increasing the conference to 16 teams. The plan would have taken 29 other schools from the Wisconsin Little Ten, Classic 8, Greater Metro and North Shore conferences into one super conference. The 29 schools would have the responsibility for dividing the schools into conferences and divisions. However, administrators from the Milwaukee-area conferences rejected the plan.
Deb Hauser, the WIAA associate director and director of conference realignment, presented a revised plan that placed every Milwaukee-area school in a conference and it was approved.
"We knew it was coming," Monroe Athletic Director Dave Hirsbrunner said of the potential for conference expansion. "I think it's good to add two more teams because it's easier for scheduling with 16 teams and eight on each side rather than seven.
"I don't know if Beaver Dam and Watertown are the two best teams to add," he added.
The plan will face a vote of first approval at the Board of Control meeting Dec. 4. If approved, the schools would have 40 days to appeal the decision.
If approved, a 16-team Badger Conference would likely be reorganized into Large-Small, North-South or East-West divisions. Administrators and athletic directors have had preliminary meetings on how to divide the conference if Watertown and Beaver Dam join.
"I don't know how we will divide the conference," Hirsbrunner said. "If you draw all of the points on the map, there is no easy way to go. There is no good way to do it. It will take a bunch of conversations with the athletic directors."
Hirsbrunner said dividing the Badger Conference into Large-Small divisions would be the most equitable for competition. However, there would be more traveling involved with Monroe likely making trips to Baraboo, Reedsburg and Portage.
Hirsbrunner said a Madison-area conference could be developed with Monona Grove, Waunakee, DeForest, Verona, Madison West, Madison East, Madison Memorial, Madison La Follette, Middleton and Sun Prairie. Hirsbrunner said Janesville Craig and Janesville Parker, current Big Eight schools, could have a conference developed with Fort Atkinson and Milton.
"I know Monona Grove is looking to join a bigger conference," Hirsbrunner said. "Their enrollment is skyrocketing. We are left out there because of our demographics."
The board voted 9-1 to approve a revised plan for a Milwaukee-area conference realignment. The original proposal would have moved Beaver Dam and Watertown to the Badger Conference, increasing the conference to 16 teams. The plan would have taken 29 other schools from the Wisconsin Little Ten, Classic 8, Greater Metro and North Shore conferences into one super conference. The 29 schools would have the responsibility for dividing the schools into conferences and divisions. However, administrators from the Milwaukee-area conferences rejected the plan.
Deb Hauser, the WIAA associate director and director of conference realignment, presented a revised plan that placed every Milwaukee-area school in a conference and it was approved.
"We knew it was coming," Monroe Athletic Director Dave Hirsbrunner said of the potential for conference expansion. "I think it's good to add two more teams because it's easier for scheduling with 16 teams and eight on each side rather than seven.
"I don't know if Beaver Dam and Watertown are the two best teams to add," he added.
The plan will face a vote of first approval at the Board of Control meeting Dec. 4. If approved, the schools would have 40 days to appeal the decision.
If approved, a 16-team Badger Conference would likely be reorganized into Large-Small, North-South or East-West divisions. Administrators and athletic directors have had preliminary meetings on how to divide the conference if Watertown and Beaver Dam join.
"I don't know how we will divide the conference," Hirsbrunner said. "If you draw all of the points on the map, there is no easy way to go. There is no good way to do it. It will take a bunch of conversations with the athletic directors."
Hirsbrunner said dividing the Badger Conference into Large-Small divisions would be the most equitable for competition. However, there would be more traveling involved with Monroe likely making trips to Baraboo, Reedsburg and Portage.
Hirsbrunner said a Madison-area conference could be developed with Monona Grove, Waunakee, DeForest, Verona, Madison West, Madison East, Madison Memorial, Madison La Follette, Middleton and Sun Prairie. Hirsbrunner said Janesville Craig and Janesville Parker, current Big Eight schools, could have a conference developed with Fort Atkinson and Milton.
"I know Monona Grove is looking to join a bigger conference," Hirsbrunner said. "Their enrollment is skyrocketing. We are left out there because of our demographics."
