Saturday, March 04, 2000
Monroe facing sports what-ifs
Some question what league status would be
BY DAVID ECK and SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributors
MONROE — If voters agree next week to create a separate Monroe school district, it could put in doubt Monroe's membership in the sports league it helped found five decades ago.
“If that goes through, Middletown-Monroe won't exist anymore ... and all your contracts become null and void with them,” said Jack Poore, Springboro High School principal and president of the Mid-Miami League. “They are not a member of the MML as Middletown/Monroe was.”
Leaders of the movement to form a Monroe district have said all sports teams and other after-school activities currently offered would be available in the new district, including for junior high students. They said they've already arranged sports schedules for next year's teams, and that the school would remain in the Mid-Miami League, at least for the 2000-2001 school year.
Mr. Poore told the Enquirer that the school would have to reapply to the Ohio High School Athletic Association and then reapply to the MML, whose schools would then vote on the application. A negative vote from two schools could keep Monroe out, Mr. Poore said.
“I don't think there's a
commitment one way or the other on what's going to happen,” Mr. Poore said. “We're going to wait and see what happens when they reapply.”
But Monroe-split leaders think a new Monroe district can stay in the MML, which it helped form in 1954.
“We are not pursuing any other leagues at this time,” said Steve Tannreuther, who chairs Monroe's Sports/Extracurricular Committee.
He said the league's bylaws say “Lemon-Monroe High School, not Middletown/Monroe Schools. If the league deems it necessary that we have to reapply, then we'll investigate whether we have to, legally.”
With the possibility of fewer students in grades 9 to 12 if a Monroe district is created, Lemon-Monroe High School's division might be changed, Mr. Tannreuther said. Each fall, enrollment numbers are sent to the Ohio High School Athletic Association, which decides in which divisions schools are placed.
“I think most schools would honor their contracts for next year,” said Franklin Athletic Director Marvin Sands. “It's just a waiting game to see what happens.”
If Monroe does reapply to the MML, Mr. Sands said, he would want to look at the new school's enrollment before deciding whether to favor allowing Monroe to rejoin the league.
If not in the MML, Monroe might pursue membership in the Southwestern Buckeye League, which includes teams such as Madison, Carlisle and Valley View, which the Hornets already play in some sports.
Jeff Smith, Madison's athletic director, said that would appear to be “a good fit,” pending the outcome of Monroe's enrollment and the interest of other schools in expanding.
Suzi Rubin, a leader of the drive to form a Monroe district, said extracurricular activities have been planned for, and that coaches and club advisers will be offered the same positions they now hold.
“All those positions have been budgeted. I don't foresee anything being cut,” Mrs. Rubin said. “If anything, a smaller school gives kids more chance to be involved.”
At least in basketball, the split could set back a rebuilding program, said head coach Tom Kinkelaar, who just finished his first season.
“I've got to believe other sports are affected the same way,” Mr. Kinkelaar said. “We're a smaller school to start with and to deplete what you have to draw from, it defi nitely will affect athletics.”
There were 18 players from Middletown participating on the three boys' basketball teams this past season, he said.
Planners for a new district have said students already in the high school under open enrollment could continue, but that open enrollment wouldn't be available for younger students because of space constraints.
Lemon-Monroe athletes such as Adam Miller, a sophomore who plays baseball, basketball and football, are concerned about having fewer players to draw from at first.
“I think the sports, for a few years, probably won't succeed very well,” Adam said, adding that Monroe's growth boom will help future teams. “We figure in about five, six years, when the school district gets comfortable, it'll be pretty good then.”
Or, a split might even help Middletown athletics.
“The numbers are going to remain the same, if not get higher,” said Walt Simkins, director of athletics at Middletown/Monroe School District. “The more athletes you have to pick from, the better off you are.”
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