April 12, 2021 at 8:11 a.m.
WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force conducts review of remanded plans
WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force conducts review of remanded plans
The board will take final action on the proposed 11-player football solution initiated by the WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force Committee or any of the remanded plans at the April 16 board of control meeting. Any approved plan will be implemented in the 2022 football season.
The seven remanded plans not recommended by the committee for board approval originated from four member schools and impacted 23 schools. The committee considered all written materials received from member schools impacted by the plans, as well as rationale that included providing a conference for all member schools grouped by enrollment and by geography.
The WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force Committee also prioritized eight-team and paired seven-team conferences - where reasonable - with geography and enrollment to accommodate the need for seven-
game conference results for WIAA playoff-qualifying criteria.
The plan being forwarded by the conference realignment task force does not affect the current makeup of the Great Northern Conference in football. Both Ashland and Hayward/Lac Courte Oreilles applied to leave the GNC for football, but had their applications, and subsequent appeals, denied by the task force.
Member schools seeking future football-only realignment may begin the application process in July 2022. In addition, fast track realignment applications that are supported by all impacted schools may be received any time.
"The intent of the new conference realignment process is to apply a more formalized method for member schools to request relief from conference affiliations," the WIAA stated in a press release. "A committee of member school administrators has been established to evaluate all realignment requests and present them to the Board, which retains the authority to make final determinations of all conference alignment decisions."
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