Thu Sep 02 2010
by Michael Leonard
Sports Editor
The Nordonia Hills City School District's affiliation with the Northeast Ohio Conference will be short-lived.
The Board of Education voted 5-0 June 22 to approve the district's switch from the NOC to the Suburban League. The move will take place before the 2011-12 school year.
When it does, Nordonia will join Copley, Lodi Cloverleaf, Green, Medina Highland, Revere, Tallmadge and Wadsworth in the league.
Board of Education president Doug Masteller said the Board had to move because of the timing of the offer from the Suburban League.
"We just feel that it's the best fit for us at the this time," Masteller said. "The schools in the Suburban League are more like us and, geographically, closer to us than a lot of NOC schools. We feel we will be in a more stable league. We can establish some rivalries with schools that we have a lot in common with."
According to NOC league commission Dan Jerome, Nordonia athletic director Rob Eckenrode indicated in an e-mail that enrollment issues were a key to Nordonia's decision.
"Basically, they're going because of size," Jerome said. "They were moving to schools that basically are the same size they are. People are always looking for the best fit for their school for a reason. It's not a situation where I'm depressed or elated about it, it's just a fact of life."
According to Suburban League commissioner Keith Walker, the league extended an invitation to Nordonia to join June 11 after a meeting of the Suburban League principals. The league principals, who have the final say on all league movements, voted 7-0 to include Nordonia.
"Rob Eckenrode and [superintendent] Wayne Blankenship were in favor it, but they had to wait until their school board approved it," Walker said. "Rob called me [June 22] and told me everything was good to go. They wanted to make sure that they talked to someone in the NOC before we announced it."
Eckenrode said he contacted Jerome June 23 to submit notice of the district's intent to leave. Per NOC rules, Nordonia will remain with the conference for two more years.
Eckenrode said the district took about 10 days to review the move before ratifying it.
"Obviously, that's not a decision you make lightly," Eckenrode said. "It was not an easy decision. It was something we looked long and hard at."
Jerome said the NOC will look to add at least one member to fill Nordonia's place. He noted Mentor and the entire Lake Erie League has inquired about league membership in the last year.
Walker said Nordonia's move likely kills a proposal by Falls, Stow and Hudson to join the Suburban League together and expand the league to 10 teams.
He noted several league superintendents expressed a desire to remain an eight-team league, though the league might have considered the three-team move had Nordonia not agreed to join.
Eckenrode sounded very upbeat about the move.
"This was a great opportunity to join a solid league in the Suburban League," Eckenrode said. "There's a lot of great positives to it. We're in line with the size of the districts in the Suburban League. It's primarily a Summit County-based league. Academically, we match up very well within the Suburban League."
Nordonia will take Barberton's place in the new league, as the Magics will leave at the end of the 2010-11 school year. Barberton athletic director Jay Glaze said school size was a major issue in his school's decision.
"We just felt it would be in the best interest of our athletes," Glaze said. "Barberton's enrollment numbers have been going down recently. Most of those schools are quite a bit larger than us right now."
Glaze said, at present, Barberton has no new league to join and would be willing to become an independent if it cannot find one.
Nordonia will return to the Suburban League after a long exile. The Knights were part of the Suburban League from 1949 to 1973 before leaving to joining the Metro League.
Tallmadge athletic director Don Seeker said he welcomes Nordonia's move, noting it could revive an old rivalry between the two schools from their Metro League days.
"Proximity-wise, it's closer for us," Seeker said. "I think they'll be a fine fit size-wise. It's just something new but we'll adjust to it. They play a lot of Suburban schools in a lot of sports.
"I think it will work out," Seeker said. "There's a lot to be said for an eight-team league."
E-mail: mleonard@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-686-3913
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
The-News-Leader.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Record Publishing Co, LLC. 1995-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications