Iowa High School BEDS count 24-25

[BillBrasky4Cy]

One CIML girls basketball coach said on Facebook numbers were way down for several teams. Didn’t give any breakdown, but did mention there were large school teams with 10 or 12 students out for the 9 to 12 program. Again don’t know how true that will be for CIML but I’ve talked to a small school coach who said he knew of programs that were way down

Club volleyball is killing girls basketball. If you want a college volleyball scholarship you have to play club. No if's, and's, or but's about it. Even the big programs have very small recruiting budgets so they only travel to the big club events for recruiting. Unfortunately basketball and volleyball tend to pull the same type of athlete and VB is winning.

 

[kickout]

I've heard this is happening even at schools you wouldn't think it would ever happen at. Schools with powerhouse traditional programs that are struggling to find players. Why is that?

as mentioned below, hyper sport specialization is a thing. Other demands on attention (extra-curricular, etc.). Competitive imbalance, crazy coaches, parents.

Everything has to go right for a program to be successful. A number of things can go wrong and all momentum is lost and programs crumble, etc.

 

[kickout]

Happening everywhere. Recent article from Omaha (paywall)

Omaha Benson football cancels final two games of season, citing low participation numbers

 

[wxman1]

I think I heard Davenport West had like 25 players dressed against LM last Friday night. I have worked a couple of CPU 7th grade games and they had I think 15 players total. You used to have Varsity, JV, sophomore and Freshman. Now you MAY have Varsity and some combo of the lower three.

 

[4cy16]

watched Hoover play a couple weeks ago ... woof.

1,000+ kids in the school and a football team that is a mess and the halftime band had 16 kids (we counted). The one band member you could hear was a trumpet performing in his FB pads and uniform lol - he's the one diamond in the rough for both FB & band apparently.

I'll see your Hoover and raise you Sioux City West.

 

[Gonzo]

Club volleyball is killing girls basketball. If you want a college volleyball scholarship you have to play club. No if's, and's, or but's about it. Even the big programs have very small recruiting budgets so they only travel to the big club events for recruiting. Unfortunately basketball and volleyball tend to pull the same type of athlete and VB is winning.

Older daughter played club volleyball up to 8th grade, that year they played in an ASICS club tournament in Omaha that was massive, club teams from all over, at all age levels up to 17. Coaches from all the major volleyball schools were there, was watching a match between two really good older club teams and talking with some of the dads and they were like "yeah #11 in blue has a full ride to Minnesota, #7 on the other team's going to Penn St.", etc. The level of play was crazy. Our girls got smashed by a club team from Dallas.

 

[BCClone]

I think I heard Davenport West had like 25 players dressed against LM last Friday night. I have worked a couple of CPU 7th grade games and they had I think 15 players total. You used to have Varsity, JV, sophomore and Freshman. Now you MAY have Varsity and some combo of the lower three.

And you have teams here in north Iowa, A and 8 man with 40+ and 50+ on their teams.

 

[Kinch]

A little off topic. One of the top high school cross country runners is named Knute Rogne.

 

[BCClone]

A little off topic. One of the top high school cross country runners is named Knute Rogne.

From lake mills? They have had some good runners over the years.

 

[Kinch]

From lake mills? They have had some good runners over the years.

Yep. Ranked 8th in 1A looks like.

 

[Land Shark]

Indianola, Norwalk, and DCG are together right now but do not know where they end up. Urbandale and Ames joining them in a division of the CIML is the desire but the CIML is not there with them yet. Not sure why. Those same schools in the LHC is still possible but that means other schools and smaller schools are leaving the conference if this happens.

 

[CloneJD]

Indianola, Norwalk, and DCG are together right now but do not know where they end up. Urbandale and Ames joining them in a division of the CIML is the desire but the CIML is not there with them yet. Not sure why. Those same schools in the LHC is still possible but that means other schools and smaller schools are leaving the conference if this happens.

Why would CIML want Ames and Indianola back when they voluntarily left? I see LHC ending up as:

DCG
Norwalk
Indianola
Urbandale
Des Moines Christian
Bonderant-Farrar
Pella
PC
Newton
Oskaloosa

With population growth Norwalk and DCG head to CIML in 5-15 years leaving an eight team conference.

 

[Land Shark]

Why would CIML want Ames and Indianola back when they voluntarily left? I see LHC ending up as:

DCG
Norwalk
Indianola
Urbandale
Des Moines Christian
Bonderant-Farrar
Pella
PC
Newton
Oskaloosa

With population growth Norwalk and DCG head to CIML in 5-15 years leaving an eight team conference.

Osky and PC are out and while Ames has not formally brought anything to its board, many desire to be back in the region for athletics. Problem is, if Ames is added, Newton and Pella walk.

 

[AuH2O]

Why would CIML want Ames and Indianola back when they voluntarily left? I see LHC ending up as:

DCG
Norwalk
Indianola
Urbandale
Des Moines Christian
Bonderant-Farrar
Pella
PC
Newton
Oskaloosa

With population growth Norwalk and DCG head to CIML in 5-15 years leaving an eight team conference.

It isn’t like a contentious college conference realignment thing, so if it makes scheduling games easier,the CIML ADs wouldn’t care that Ames and Indianola left before. I don’t think it’s happening, but I heard there were some discussions about a smaller CIML division that would include Ames and Indianola along with some of the above, then at least Urbandale shifts over.

Since CIML schools schedule Ames, Indianola and some of these for non-con, I think the idea is having enough cross-division games to make it easier to fill out schedules in a lot of the sports.

But I don’t think that is going to happen. I think U to the LHC is more likely as you say.

 

[aeroclone]

Osky and PC are out and while Ames has not formally brought anything to its board, many desire to be back in the region for athletics. Problem is, if Ames is added, Newton and Pella walk.

Why? Compared to DCG, Norwalk, or a potential Urbandale add, Ames isn't scary athleticly. And they fit fine geographically as well.

 

[FLYINGCYCLONE]

And you have teams here in north Iowa, A and 8 man with 40+ and 50+ on their teams.

A couple weeks ago the team Garrigan was supposed to play called on Thursday and said we can’t play, we have 7 healthy kids on the team.

 

[Land Shark]

Why? Compared to DCG, Norwalk, or a potential Urbandale add, Ames isn't scary athleticly. And they fit fine geographically as well.

No clue and it is all hearsay that I get from others. First, not sure Ames ever brings anything to the board to explore this. Next, Urbandale has no invitations anywhere so I am not sure what they are exploring other the the Alliance. These changes in the LHC were probably happening anyway as PC was looking around. There has been loose chatter of a merger between RRC and HOIAC schools but that is not close to happening at this time.

 

[NWICY]

watched Hoover play a couple weeks ago ... woof.

1,000+ kids in the school and a football team that is a mess and the halftime band had 16 kids (we counted). The one band member you could hear was a trumpet performing in his FB pads and uniform lol - he's the one diamond in the rough for both FB & band apparently.

Heck, I'll give that kid and his parents a lot of credit. Willing to try things and do things more power to them.

 

[qwerty]

One CIML girls basketball coach said on Facebook numbers were way down for several teams. Didn’t give any breakdown, but did mention there were large school teams with 10 or 12 students out for the 9 to 12 program. Again don’t know how true that will be for CIML but I’ve talked to a small school coach who said he knew of programs that were way down

Smaller schools girl's basketball is getting thin due to girls trying wrestling instead of basketball. If some of the best athletes aren't in love with basketball, they are just interested in trying something different. I know one school that lost two returning starters last year.

 

[CloneJD]

Osky and PC are out and while Ames has not formally brought anything to its board, many desire to be back in the region for athletics. Problem is, if Ames is added, Newton and Pella walk.

Osky and PC have no where to go. They’ve been trying to leave for years.