History
The Metro Conference was formed in 1974 as the successor to the Milwaukee Catholic Conference [1] and had twelve original members. It was formed in the wake of the successful application by Milwaukee Lutheran High School to join the Milwaukee Catholic Conference in the early 1970s. [2] All of its member schools competed under the banner of the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association, an organization for private high school athletic programs in the state of Wisconsin. [3]
The conference maintained a very consistent membership roster during its existence, only losing three members: St. John's Cathedral in 1976 (due to closing), Messmer in 1984 [4] [5] (due to nearly closing and exit from archdiocese) and St. Joan Antida in 1989 (joined the Midwest Classic Conference). The Metro Conference was very successful at state-level competitions within WISAA, with its most high-profile successes coming in basketball. During its twenty-three-year history, Metro Conference member schools won twenty boys and eighteen girls WISAA basketball championships. [6]
After the 1994 football season, the Metro Conference lost both St. Catherine's and St. Joseph to the new Wisconsin Independent Football Association, leaving the conference with six football members. [7] The Metro Conference was disbanded in 1997 in anticipation for the coming merger between WISAA and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, the state's high school athletics organization for public schools. [8] All of its member schools went to established WIAA conferences after the 1996-97 school year. [9]
