North Central Conference (Iowa)

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North Central Conference School Locations
North Central Conference
North Central Conference logo.png
Conference IHSAA / IGHSAU
Founded1930
Sports fielded
  • 18
No. of teams8
RegionNorth central Iowa
Official website www.northcentralconf.org

The North Central Conference (NCC) is an eight-team high school athletic conference based in North Central Iowa. The conference's membership is 3A (Iowa's second largest classification of schools), 2A, and sometimes even 1A (Iowa's smallest classification of schools). The conference dates to 1930 and has a long tradition together and many intense rivalries.

Contents

For many years, the North Central Conference was an eight-team league. [1] Schools from Algona, Clarion, Clear Lake, Eagle Grove, Hampton, Humboldt, Iowa Falls, and Webster City competed in the conference. In the 1980s, Hampton and Clarion both began whole grade-sharing with smaller neighboring districts (Dumont and Goldfield, respectively). The districts reorganized into Hampton–Dumont and Clarion–Goldfield, respectively. [2]

In 1993–94, the league expanded to include two of the region's strongest Catholic schools: [1] Bishop Garrigan of Algona and St. Edmond of Fort Dodge.

Iowa Falls and Alden began whole grade-sharing in 2004, as did Clarion–Goldfield and Dows in 2005. Clarion–Goldfield and Dows consolidated into Clarion–Goldfield–Dows in 2014. [2]

Humboldt and Twin Rivers began whole grade-sharing in 2012. Algona and Titonka began whole grade-sharing in 2012 and consolidated in 2014, and Lu Verne began whole grade-sharing with Algona in 2015. Webster City and Northeast Hamilton will begin a whole grade-sharing agreement in 2015 as well.

Despite the deep roots the member schools have with the conference, the disparity in the size of conference schools has recently become a pressing issue for league members. CAL (in Latimer) is looking at potentially beginning whole grade-sharing with Hampton–Dumont in 2018.

In October 2012, Bishop Garrigan Catholic looked at moving to the North Iowa Conference. In December 2012, NIC accepted Bishop Garrigan's request to join their conference and the move became official in 2014. [1]

On Monday, December 10, 2012, the Eagle Grove Community School Board voted in favor of applying for North Iowa Conference membership. This was approved by the North Iowa Conference. [1] Clarion–Goldfield–Dows has also been involved in discussions with the NIC, however no action was taken by CGD. Other NCC member institutions such as Iowa Falls-Alden, Hampton–Dumont, and St. Edmond have also suggested possible interest in leaving the NCC.

In February[ year needed ], the NCC superintendents approved on 9–0 and 8–0 votes to move to divisional play. There will be a large school division and a small school division, determined by enrollment. In basketball, baseball, and softball, teams will play schools in their own division twice and schools in the other division twice as well. It is hoped that this will not only hold the remaining eight teams of the NCC together, but also attract surrounding schools into the league. The large school division includes Webster City, Algona, Humboldt, and Iowa Falls-Alden. The small school division includes Clear Lake, Hampton–Dumont, Clarion–Goldfield–Dows, and St. Edmond.

Members

InstitutionLocationMascotColorsAffiliation2022-2023 BEDS [3] Football class
Algona Algona Bulldogs  Public3642A
Clarion–Goldfield–Dows Clarion Cowboys  Public2412A
Clear Lake Clear Lake Lions  Public3202A
Hampton–Dumont/CAL Hampton Bulldogs  Public3442A
Humboldt Humboldt Wildcats  Public3743A
Iowa FallsAlden Iowa Falls Cadets   Public2962A
St. Edmond's Catholic Fort Dodge Gaels  Private122A
Webster City Webster City Lynx  Public4473A

Former members

InstitutionLocationMascotColorsAffiliation2022-2023 BEDSCurrent Conference
Bishop Garrigan Catholic Algona Golden Bears  Private99 Top of Iowa Conference
Eagle Grove Eagle Grove Eagles  Public239 Top of Iowa Conference

Membership timeline

[1]

St. Edmond High School (Fort Dodge, Iowa)Clear Lake Community School DistrictIowa Falls Community School DistrictWebster City Community School DistrictEagle Grove High SchoolHumboldt Community School DistrictHampton–Dumont Community School DistrictClarion–Goldfield–Dows Community School DistrictAlgona Community School DistrictNorth Central Conference (Iowa)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "North Central Conference". Iowa High School Sports. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  2. 1 2 "REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTION SINCE 1965-66" (PDF). Iowa department of Education. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  3. "IHSAA: Classifications".