A large group of  interested persons attended Monday night’s regular meeting of the school board to discuss the possible pairing of boys basketball and girls volleyball with Heron Lake – Okabena Schools.

Parents, staff, and other community members were asked to share their thoughts, concerns, and opinions regarding the possible pairing.

At the present time, Fulda High School pairs with HL-O in football and girls basketball. Fulda High School also pairs with Murray County Central for wrestling and cross country.

A discussion held during the Special Fulda District #505 School Board Meeting  on Monday, January 7th, identified several of the  advantages  and disadvantages of the current pairings of baseball, softball, golf, track and football.

Superintendent Loy Woelber, along with the school board members, sought the opinions of other administrators, staff, students and parents by using a Facebook message in which he listed the advantages and disadvantages of pairing sports.

Advantages of current pairings:

1) Our kids have an opportunity that they previously didn’t have (baseball and softball)

2) Track has better numbers to fill relays

3) Girls golf had 2 kids out from Fulda last year and both were seniors

4) Track and Golf were in Fulda

5) Regarding football, safety is a factor and it helps to have more numbers.

Disadvantages of current pairings:

1) Additional costs for baseball and softball to add sports

2) Jersey start up costs expenses

3) Travel to HLO for baseball and softball

4) Travel for practices and games is shared 50/50 for football and Girls Basketball but does involve extra driving/riding for the students as well as the parents.

Superintendent Woelber also listed the advantages and disadvantages regarding potential pairings in boys basketball and girls volleyball by stating:

Advantages:

1) With more numbers the athletes can play at a level they are at (junior high kids paying junior high, C and B playing at C and B levels)

2) Ability to have a C-squad team for basketball and to play complete matches in volleyball without worrying about athletes playing time when they also play B or A squad

3) Competitive practices where there are enough numbers to scrimmage each other

4) These are two-year agreements and can always be chaged if/when increased numbers warrant

Disadvantages:

1) Travel/riding bus for the athletes 1/2 of the season to other site and travel for the families of 1/2 of the home games and, of course, all of the away games.

2) If/when numbers are large, the athletes may not get the playing time they would have had before

3) Once paired, numbers could suffer due to the extra travel and change of identity.

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