Web posted
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Dexter, Cedar Vale join forces
Two schools combining their athletics programs
By JEANNE RICHARSON and ROY GRABER
Winfield Courier
The Cedar Vale and Dexter high school basketball teams have separate cheering sections this week as the South Central Border League basketball tournament takes place.
Next year, fans of both schools will be cheering on the same team.
The schools' boards have both voted to combine their respective sports programs, according to Todd Massey, president of Cedar Vale USD 285.
The Cedar Vale school board met on Jan. 15, Massey said, and the change will take effect with the spring sports schedule. That will impact the softball, baseball and track programs.
"This was something that we tried last year with the junior high football and volleyball," said Massey. "We didn't hear any negative comments at that time, so we just proceeded with the next step."
Massey said that the Dexter school board, USD 471, also voted unanimously to combine the sports at their last meeting.
The football program will not be combined this year because of a two-year rotation that has already been started, said Massey. The eventual plan is to also combine the football teams.
The Cedar Vale school board's take on it, according to Massey, is "we can keep a school in our towns by moving forward and putting them together, instead of going from year to year."
Richard Berkley, assistant track coach at Dexter middle and high schools, has a definite interest in the changes. He is not only a coach, but also the parent of an athlete.
While there are people both for and against the change, Berkley says he is neutral.
"Nobody wants to lose their identity," he said. "Hopefully, it will help. In the long run, it would be good because we would be more competitive."
Despite concerns from the public that the separate schools may lose their identity, Massey says Cedar Vale school board members feels it will work.
"But, you have to provide your kids with good programs, or some of them will leave, and your school is in jeopardy of closing down. And you lose your identity anyway," said Massey. "We're playing against schools twice their size, and we feel it's not fair," he went on to say.
Massey said that the coaches knew about the consolidation and were fine with it.
"They want to win, and they just want what's best for the kids that are playing. Most coaches will tell you that they want what's best for the kids," Massey said.
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