Marion considers switching sports leagues
Staff writer
Marion schools are considering league realignment.
The district now is a member of the Heart of America League.
“We are just looking and exploring other options that there may be out there,” Superintendent Justin Wasmuth said. “We’re still happy with the HOA.”
Marion has been contacted by another league but declined to identify it.
Enrollment trends are part of the conversation. HOA includes 1A and 2A schools. Wasmuth expects Marion’s enrollment to decrease over the next few years before leveling off.
“A lot of schools in our league are seeing the same thing,” he said.
Enrollment, travel distance, and facilities are factors under consideration. Marion is the easternmost school in the league, with other members stretching from north of Salina to Wichita and west to Sterling.
“We’ve got quite a bit of travel,” Wasmuth said. Transportation costs will be part of discussions but are not the sole driver, he said.
Competitive balance is not a concern. He described HOA as one of the most competitive leagues in the 1A through 3A classifications.
Any league change would be a two-year process under current regulations.
Realignment would affect non-athletic activities such as band, debate, forensics, and industrial arts.
Talks are preliminary. Wasmuth expects to update the school board again in the spring.
“If it’s in the HOA, we’re absolutely happy with that,” he said. “If it’s somewhere else, there would be positive reasons for that as well. But right now it’s exploratory.”