The Gillett and Suring school districts are working toward establishing joint high school baseball and softball programs for the 2015 season. Preliminary efforts to form a cooperative are moving forward after Suring received a draft agreement from Gillett.
“We’ve had interest over the years and are trying to move forward with this,” Suring Superintendent Robert Ray said. “We’re still in the planning stages.”
Suring does not offer either sport and does not have softball or baseball facilities. Ray said if a co-op is formed between the districts, Suring would explore possible facilities.
Suring plans to poll its students to determine interest in the programs. Ray said he plans to present his information to the School Board on Feb. 12 and has invited Gillett athletic director Mike Kaczmarek and other Gillett administrators to attend.
Kaczmarek said the co-op would benefit both schools.
“We’d be able to field two complete (baseball and softball) teams. It would create competition for the kids,” he said.
At a Jan. 8 meeting, Suring School Board member Eugene School said cutting other programs to pay for the sports co-op was a concern. He wanted to know where the district would find the funds to support the new sports.
School Board member Wayne Sleeter suggested the school might gain open enrollment students, and the accompanying revenue, by offering baseball and softball.
Gillett leaders see the co-op as a way to boost sagging numbers in its programs.
Gillett softball coach Jill Weyers said at first she was conflicted about the idea.
“When I heard about the possible co-op, two things crossed my mind. One: The girls are going to have to fight for their spots — uh oh. And two: Hey, the girls are going to have to fight for their spots — awesome!” she said.
“The more girls that we have, the stronger our team will be,” she said.
Kaczmarek said 13 to 15 players are needed to field a varsity team and 22 players are needed to have varsity and junior varsity teams.
Weyers said the Gillett softball team expects to have eight returning players, four of them seniors, this season. She hopes a few freshmen also will join the team.
Pat Nelson, Gillett High School baseball coach, could not be reached for comment, but the proposed agreement includes a note that the team anticipates 13 or 14 players this spring and eight or nine in 2015.
Lori Anderson, president of the Gillett Diamond Club and the parent of a softball player, said the co-op proposal is important.
“We don’t want to lose the opportunity for these kids that want to play,” she said.
The Diamond Club coordinates a baseball/softball summer program. Last year the club included Suring youth interested in playing softball. This year, it will include Suring youth interested in boys baseball, also.
Both schools hope to have a two-year agreement in place for the 2014-15 school year. If the two districts can agree on logistics, such as transportation costs, the agreement will be forwarded to officials of the Marinette & Oconto Conference for approval and then to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
If approved by the WIAA before June 1, the plan would be implemented in spring 2015.
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