Great Bend Post
Jun 16, 2025

Hoisington school board debating future of Central Plains co-op for softball

Posted Jun 16, 2025 11:35 AM
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By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post

For the last few years, Hoisington USD 431 has partnered with Central Plains High School to allow students from the high school in Claflin to participate on Hoisington’s baseball and softball teams.

USD 431 Board of Education member Sara Tarlton said the plan started when the Hoisington baseball team needed numbers to field a team.

"It came up that if baseball is being offered to Central Plains then softball has to as well," said Tarlton. "I've always been against it because softball has never needed numbers. Baseball has. We always had to go with both or none."

Finding out the cooperatives (co-ops) are separate agreements, the USD 431 school is discussing if they want to continue the agreement with Central Plains. Having to combine enrollment numbers from both schools, Hoisington jumped up a classification to 4A this year for both baseball and softball.

"You go to school in Hoisington," said Tarlton. "We have the numbers for softball. Why are these students going to be taking positions from Hoisington students?"

A decision on co-ops has to be submitted to the Kansas State High School Activities Association by Jan. 1. The Hoisington school board will hear from coaches at a future meeting before making their decision on the co-op.