By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Hoisington's baseball and softball cooperative agreement will continue with Central Plains. The USD 431 Board of Education voted 4-2 Monday evening to continue the agreement. Hoisington High School Activities Director Faron Kraft explained the agreement could mean some changes.
"Just to be transparent, KSHSAA does state the reason for cooperative agreement is varsity numbers," he told the board. "You can look at that both ways. Hoisington could sustain by themselves but Central Plains can't. Central Plains needs the numbers. On top of that, with our increased enrollment, it will push us to 4A maybe next year, for sure the year after that."
Kraft explained that enrollment figures are already close to the 4A threshold. Hoisington High's Class of 2023 was relatively small, and a large number of incoming freshmen, plus numbers from Central Plains, will likely mean a move from Class 3A competition to Class 4A.
Kraft and Superintendent Patrick Crowdis said they saw both sides of the cooperative argument. Board Member Traci Schneider said the extra players are crucial for junior varsity teams.
"I've personally sat down and mapped both teams, the JV and the varsity," she said. "If we didn't have those Central Plains girls, our JV team would not be able to play that full season. By having them here with us, it's allowing us to continue to develop our girls and continue to develop the varsity."
Neil Ochs agreed that junior varsity competition is important, especially for players who want to compete but are not selected for varsity rosters. Becky Mooney also supported renewing the agreement.
"I think it's an agreement that's worked for a lot of years," she said. "We're talking just a handful of girls most of the time. If it's not broken, why change it? They're good-standing students. They drive over here. They put in the effort. We shouldn't punish them."
Jessica Baze also voted in support of renewing the agreement with the stipulation that USD 112 holds up its end of the bargain of paying for a third coach for both the baseball and softball teams. Dean Stoskopf and Sara Tarlton voted against the agreement.
"I've said this all along since I've been on the board; I'm not in favor of it," Tarlton said. "I just feel like you're in the school district, you play for the school district. Those students should have the right to play over non-district."