WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – The Wausau School Board is discussing the future of Wausau East\u2019s varsity hockey team after a conference vote blocked a proposed co-op with Wausau West.<\/p>\n
The school currently competes on a co-op team with Merrill, but that partnership will end after this season. Merrill believes they\u2019ll have enough students to field a team of their own.<\/p>\n
The Wausau School Board had a lengthy discussion to find the best path forward for their student-athletes. Fielding a varsity hockey team next season could be a tall task for Wausau East, with one option being to form another co-op.<\/p>\n
Wausau East\u2019s co-op hockey team with Merrill was never supposed to last forever. Merrill\u2019s decision to split off from the Lumberjacks is because they believe they\u2019ll have enough players to create a team of their own next year. The problem is, they made that decision two days before the WIAA\u2019s deadline to declare a varsity team.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe they thought it was going to be a no-brainer, East and West would be able to co-op, because it\u2019s not going to affect the number of teams in the Valley, which is often a big issue. It\u2019s just going to be kids, so it\u2019s not a big deal,\u201d said Wausau School Board Vice President, Lance Trollop.<\/p>\n
It did turn into a big issue after the conference voted 3-3 for East and West to co-op for hockey. A split decision means the merger can\u2019t be approved.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose three principals, those three adults, decided that these kids don\u2019t get to play hockey. And that\u2019s really, really disappointing,\u201d Trollop said.<\/p>\n
For East students, they could try and transfer to West for the opportunity to play hockey next season. The Wausau School District is hoping the schools that voted against the merger will look at the information presented and reconsider their vote so that students wouldn\u2019t need to transfer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should have another vote and then we should put it on WIAA and ask for that extension because if there ever was going to be a time to have an extension, this would be the time,\u201d Trollop said.<\/p>\n
If another vote were to happen for the Wisconsin Valley Conference, the Wausau School District believes it would give students a chance to continue to play the game they love.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether people want to talk about it or not, sports do matter. It helps create a total child. It helps create an individual. It helps us understand teamwork,\u201d said James Bouch\u00e9, president of the Wausau school board.<\/p>\n
If the WIAA still denies Wausau East a varsity hockey team with a conference re-vote, the school says they\u2019ll take legal action against the governing body. <\/p>\n
They also hope to have a discussion on changing the voting format in the conference, so a tiebreaker can occur on decisions like the merger.<\/p>\n
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