Draft:Indian Trails Conference
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The Indian Trails Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in southeastern Wisconsin. Originally founded as a conference for small public high schools in 1963, it has seen a high level of turnover among membership over the course of its history and now has mostly private school members.
History
[edit]Origins and Early History (1963-1969)
[edit]The Indian Trails Conference was formed in 1963 by four local public high schools, one state-run public high school and one private high schools.[1] The four local public schools (Clinton, Norris Foundation, Palmyra and Williams Bay) were former members of the Southeastern Wisconsin Conference, and the two others (Northwestern Military & Naval Academy, Wisconsin School for the Deaf) competed as independents after their former conference, the Southern Wisconsin Private Schools (SWAPS) Conference, disbanded in 1961.[2] The Indian Trails Conference would compete in this configuration for six years, which to date has been the longest period of stability for conference membership.
Transition to Private School Conference (1969-1980)
[edit]The late 1960s and early 1970s marked a transition for the Indian Trails Conference from a conference with mostly public high schools to one with mostly small private high schools. In 1969, Clinton and Palmyra left the Indian Trails Conference to join the Central Suburban and Eastern Suburban Conferences, respectively. They were replaced by three private schools: Brookfield Academy, Rockford Lutheran and The Prairie School in Wind Point.[3] Williams Bay left to follow Palmyra into the Eastern Suburban Conference in 1970,[4] and were replaced by Divine Word Seminary in East Troy.[5] St. Joseph Seminary in Edgerton joined in 1971, and Rockford Lutheran left the following year to join the Northwest Seven Conference in Illinois.[6] They were replaced by Ethan Allen School for Boys, a reform school in Wales, in 1973.[7] Brookfield Academy left to join the Classic Conference in 1976[8] and were replaced by Maranatha Baptist Academy in Watertown,[9] who has to date been the conference's longest tenured member. The Prairie School followed Brookfield Academy to Classic Conference membership in 1977,[10] and in 1979, St. John's School for the Deaf in St. Francis joined the Indian Trails Conference.[11]
Sustained Membership Turnover (1980-2004)
[edit]The 1980s brought continued instability for Indian Trails Conference membership. St. Joseph Seminary left the Indian Trails when they closed their doors in 1980,[12] followed by Norris Foundation in 1982 after they dropped interscholastic athletics. St. John's School for the Deaf was closed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1983 after running at a deficit for several years made operation of the school unsustainable.[13] In 1986, Messmer High School in Milwaukee, which had returned from nearly closing two years prior,[14] joined the Indian Trails Conference,[15] and there would be a short period of membership stability that lasted until the 1990s. Changes occurred on a somewhat regular basis during this decade, the first of these was the addition of Alden-Hebron High School in Illinois[16] and Calvary Baptist Christian School in Sun Prairie[17] to the conference in 1990. They replaced Wisconsin School for the Deaf, who left to join the Southern Wisconsin and Illinois Small Schools (SWISS) Conference as full members.[18] The Indian Trails Conference lost Divine Word Seminary when it was announced that they would cease operations in 1991.[19] Calvary Baptist School in Menomonee Falls would join the Indian Trails in 1993, replacing Messmer after their exit to join the Midwest Classic Conference. In 1994, Waukesha Christian Academy and Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam joined as full members. The next year, Northwestern Military & Naval Academy would merge with St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, with their successor taking St. John's place in the Midwest Classic Conference. Wayland Academy left to return to the Midwest Classic Conference in 1996 and were replaced by two schools: Beloit Catholic and Valley Christian in Oshkosh. Union Grove Christian joined the next year and were followed by Rock County Christian of Beloit in 1998. The next year, Victory Christian School in Neosho would replace Valley Christian, and membership subdivided into North and South Divisions:
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| Calvary Baptist | Alden-Hebron |
| Calvary Baptist Christian | Beloit Catholic |
| Ethan Allen School for Boys | Rock County Christian |
| Maranatha Baptist Academy | Union Grove Christian |
| Victory Christian Academy | Waukesha Christian Academy |
The Indian Trails reformed as a single division after one year of this alignment and welcomed Grace Christian Academy of West Allis into the conference that same year. They replaced Beloit Catholic, who was closed by the Madison diocese in 2000. In 2001, Reuther Central High School, a public alternative high school in Kenosha, joined the Indian Trails Conference. Two years later, Calvary Baptist Christian in Sun Prairie would leave the conference with Rockford Christian School in Illinois taking their place.
Blue and Gold Divisions (2004-2021)
[edit]In 2004, the Indian Trails Conference split its eleven members into Blue and Gold Divisions:
| Blue Division | Gold Division |
|---|---|
| Alden-Hebron | Calvary Baptist |
| Ethan Allen School for Boys | Grace Christian Academy |
| Kenosha Reuther Central | Rock County Christian |
| Maranatha Baptist Academy | Union Grove Christian |
| Rockford Christian | Victory Christian Academy |
| Waukesha Christian Academy |
The near-annual turnover of conference membership continued in 2005 with Victory Christian Academy leaving the conference and Parkway Christian Academy in Milwaukee joining from the SWISS Conference as a replacement. Waukesha Christian Academy would leave the conference the next year and were replaced by the return of Wisconsin School for the Deaf. In 2007, the SWISS Conference would merge with the Indian Trails, adding former members Berean Christian School and Keith Country Day School of Rockford, Faith Christian School out of Williams Bay and University Lake School in Delafield. Trinity Academy in Pewaukee also joined the conference, and this was the divisional alignment for its sixteen members after the merger:
| Blue Division | Gold Division |
|---|---|
| Alden-Hebron | Calvary Baptist |
| Berean Christian | Grace Christian Academy |
| Ethan Allen School for Boys | Parkway Christian Academy |
| Faith Christian | Rock County Christian |
| Keith Country Day | Trinity Academy |
| Kenosha Reuther Central | Union Grove Christian |
| Maranatha Baptist Academy | University Lake School |
| Rockford Christian | Wisconsin School for the Deaf |
Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights and Mooseheart Academy joined the Blue Division in 2008 as full members (Mooseheart had previously been a football-only member), but their stay in the conference was short lived. In 2009, the six Illinois-based schools in the conference would all leave, and five of those schools (Alden-Hebron, Christian Liberty, Keith Country Day, Mooseheart Academy and Rockford Christian) would join the newly created Northeastern Athletic Conference, a conference sponsored by the Illinois High School Association. Additionally, Parkway Christian Academy in Oak Creek closed its doors, bringing membership in the Indian Trails to eleven schools. Because most of the exiting schools were all members of the Blue Division, further conference realignment was made necessary with Calvary Baptist and University Lake School moving over to the Blue Division:
| Blue Division | Gold Division |
|---|---|
| Calvary Baptist | Grace Christian Academy |
| Ethan Allen School for Boys | Rock County Christian |
| Faith Christian | Trinity Academy |
| Kenosha Reuther Central | Union Grove Christian |
| Maranatha Baptist Academy | Wisconsin School for the Deaf |
| University Lake School |
2010 saw the addition of Eastbrook Academy in Milwaukee and Mountain Top Christian Academy in Horicon join the Blue Division of the Indian Trails Conference. The next year, Ethan Allen School for Boys was closed by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and juvenile facilities were moved to Lincoln Hills School, just outside of Merrill in the northern part of the state. Mountain Top Christian Academy would move to the Gold Division in 2012 to accomodate the entry of Salam, an Islamic school in Milwaukee, into the conference. St. Anthony High School in Milwaukee joined the Blue Division in 2013, and Early View Academy joined the Gold Division in 2014. They replaced Trinity Academy, who ended their stand-alone athletic program and entered into a cooperative agreement with nearby University Lake School. In 2016, Calvary Baptist and Salam would exit the Indian Trails Conference, and were replaced by Tenor/Veritas, a cooperative athletic program between two charter schools in Milwaukee. Eastbrook Academy also moved to the Gold Division that year, and in 2017, Mountain Top Christian moved to the Blue Division. Two schools joined the conference in 2018: Academy of Excellence and Chesterton Academy, both out of Milwaukee. Academy of Excellence operated their own stand-alone athletic program while Chesterton Academy entered into a cooperative agreement with Eastbrook Academy. They replaced Union Grove Christian, who left the Indian Trails following its closing in 2018. From 2018 to 2021, the alignment of schools in the Indian Trails Conference featured an imbalanced format with the Blue Division having more schools than the Gold Division:
| Blue Division | Gold Division |
|---|---|
| Academy of Excellence | Eastbrook Academy/Chesterton Academy |
| Faith Christian | Early View Academy |
| Kenosha Reuther Central | Grace Christian Academy |
| Maranatha Baptist Academy | Rock County Christian |
| Mountain Top Christian | Wisconsin School for the Deaf |
| St. Anthony | |
| Tenor/Veritas | |
| University Lake School/Trinity Academy |
Lake City Conference Split (2021-present)
[edit]In 2021, five athletic programs (Early View Academy, Eastbrook/Chesterton, St. Anthony, Tenor/Veritas and University Lake/Trinity) would leave the Indian Trails Conference to form the new nine-member Lake City Conference (along with Cristo Rey Jesuit, Salam, St. Augustine Prep and St. Joan Antida). The remaining eight programs were joined by the return of Waukesha Christian Academy to the Indian Trails under a single division alignment. In 2023, Faith Christian would exit to join the Lake City Conference, leaving membership at the current figure of eight schools.
List of Conference Members
[edit]Current Members
[edit]| School | Location | Affililation | Enrollment | Mascot | Colors | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Excellence | Milwaukee, WI | Private (Christian) | N/A | Warriors | 2018 | |
| Grace Christian Academy | West Allis, WI | Private (Christian) | 37[20] | Crusaders | 2000 | |
| Kenosha Reuther Central | Kenosha, WI | Public, Alternative | 354[21] | Bulldogs | 2001 | |
| Maranatha Baptist Academy | Watertown, WI | Private (Baptist) | 65[22] | Crusaders | 1976 | |
| Mountain Top Christian Academy | Horicon, WI | Private (Christian) | 11[23] | Cougars | 2010 | |
| Rock County Christian | Beloit, WI | Private (Christian) | 77[24] | Eagles | 1998 | |
| Waukesha Christian Academy | Waukesha, WI | Private (Baptist) | 8[25] | Warriors | 1994, 2021 | |
| Wisconsin School for the Deaf | Delavan, WI | State, Special Needs | 26[26] | Firebirds | 1963, 2006 |
Former Members
[edit]| School | Location | Affiliation | Enrollment | Mascot | Colors | Joined | Left | Conference Joined | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton | Clinton, WI | Public | 359[26] | Cougars | 1963 | 1969 | Central Suburban | Rock Valley | |
| Norris Foundation | Mukwonago, WI | Public, Alternative | 10 | Nors'men | 1963 | 1982 | Discontinued interscholastic athletics | ||
| Northwestern Military & Naval Academy | Lake Geneva, WI | Private (Nonsectarian), Military | N/A | Falcons | 1963 | 1995 | Merged with St. John's Military Academy | ||
| Palmyra | Palmyra, WI | Public | 195[26] | Panthers | 1963 | 1969 | Eastern Suburban | Trailways | |
| Williams Bay | Williams Bay, WI | Public | 212[26] | Bulldogs | 1963 | 1970 | Eastern Suburban | Trailways | |
| Brookfield Academy | Brookfield, WI | Private (Nonsectarian) | 334[26] | Blue Knights | 1969 | 1976 | Classic | Midwest Classic | |
| Rockford Lutheran | Rockford, IL | Private (Lutheran, LCMS & ELCA) | Crusaders | 1969 | 1972 | Northwest Seven (IHSA) | Big Northern (IHSA) | ||
| The Prairie School | Wind Point, WI | Private (Nonsectarian) | 226[26] | Hawks | 1969 | 1977 | Classic | Metro Classic | |
| Divine Word Seminary | East Troy, WI | Private (Catholic) | N/A | Missioners | 1970 | 1991 | Closed in 1991 | ||
| St. Joseph Seminary | Edgerton, WI | Private (Catholic) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1971 | 1980 | Closed in 1980 | |
| Ethan Allen School for Boys | Wales, WI | State, Reform | N/A | Green Mountain Boys | 1973 | 2011 | Closed in 2011 | ||
| St. John's School for the Deaf | St. Francis, WI | Private (Catholic), Special Needs | N/A | Eagles | 1979 | 1983 | Closed in 1983 | ||
| Messmer | Milwaukee, WI | Private (Catholic) | 499[26] | Bishops | 1986 | 1993 | Midwest Classic | ||
| Alden-Hebron | Hebron, IL | Public | Giants | 1990 | 2009 | Northeastern Athletic (IHSA) | |||
| Calvary Baptist Christian | Sun Prairie, WI | Private (Baptist) | N/A | Eagles | 1990 | 2003 | Independent | Independent | |
| Calvary Baptist | Menomonee Falls, WI | Private (Baptist) | N/A | Eagles | 1993 | 2016 | Independent | Closed in 2024 | |
| Wayland Academy | Beaver Dam, WI | Private (Nonsectarian) | 159[26] | Big Red | 1994 | 1996 | Midwest Classic | Trailways | |
| Beloit Catholic | Beloit, WI | Private (Catholic) | N/A | Crusaders | 1996 | 2000 | Closed in 2000 | ||
| Valley Christian | Oshkosh, WI | Private (Christian) | 144[26] | Warriors | 1996 | 1999 | Independent | Trailways | |
| Union Grove Christian | Union Grove, WI | Private (Christian) | N/A | Patriots | 1997 | 2018 | Closed in 2018 | ||
| Victory Christian | Neosho, WI | Private (Christian) | N/A | Eagles | 1999 | 2005 | Independent | Closed in 2008 | |
| Rockford Christian | Rockford, IL | Private (Christian) | Lions | 2003 | 2009 | Northeastern Athletic (IHSA) | Big Northern (IHSA) | ||
| Parkway Christian Academy | Oak Creek, WI | Private (Christian) | N/A | Flames | 2005 | 2009 | Closed in 2009 | ||
| Berean Christian | Rockford, IL | Private (Baptist) | Kingsmen | 2007 | 2009 | Illinois Association of Christian Schools | |||
| Faith Christian | Williams Bay, WI | Private (Christian) | 62[26] | Eagles | 2007 | 2023 | Lake City | ||
| Keith Country Day | Rockford, IL | Private (Nonsectarian) | Cougars | 2007 | 2009 | Northeastern Athletic (IHSA) | |||
| Trinity Academy | Pewaukee, WI | Private (Catholic) | 6[26] | Sentinels | 2007 | 2021 | Lake City | ||
| University Lake School | Delafield, WI | Private (Nonsectarian) | 73[26] | Lakers | 2007 | 2021 | Lake City | ||
| Christian Liberty Academy | Arlington Heights, IL | Private (Christian) | Chargers | 2008 | 2009 | Northeastern Athletic (IHSA) | Independent | ||
| Mooseheart Academy | Mooseheart, IL | Private (Nonsectarian) | Red Ramblers | 2008 | 2009 | Northeastern Athletic (IHSA) | |||
| Eastbrook Academy | Milwaukee, WI | Private (Christian) | 81[26] | Warriors | 2010 | 2021 | Lake City | ||
| Salam | Milwaukee, WI | Private (Islamic) | 195[26] | Stars | 2012 | 2016 | Independent | Lake City | |
| St. Anthony | Milwaukee, WI | Private (Catholic) | 555[26] | Roman Legion | 2013 | 2021 | Lake City | ||
| Early View Academy | Milwaukee, WI | Private (Christian) | Mustangs | 2014 | 2021 | Lake City | |||
| Tenor/Veritas | Milwaukee, WI | Public, Charter | 514 (Tenor)[26]
253 (Veritas)[26] |
Titans | 2016 | 2021 | Lake City | ||
| Chesterton Academy | Menomonee Falls, WI | Private (Catholic) | Knights | 2018 | 2021 | Lake City | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "Name New League". Kenosha News. 31 January 1963. p. 21. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "St. Mary's '11' Plays Exhibition". Racine Journal Times. 19 October 1962. p. 20. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Seven-Team Indian Trails Includes Three "Rookies"". Lake Geneva Regional News. 4 September 1969. p. 12. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Bay Gridders Prepare For Opener". Lake Geneva Regional News. 27 August 1970. p. 34. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "East Troy Seminary Notes Mission Sunday". Janesville Weekly Gazette. 18 October 1969. p. 18.
- ^ "Northwest Seven Conference Roundup". Freeport Journal-Standard. 28 November 1972. pp. 11A. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Brookfield Academy Lacks Height (see schedule and note that first five opponents are in conference)". Waukesha County Freeman. 19 November 1973. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Boys' Cage Standings". Waukesha County Freeman. 15 December 1976. p. 16. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Cadets Have Good Nucleus (schedule lists Maranatha Baptist as a conference opponent)". Lake Geneva Regional News. 11 November 1976. p. 11. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Frazee, Brent (19 February 1977). "Prairie Hawks get a classic change". Racine Journal Times. p. 9. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Scoreboard (see Boys Prep Basketball, Indian Trails Conference)". Waukesha County Freeman. 13 December 1979. p. 20. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Hemmer, Cheryl (23 June 1980). "St. Henry's Seminary, 2 other prep schools merge". Belleville News-Democrat. pp. 3 (Section A). Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Associated Press (11 February 1982). "School for the deaf to close". Oshkosh Northwestern. p. 9. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "School bought by parents". Green Bay Press Gazette. 10 August 1984. p. 4. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Woelffer paces Menasha win over Sparta in Holiday tourney". Oshkosh Northwestern. 30 December 1986. p. 14. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "A-H moves on without injured Ramos". Northwest Herald. 1 December 1990. p. 16. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Calvary Baptist stumbles early, stays winless". Wisconsin State Journal. 16 January 1991. p. 27. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Three From Academy Earn Conference Honor (see Conference Standings)". Lake Geneva Regional News. 15 March 1990. p. 19. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Divine Word Seminary - East Troy". Divine Word Alumni Association. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Grace Christian Academy". Private School Review. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Reuther Central High School". Public School Review. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Maranatha Baptist Academy". Private School Review. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Mountain Top Christian Academy". Private School Review. 13 Decembert 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Rock County Christian School". Private School Review. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Waukesha Christian Academy". Private School Review. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Wilson, Travis (27 November 2023). "All school enrollment figures for 2023-24 sports year with one- and five-year enrollment comparisons". Wisconsin Sports Network. Retrieved 13 December 2024.