Iola Middle School athletics have officially been moved into the Pioneer League after the USD 257 Board of Education members voted for the change Monday night.
Burlington Middle School was already a part of the Pioneer League and their high school just joined this year. That made Iola the only school district in the Pioneer League to not have middle school sports associated with the league.
The Pioneer League superintendents put in a resolution requesting Iola Middle School join the Pioneer League — or the high school could have gotten the boot.
“We will play SEK schools for another year,” Terry Lower, Iola Middle School athletics director said. “It won’t take effect until the 2016-17 school year. I don’t know how it will affect [Iola Middle School] yet. I will have to go to the meetings to find out.”
Currently, the Ponies play four basketball games and four volleyball games per night, as well as two football games per night, during each sport’s respective season. Lower said he did not know how this will affect the current schedule of games or how it will affect C-Team sports.
“In the SEK, we really weren’t league affiliated, we just played SEK schools,” Lower said. “We were kind of independent. We went in, and they were really professional, we worked out things together. I think the Pioneer League is more formal. That should help us out a bit.”
Lower added there will probably be different policies instituted in the Pioneer League, such as the start time of games. Also, league tournaments will be added to schedules.
Lower said he hopes the track team’s annual track meet that boasts more than 20 schools will continue.
“We have our big track meet here. We picked up another school, so we have 22 towns coming next year,” Lower said. “I hope [Pioneer League officials] will consider that our meet if we all have to do one.”
Lower said he found out about the resolution on Friday and the school board voted on switching leagues Monday.
IMS athletics moving to Pioneer League
