An idea for remaking the BVC

EDITORS NOTE: This summary was dropped off to The Courier Sports Department this week. These ideas are in no way endorsed by the Blanchard Valley Conference, it’s school administrators. This is is just a local coach spitballing ideas if you will. Kind of interesting to say the least and hopefully it will spark some discussion on perhaps one of the most stable leagues over the years in NW Ohio, the Blanchard Valley Conference. I’ll weigh in sometime this week or next perhaps...but I want to know what all of you BVC fans out there think.
— JB

Deriving from the “spirit of conference expansion” that is sweeping at the collegiate and high school level, and from a general concern of the present and near future conditions of the Blanchard Valley Conference, we extend the question — Should the B.V.C. seriously consider a change?
An addition to the league or perhaps an overhaul could appease both the larger and smaller schools of an old traditional conference approaching its 50th year of existence. With changes ahead for the members of the North Central Conference and the Midland Athletic League, a few immediate area school districts may be left looking for a conference home. This opens the door for possible change in the Blanchard Valley Conference. What follows is a possible outline of the idea’s potential.

What are the various concerns?
Size disparity. A few of the smaller schools feel that Liberty-Benton and Van Buren have outgrown the other league schools and simply need to move on. Despite the fact other small school conferences have even more size discrepancies (Midland Athletic League, Midwestern Athletic Conference) it certainly seems to be more of an issue in the Blanchard Valley Conference.
While enrollment numbers can be an advantage, it has to be made an advantage by the students and staff of those schools. The talent pool selection is larger however, it will still run in streaks.
There are several larger schools that would struggle in the BVC as evidence of Liberty-Benton and Van Buren both having years of struggles while competing as the larger schools.
The departure of the larger schools would likely affect the overall level of competitive depth that presently exists in the conference and could potentially hurt football play-off opportunities for second, third and fourth place finishing teams, who in the past, have garnered play-off points from wins against the Liberty-Bentons and the Van Burens.
A Vanlue and Arcadia District Merger.
Can it? Will it ever happen? A merger of the two schools would give the conference a possible long-term imbalance with an odd number of teams. Even more concerning is, without a merger, how long will Vanlue be able to be a representative for football? Or even be a competitive program if it continues to recognize the sport.
Does Hardin Northern have intentions of leaving for the NWCC?
If their student enrollment continues to decline, would they consider making a jump that would still facilitate minor travel time in a conference they have shown they can compete with on a yearly basis. Hopefully, the enrollment starts to increase or at the least level off. Hardin Northern deserves the BVC and the BVC deserves Hardin Northern.
What an incredibly rich heritage the Bears have brought to the conference including their run in football in the late 1980’s thru the early 2000’s has only been matched by McComb and the early Cory-Rawson teams. Hardin Northern’s dominance in track and field (11 championships and five runners-up finishes) spanned twenty-five years from the late 60’s-to mid 90’s with a handful of successes since then. Volleyball and girls basketball has also experienced solid strings of successful runs.
Advantages of increasing the size of the conference.
Bringing in immediate neighbors.
Adding two obvious teams (Hopewell-Loudon and Riverdale) will further branch out the limbs of the BVC and complete an encircling of the area of our conference on the east side.
These two schools, or a Bluffton, Columbus Grove, Elmwood or North Baltimore would keep travel time at a minimum and add schools that already enjoy close/natural rivalries with several of our existing members.
Enhance our media coverage.
The addition would strengthen our seemingly waning reputation with the media, our nearby communities, and surrounding conferences. In addition, it would present more exposure of our conference to the Tiffin/Fostoria/Upper Sandusky/Bowling Green/Lima media sources depending upon which teams were added.
Strengthen the overall quality of existing programs.
The addition of Elmwood, North Baltimore, Bluffton, Columbus Grove, Riverdale, or Hopewell-Loudon would truly enhance the opportunities for the secondary sports, not to mention, strengthen the quality level of competition for all sports.
While nine of the ten schools have had cross country at one time or another, it has dwindled to four schools with competitive teams and one more recognizing it with individual participants. The addition of any of the before-mentioned schools would provide six teams that could compete in a conference championship meet.
Wrestling was once a conference sport with a championship match. It too has been reduced to four thus the addition of any two of the listed prospects would allow them a championship opportunity.
The increasing growth of soccer has added the sport to four of the ten school districts. Again, the addition of two more participating schools would provide a conference schedule for those districts which already recognize it. Also, it would potentially cut back upon the travel time a few schools now have because of the conferences they presently compete in.
New buildings on the rise.
The addition of districts with recently built schools (Elmwood, Hopewell-Loudon and Riverdale), will enhance the overall appearance and reputation of higher quality academic and athletic standards in our districts.
Financial growth of athletic departments. Adding more natural bordering rivals should enhance “friendly” competition even further hopefully increasing gate revenues for athletic events.
Introduce a new championship opportunity.
Increasing our membership to twelve teams would allow us an opportunity to innovate a championship format for football and for baseball in which two champions are crowned in each sport. This, in turn, could enhance playoff opportunities for more conference football teams.
Recognized Sports Championship Formats:
Any sport that requires nine or more individuals participating at the same time will be divided into two divisions as long as twelve schools/teams are recognizing that sport. On a bi-yearly basis, (same year at OHSAA checks enrollment and divisions) we will set two divisions in football, softball and baseball. For instance, the six larger schools forming one division and the six smaller schools making up a second division. This will secure an eight or nine game conference schedule if the existing complexion changes. Zero changes in enrollment differences between schools would result with no change in the alignment of the conference.
Ten or less teams represented equates into one single division with each team playing all recognized conference schools to determine a champion based on win/loss record.
Fall Sports
Football Format
As previously mentioned, the schools would be re-aligned every two years, if needed. In picturing a make-shift example using Prospect A and Prospect B added as the 11th and 12th league teams, we could formulate a few ideas.
Based on 2011 enrollment figures…
Large Division (River Division)
Liberty-Benton
Prospect A
Van Buren
Prospect B
McComb
Cory-Rawson
Small Division (Valley Division)
Leipsic
Arlington
Arcadia
Hardin Northern
Pandora-Gilboa
Vanlue
An eight-game conference schedule is comprised by playing the five opposing schools in each division plus the three additional schools closest in size in the opposite division. The three larger schools in the smaller division would play the three larger schools in the large school division. The three smallest schools in the smaller division would play the three smallest schools in the large school division. A ninth game could/would be added on an alternating basis… a two year home/away rotation of the three remaining teams would add the final schools from the opposite division on a six-year basis.
A divisional champion would be determined by the best record within its own division. All-Conference honors would be based upon the coaches voting within their division. A first, a second team and honorable mention selections would have to be determined.
Boys’ and Girls’ Golf Format
With six boys’ teams presently recognizing golf as a sport, the addition of two more programs would solidify our numbers and increase the overall quality of the field and the depth of our all-conference honorees. Four girls’ teams recognize golf and the addition of two more would offer a conference championship opportunity.
Dual or tri-meet records against conference opponents will be included into the championship series that ends with a one-day tournament match. All-conference honorees will be determined by the outcome of the tournament.
Boys’ and Girls’ Cross-Country Format
Six official teams will be required to have a championship meet. The meet will be held the week prior to the state tournament qualification process which begins at the district level. Full teams must be determined three weeks (fifteen school days) prior to the championship meet. The top seven place winners will achieve 1st Team all-Blanchard Valley Conference recognition. When the number of full teams recognizing cross-country equals eight a second team honor will be added.
Volleyball Format
Due to the fact that only six athletes participate at one time, depth discrepancies created from enrollment is not as much of a factor. Therefore, each volleyball program will play a full conference schedule against the other eleven conference teams to determine the first place and second place teams according to the final win/loss record.
First and second team and honorable mention honorees will be determined by vote of each school’s head coach at the conclusion of the season.
Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer Format
While soccer does meet the individual participant criteria for competing in two divisions, the lack of schools recognizing it in the athletic programs keeps it at one division. Each official soccer program will play a full conference schedule against the other conference teams to determine the first place and second place teams according to the final win/loss record.
First and second team honorees along with honorable mention selections will be determined by vote of each schools head coach at the conclusion of the season.
A divisional split and the same format used in football will be adopted upon an eleventh school officially recognizing it.
Winter Sports
Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Format
Again, due to the fact that only five athletes are on the court at one time, depth discrepancies created from enrollment is not as much of an advantage. Therefore, each basketball program will play a full conference schedule against the other eleven conference teams to determine the first place and second place teams according to the final win/loss record.
All-Conference honors would be based upon the coaches voting at the conclusion of the season. A first team, a second team and honorable mention selections would have to be determined.
Wrestling
Six official teams will be required to have a championship meet. The meet will be held the week prior to the state tournament qualification process which begins at the sectional level. To be recognized as an official team, a school must fill a minimum eight weight classes. Teams must be determined three weeks (fifteen school days) prior to the championship meet. A six or seven team conference will garner individual awards of 1st and 2nd team all-Blanchard Valley Conference recognition based upon results of each weight- division’s championship match. Third and fourth place will be awarded. Upon the addition of an eighth or more programs, places first thru sixth will be awarded.
Spring Sports
Boys’ Baseball and Girls’ Softball Format
Requiring nine individuals participating at the same time, both baseball and softball will be divided into two divisions as long as eleven schools/teams are recognizing that sport. On a bi-yearly basis, (same year at OHSAA checks enrollment and divisions) we will set two divisions as in football. Again, the six larger schools forming one division and the six smaller schools making up a second division. Zero changes in enrollment differences between schools would result with no change in the alignment of the conference.
What will differ is that a schedule will be set to play all conference schools in both divisions and the win/loss record against all opponents will determine first and second place in both divisions. Divisions will not be split for first and second team all-conference selections to be determined by vote of each schools head coach at the conclusion of the season. Honorable mention honors will also be selected by the coaches.
Boys’ and Girls’ Track and Field Format
All teams will compete in a championship meet held the week prior to the state tournament qualification process beginning at the district level. The meet will be set up to follow the official guidelines and meet event format recognized by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
The top eight individuals in each event will be awarded with the top two places receiving all-B.V.C. recognition.
All athletic bylaws, championships and competition formats will be organized in accordance with rules and formats set-up by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Enrollment Figures
Liberty-Benton b-160 g-163 t-323
Elmwood 148 162 310
Bluffton 137 124 261
Van Buren 128 120 248
Columbus Grove 119 120 239
Riverdale 122 101 223
Hopewell-Loudon 120 96 216
McComb 101 102 203
Cory-Rawson 83 94 177
Leipsic 85 85 170
North Baltimore 82 83 165
Arlington 89 75 164
Arcadia 65 78 143
Hardin Northern 66 57 123
Pandora-Gilboa 53 69 122
Vanlue 30 30 60