The North Central Conference hasn’t seen movement in membership since the departures of Eagle Grove and Algona Bishop Garrigan after the 2013-14 school year, remaining at 8 schools, 7 of which were original members of the conference dating back to the 1920s.
The NCC could be looking at the prospects of adding another school into the fold soon, as on Tuesday night, the Charles City school board “unanimously voted to send a ‘letter of inquiry’ to the North Central Conference.
The Charles City School Board has unanimously voted to send a “letter of inquiry” to the North Central Conference.
CC Activities Director Dana Sullivan told the board they don’t want to seek another conference, but with the NEIC situation, they have to.
— Darin Svenson (@Darinsvenson) January 23, 2024
Charles City was a founding member of the Northeast Iowa Conference, founded in 1920. The Comets currently compete in Class 3A in most sports, and had a reported BEDS enrollment of 399 as of the 2022-23 school year.
The news of Charles City’s inquiry into the NCC follows fellow NEIC member Crestwood sought admission into the Upper Iowa Conference for the 2025-26 school year.
The NEIC has been on shaky ground since the forced removal of Waverly-Shell Rock in the summer of 2023. However, due to W-SR’s inability to find a new conference, the IHSAA allowed the Go-Hawks to compete in sports in the NEIC for the 2023-24 school year.