IMSA, Mooseheart set to join new conference

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Illinois Math & Science Academy and Mooseheart will become members of a new athletic conference set to begin play in the 2009-10 school year, said athletic directors at both schools.

The impetus for the formation of the Northeastern Athletic Conference came earlier this year when several members of the Private School League (including Aurora Christian) left to join Suburban Catholic Conference members in the new Suburban Christian Conference.

"It will be very competitive for us and give our students the chance to get some accolades and publicity and give them something to play for," said IMSA athletic director Michael Dunn-Reier, whose school has never had a conference affiliation.

Mooseheart's Mark Johnson likes the fact that the teams in his program will now be affiliated with just one league.

"We were in the Indian Trails Conference, which has members in Wisconsin, for football, track and wrestling this past year and independent in other sports after the Illinois Tollway Athletic Conference disbanded," said Johnson, noting it will eliminate some three-hour trips to Wisconsin for his football team.

The Private School League's Westminster Christian of Elgin spearheaded the new league, Dunn-Reier said.

It could include up to 12 members with 10 who play football.

Athletic directors were meeting again Wednesday to finalize by-laws and begin work on scheduling and expect to make a formal announcement. IHSA approval is expected to be a formality.

The league will also include Alden-Hebron, Luther North, Luther South, Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, Kirkland Hiawatha, Rockford Christian, Rockford Christian Life and Rockford Keith School.

North Shore Country Day and Lake Forest Academy will join the league in football only.

While the league members are widespread, Dunn-Reier said travel concerns will be eased somewhat by flexible scheduling.

"We may not have a double round robin each year," he said. "We may travel to one of the Rockford schools one year and they may come to our place the next," he said.

It's also possible the league may one day include two divisions in some sports, said Johnson.

"We've looked at a number of conferences in the past, but a lot of them have looked past us because we don't offer freshman-level competition," said Dunn-Reier, whose school has only sophomore through senior classes.

His coaches like the move.

"It gives them a little carrot to dangle, playing for a conference title," he said "And from a marketing standpoint it could help if we have some success. IMSA will always be an academics-first school, but we still need to have an outlet for these kids outside of the classroom."