(6-26-21) The Three Rivers Conference will compete in its first ever season (2021-22) of competition.

The make-up of the TRC includes charter members…Bethel, Covington and Miami East all were previous members of the Cross County Conference; Milton-Union and Northridge left the the Southwestern Buckeye League; Lehman Catholic and Riverside left the Northwest Central Conference and Troy Christian was a member of the Metro Buckeye Conference.

8 members from four different conferences and that includes two private schools, Lehman Catholic and Troy Christian. Over the years those two schools have bounced from one conference to another and also have competed as independents.

The trend over the years is public schools, even with open enrollment, have focused on staying away from adding private schools to their conferences. Making the TRC quite unique in adding the two private members.

In Northwest Ohio conferences have followed the trend of excluding private schools. Lima Central Catholic stands out, Several years ago the T-Birds were asked (maybe pushed) to leave the Northwest Conference due to their success in conference play, they left and remain an independent today.

This spring the Northern Lakes League (NLL) decided to expand…in the process the NLL added all of the Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC) public schools (except Lima Sr.) and excluding all of the Toledo private schools (St. John’s Jesuit, Central Catholic, Notre Dame Academy and St. Francis de Sales and St. Ursula Academy). Leaving those five schools looking for solutions.

The TRC is breaking the mold…will others follow in the future.

Definition of break the mold

1 : to do something in a completely new way

Did you know….

Not the first time private schools have been excluded –

Before the start of the 1999 fall season, Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC) officials entertained adding Versailles, Lehman Catholic and Lima Central Catholic to the league. Following a vote, Versailles was the only school accepted.

A second conference was formed from the reshaping of conferences in southwest ohio.

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference (WOAC) is another new athletic conference that is composed of charter member schools Ansonia, Arcanum, Bradford, Dixie, Franklin Monroe, Mississinawa Valley, National Trail, Newton, Preble Shawnee, Tri-County North, Tri-Village and Twin Valley South.

The WOAC will begin with a full schedule for all conference recognized sports starting with the 2021-2022 school year.