Another Indiana HS Athletic Conference Dumps Member In Retribution

(4-24-23) It is becoming the thing to do in Indiana High School athletic conferences…dump a member.

Today it was reported that Tippecanoe Valley was voted out of the Three Rivers Conference (TRC). The Vikings will play next school year as an independent.

Upon receiving notice of Tippecanoe Valley’s intention to depart, the TRC members gave the school thee options:

1. Finish two years, the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, as members of the TRC.

2. Leave for the 2024-25 school year and pay each remaining TRC school $1,000 by May 5, 2023.

3. Decide to not choose either option one or two and be voted out effective at the end of the 2022-23 school year.

Clarification: The TRC principals voted 8-0-1 to remove Valley. The meeting Friday was a meeting of the TRC athletic directors. But it's the principals who vote. https://t.co/BltOG00oyh

— Val Tsoutsouris (@ValTsports) April 25, 2023

The move by the TRC is in response to the Vikings joining a new conference in the 2024-25 and the vote looks to be in retribution for that announcement.

• Six Indiana Schools Announce They Are Leaving Their Respective Conferences…Will Other Dominoes Fall?

noun: retribution (ret·ri·bu·tion)

1. punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act.

No word on schedule changes that will be a part of the announcement.

The remaining TRC members include 9 members…Maconaquah, Manchester, North Miami, Northfield, Peru, Rochester, Southwood, Wabash and Whitko.

RELATED:

• A New Trend…’Dumping’ Members
• High School Athletic Conference Barometer

UPDATED – 4-25-23

email sent to SSN –

As the TRC Premier, I am forwarding the information we sent to the other media outlets yesterday. The TRC believes the information from the letters and TRC By-Laws will provide some answers. Below is the letter sent to the media. Attached you will find the exchanges between Tippecanoe Valley and the TRC.

Date: April 24, 2023

To:  Media

On March 31, 2023, the Three Rivers Conference (TRC) received a letter from Tippecanoe Valley about leaving the TRC to start a new conference starting the 2024-25 school year.

In response to this letter, the TRC gave Tippecanoe Valley three options per the TRC By-Laws (page 5 & 6 – Article III – Membership – Section 4).  The options were:

1. Finish two years, which would be ‘23-’24 and the ‘24-’25 school years, as a part of the TRC.
2. If Tippecanoe Valley leaves for the school year of ‘24-’25, they would pay each remaining TRC School $1000 by May 5, 2023.
3. If Tippecanoe Valley does NOT want to use Options one (1) or two (2), they will be voted out effective at the end of the ‘22-’23 School year.

Tippecanoe Valley responded on Friday April 21, 2023 that they were standing firm with their decision.

From this letter, the TRC met to discuss the future of the TRC.  During this meeting, the TRC voted to remove Tippecanoe Valley from the TRC (Vote 8-0-1) effective at the end of the 2022-23 school year.  A letter was sent to Tippecanoe Valley explaining the timeline and Tippecanoe Valley’s removal from the TRC.

Attached to this email, the media can find the following:

1. Letter from Tippecanoe Valley requesting to leave the TRC (Date:  3/31/2023)
2. TRC response letter to Tippecanoe Valley (Date:  4/10/2023)
3. Letter from Tippecanoe Valley responding to the TRC letter. (Date:  4/21/2023)
4. TRC letter removing Tippecanoe Valley from the TRC. (Date:  4/21/2023)
5. The TRC By-Laws that shows Article III – Membership.
6. Official Media Release Letter (Date:  4/24/2023)

Tippecanoe Valley has been a member of the TRC since 1974.  Their membership has brought great competition and rivalries throughout the years.  All the members of the TRC wish Tippecanoe Valley the best in their future conference.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the TRC Premier, Floyd McWhirt.

Thank you,

Floyd McWhirt – TRC Premier