Bendle joins new athletic conference

BURTON — Bendle Public Schools is on board with plans for the new Greater Flint Area Conference that would add new teams to their current division in the 2011-2012 school year.

Board of Education members unanimously passed the resolution during Monday’s gathering expanding their current division from seven to 10 teams.

An April meeting of Genesee County superintendents made the possibliity of a “mega conference” stronger reality, as 19 are high schools signed onto the idea of a regional conference for scheduling and cost-cutting purposes, mainly travel expenses.

The Greater Flint Area Conference is open to any school district in the area, including the Big Nine, Metro, Flint Schools and the Genesee Athletic Conference. The three divisions in place, as laid out by Bendle superintendent John Angle during Monday’s meeting break down into Division I that includes Carman-Ainsworth, Davison, Flushing, Kearsley, Flint Northwestern, Flint Northern, and Powers. Division II teams are set to be Goodrich, Mt. Morris, Flint Southwestern, Lakeville, Durand, Lake Fenton, Montrose and Beecher. Division III teams are comprised of Byron, Hamady, Bendle, Bentley, Atherton, Genesee, Dryden, New Lothrop, Webberville and Morrice.

Angle said Morrice, Webberville and Dryden will join Division III, currently divided into Red and Blue divisions, in the 2010-2011 school year.

“Even when we move into the Greater Flint Area Conference (in 2011-2012), the teams will remain the same,” he said. Angle commented students would also have a chance to interact with student council and other activities on a broader scale with more schools.

Angle also said “We’ve (superintendents) met more in the past year and a half than in the past 18 years” while trying to hash out the plans for a large athletic league.

“I think it’s a real good thing,” he added. “We’ve talked about Genesee County and strengthening it, and it’s a real plus.”

Vice President Maureen Holmes questioned the scheduling this year, as Bendle played Flint Northwestern, a high school roughly three times the size of Bendle (1,057 to 356), in basketball.

Angle said the only way for teams to get better is to “play up” or facing tougher competition.

“If you always play down, or just at your level, you’ll never get better,” he said. With the changes in the 2011-2010 school year, he said the opportunity to play top-level competition will remain available despite expansion.

“You can still schedule outside the conference for nonconference games,” said Angle.

Trustee Dale Dunsmore was on board for the larger conference, stating “It makes

easier for scheduling and having to travel.”