The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Commentary: GWOC flexes muscles with two new members

Madison boys fall in regional semis
9:57 p.m.
Payne pulls Jefferson into D-IV regional final
3:51 a.m.
Alter girls making 3rd straight trip to state tourney
3/16/10
Preview of today's D-III boys regional semifinals
3/16/10
Brookville star on All-Ohio basketball team
3/16/10
> More high school headlines

By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer 6:59 PM Saturday, November 7, 2009

The Greater Western Ohio Conference is now, by any measure, very large.

Last week, the conference’s principals voted to add West Carrollton and Greenville to the area’s big-school league starting next season in some sports and fully by 2012. West Carrollton will be added to the South Division, and Greenville will be added to the North, giving the GWOC’s three divisions six members each.

That’s a large grouping of schools, 18 in all. Now, they all have to continue to get along.

Consider some statistics about the league, once WC and Greenville are added:

It will span 66 miles north to south (Sidney to Lebanon) and 55 miles east to west (Greenville to Springfield). There is a 1,226-student difference between the largest enrollment (Centerville, 1,964) and the smallest (Greenville, 738), according to OHSAA numbers. The total enrollment of the 18 schools is 22,591.

GWOC commissioner Eric Spahr faces a unique challenge in meeting the wants and needs of each school, superintendent, principal and athletic department.

The new members attended a meet-and-greet with current members at Wayne following the vote on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Everyone got along, shook hands and exchanged greetings.

The GWOC will continue to need similar friendliness to make its expansion as strong as possible.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Im glad it makes playing Cincy schools harder, who wants to play with them anyway?? They have their own leauges and arent anywhere close with Dayton and most GWOC schools. Lebanon makes the cut bc they are close to us. You dont see Mason in GWOC. And if we want to play cincy schools lets just play the whole dang state.

whycincy
5:05 PM, 11/10/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Just not every year because they don't go out and recruit every year from a city with a much larger population than that of Dayton. If Centerville, Fairmont, Beavercreek and Wayne pooled all of their kids into 1 school they would probably be pretty good. Or Springfield, Trotwood, and Northmont. I would imagine they would also be good. People need to get a grip.

WOL
1:26 PM, 11/9/2009

REPORT ABUSE

The only good division is the Central which is the old WOL for the most part. Whoever said Alter should get in obviously doesn't know what they are talking about. How many Catholic schools do you see in any public league? As for the moron who puts Cincy CATHOLIC schools above Dayton area public schools, lets get serious. Dayton Area schools are up and down because they are public, Wayne, Centerville & even Fairmont have years in fball and basketball where they can compete with those schools.

WOL
1:23 PM, 11/9/2009

REPORT ABUSE

I think something was flexed but it wasn't muscles. Only makes the league bigger not stronger. I dont know about Bellbrook Wank, but Alter would fit right in. I think at one time they both were in the old GMVC and neither could compete in that league. In Cincinnati, High School Football is almost like a religion. Around here it's just something to do on Friday night's in the fall..

Old 54
9:54 AM, 11/8/2009

REPORT ABUSE

I was hoping it wouldn't come to pass. The league was too big with 16, let alone 18. I'm sure the commissioner and the principals won't bother telling the public why they wanted to expand, or even why they were so hell-bent on having three divisions of 6 instead of two divisions of 8. Wank is right, it will make competing with the Cincinnati teams even more difficult than it has been.
It originally billed itself as a "super league"; nothing super about it.

Miguel
9:21 AM, 11/8/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There is 1 additional comment

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.