LaCrosse-SJE sports combo expands for ‘16-’17

LaCrosse and St. John/Endicott school officials have worked out a plan for more combined teams in the 2016-2017 sports year. The plan has been worked out to deal with the reduction in the number of student athletes in LaCrosse, Washtucna and Kahlotus, which have participated in the LWK combo for several years.

The plan has been developed to keep sports teams going in the face of declining enrollment in the LWK schools. A survey of residents and a community forum was part of the process.

One of the goals is to keep the athletes together and get away from having to use younger students in junior high sports and eighth graders in high school sports.

LaCrosse now has an enrollment of approximately 80 students in the whole school. Superintendent Doug Curtis noted the number has dropped since he joined the district as principal in 2000, though it marked some gain last year.

“It’s not just here in LaCrosse, it is happening in most schools in this area,” Curtis said.

He noted Colfax has also sustained the same drop in student counts since the days when he coached Bulldog football before he started his career in administration in 1998.

“The difference is that Colfax started with more students, so it doesn’t have the same impact,” he said.

LaCrosse next year will actually have teams in two athletic combinations. They will continue to be with Washtucna and Kahlotus on some sports, but will combine with St. John/Endicott teams on others.

Washtucna has reached an agreement to combine with Lind/Ritzville/Sprague in some high school sports.

When the LWK combination does not field a team for a sports season, Washtucna athletes will compete with the Broncos in the 2B division, and LaCrosse athletes will combine with St. John/Endicott.

LWK will have high school volleyball, track and tennis teams.

The LWK Tigercats girls basketball team, which campaigned in the 1B division last year, will not be back.

Both boys and girls basketball teams, football, baseball and softball teams will be combined with SJE. The baseball program has been combined for several seasons.

Junior high football, boys and girls basketball and baseball will be with SJE.

Supt. Curtis said the LaCrosse school board plans to re-evaluate the sports program at the same time in 2017.