Co-ops have changed the face of North Missouri high school sports

So far, the co-operative baseball agreement between Tri-County and Gallatin High Schools is working to the benefit of both schools. In a much larger sense, co-ops have been the life-saver for many small rural schools across north Missouri.

Co-operative sports agreements have been around for a half dozen years and today’s landscape in North Missouri shows nearly as many “combined” athletic programs as single-school programs. Co-ops have been around even longer in the states of Iowa and Kansas. For the 2018-19 school year, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association approved over 150 co-operative agreements between schools for nearly every activity imaginable: football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, wrestling, track and field, cross country, bowling, golf, tennis and cheerleading.

Under a co-op agreement, students from two (sometimes approval for three) different schools may combine for interscholastic activities if they can provide proof to the Missouri State High School Athletic Association Board of Directors that neither school alone can provide numbers to support a program, or that a co-op would result in more opportunities for students to participate.

When the co-op is formed, school classification numbers (enrollment, grades 9-12) are combined. The resulting classification for competition in an activity is based on the combined official enrollment of the two schools. That’s why the Tri-County/Gallatin baseball team is in Class 2 and not Class 1, even though smaller Tri-County is the designated host school.

A school may have a co-op agreement with one school in a particular activity or sport and with another school in a different activity or sport. Schools are allowed to co-op if their district borders are touching, but the state activities association can consider special cases if it will increase the opportunities of students to participate; this after a school has been turned down by all school districts touching its borders.

Some co-op agreements have become permanent. Cainsville and Ridgeway have combined to be known as East Harrison. Tarkio and Fairfax together are known as East Atchison. Jefferson and South Nodaway are now known as Platte Valley. There is even one co-operative agreement for football and basketball between a public school and private school: Paris High School and Faith Walk Academy, also located in Paris.

In addition to Tri-County/Gallatin, all other high schools in Daviess County are now involved in a co-op agreement for at least one sport: Gilman City/North Daviess (basketball, baseball), Pattonsburg/Gilman City/North Harrison (football) and Maysville/Winston (football).

Right now co-operative schools retain their own identity. One subject, perhaps for future discussion bears some thought … is the prevalent use of co-ops, in some cases, the first step toward school consolidation?

Along with others already mentioned, here is a list of co-operative agreements between schools, either high school or junior high, across the northern half of the state:

Worth County/Northeast Nodaway

Mound City/Craig

North Nodaway/West Nodaway

South Holt/Nodaway-Holt

King City/Union Star

Braymer/Breckenridge

Princeton/Mercer

Grundy County/Newtown-Harris

Stewartsville/Osborn

Keytesville/Brunswick

Bosworth/Hale

Southwest Livingston/Tina-Avalon

Norborne/Hardin-Central (football)

Lexington/Norborne (baseball)

Sweet Springs/Malta Bend

Bucklin/Macon County

Lone Jack/Kingsville