lperrault posted on May 26, 2011 09:10
Dominating the league in many sports could soon be over for Findlay.
With the disbandment of the GBC, Findlay will be competing in a 10-team conference called TRAC (Three Rivers Athletic Conference) beginning in the fall of 2011.
“Findlay had basically two options as we attempted to join several different leagues and were denied,” athletic director Nate Weihrauch said. “The two options were becoming an independent or forming a league with other districts.”
During the time Findlay was looking to join a new league, six public Toledo schools cut funding for athletics. Other area schools that weren’t affected by those budget cuts were forced to create a new league to provide competition for their athletes.
“TRAC was formed as a result of massive budget cuts, but fortunately it will be a very competitive and challenging conference,” Weihrauch said. “Many teams that Findlay will face each week have had successful tournament runs in each of their programs.”
Football player Alex Schroeder believes that although the new league will be more competitive, it will benefit his team.
“The new league definitely is an upgrade in competition from the GBC,” Schroeder said. “We are ready because we have faced tough Toledo teams like St. Francis and St. Johns before, and now they are in our league.
“It is going to be difficult to win the league, no doubt, but we will have an opportunity to compete with the best in the state and show what we can do.”
Though the competition may be stronger, Weihrauch acknowledges other positives in joining the new league.
“There are many benefits to this league that people may not realize,” he said. “We have a firm schedule, stability, unity, rivalries, easy traveling distances and many other positives.
“If we were to go on an independent schedule, we would not have these benefits.”
Though many athletes seem to be excited about joining a more competitive league, swimmer Nick Topel isn’t so sure.
“It will be much harder to earn league honors like first team all TRAC with new powerhouses in our conference such as St. Francis,” the junior said. “These teams won’t affect our preparation for state because our elite athletes already push it to the limit with training.
I don’t know if this new league is a good or a bad thing. With TRAC, we have both ends of the competitive spectrum, while the GBC had more balanced competition in swimming.”
Softball coach Jake Trevino believes the league will benefit every sport in the long run.
“This new league will be a big challenge for every sport,” Trevino said. “But I believe that playing a tougher schedule will only make you better.
“Though winning a league title will be more difficult for many sports, in the long run, this conference will make Findlay more competitive.”