Brian Hagberg
RUSSELL, Pa. — One co-operative agreement ended, and a new one was forged—pending further approval—during Monday’s Warren County School District Board of Directors meeting.
The Sheffield girls’ basketball team had entered into a co-op with Taylor Diversion Lighthouse Island Academy in 2020. That co-op, which only resulted in two players coming to Sheffield with “inconsistent, at best” participation, was terminated. Because the Lady Wolverines only had five players registered for the 2021-22 season, the board agreed to create a new co-op between Warren and Sheffield.
Both measures passed unanimously.
“We had two participants from (Lighthouse) last year that participated inconsistently at best,” WCSD Director of Administrative Support Services Gary Weber said. “So their numbers were not keeping anything afloat. We had five girls from Sheffield that registered to play basketball. That was it.”
All practices and home games will be held at Warren Area High School with Warren uniforms and the Dragons team name, according to the agreement.
The new co-op will need to be approved by both District 9 and District 10, as well as the PIAA before it can become official. Both the D9 and D10 Committees are scheduled to meet Wednesday, Nov. 10. According to the agreement, the projected start date is Nov. 19.
Board President Donna Zariczny asked for clarification about whether this would be a one-year agreement similar to the one Warren and Sheffield had for football in 2020 after Abraxas opted not to play due to COVID.
“The Abraxas situation that we were in last year that we were able to put in a one-year request is not on the table,” WCSD Superintendent Amy Stewart said.
Weber said two of the five girls who had signed up to play at Sheffield have already registered to play at Warren.
According to the agreement, the WCSD will provide transportation to and from away games and scrimmages and it will be the player’s and/or their parent’s responsibility to provide transportation to and from practices and home games.
The Warren girls are set to begin defense of their District 10 title during their annual Tip-Off Tournament Dec. 10 and 11. Maplewood, Jamestown (Pa.) and Keystone are scheduled to participate in the two-day tournament.
ATHLETIC TRAINERS
The board also unanimously passed two items geared toward player safety.
First, the district hired Dane Renwick as a new Athletic Trainer. Renwick fills the void left by the resignation of long-time ATC Andrea Shene in October.
Second, Renwick will be getting some assistance in the near future as the board agreed to create a second Athletic Trainer position for the district.
“This is all geared toward player safety,” Weber said during the October Personnel, Athletics and Co-Curricular Committee meeting.
Both Renwick’s hire and the new position passed unanimously.
