Charles City to Apply to North Central Conference

Charles City has decided not to “wait and see” what happens with what appears to be the demise of the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC).

Last week, the NEIC’s Cresco-Crestwood was accepted into the Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) and will join the UIC starting with the 2025-26 school year. The UIC also  invited the NEIC’s New Hampton and Waukon to join the league at the same time.

Combined with Waverly-Shell Rock’s pending departure from the NEIC at the end of this school year, the NEIC is left on shaky ground, with the 2024-25 school year likely to be the last for Iowa’s oldest athletic conference, established in 1920.

During Monday (02.120 night’s Charles City School Board meeting, Activities Director Dana Sullivan noted that this is unchartered territory. 

As Charles City explores their options for the future, Sullivan told the School Board the UIC was a consideration, but the North Central Conference (NCC) appears to be a better fit with more schools similar to Charles City’s size.

Sullivan said applying to the NCC is a proactive move for the Comets.

Sullivan said she met last week with schools in the NCC, who are receptive to accepting the Comets. The NCC currently consists of Algona, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Clear Lake, Hampton-Dumont-Cal, Humboldt, Iowa Falls-Alden, St. Edmond of Fort Dodge and Webster City.  

The  School Board voted unanimously to apply to the NCC in hopes of joining the league beginning with the 2025-26 school year.