Waverly-Shell Rock’s (WSR) bid to join the WaMac Conference has been denied.
The Go-Hawks just completed their final season in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) on June 30th. WSR was voted out over two years ago by fellow NEIC members including Charles City, New Hampton, Cresco-Crestwood, Waukon and Decorah, because WSR had grown much larger than the other schools and was creating competitive imbalance.
The Go-Hawks then went into mediation with the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union and the Iowa High School Athletic Association that garnered them an extension to remain in the NEIC until the end of this past school year, but they could not seek any additional extensions.
Earlier this month, WSR entered mediation again, this time in an effort to join the WaMac starting with the 2025-26 school year. However school officials received word Wednesday (07.24) from Education Director McKenzie Snow that the executive directors of the athletic association and the athletic union recommended that the Go-Hawks should NOT be admitted to the WaMac.
Iowa administrative code allows WSR to have a hearing before Snow or her designee to review the recommendation within 45 days, according to new WSR Superintendent David Hill.
In a statement, Hill said, “It is our belief that Waverly-Shell Rock’s students and community deserve the opportunity for the district to be part of a great athletic conference such as the WaMaC.”
He added that while the Go-Hawks will operate as an independent school district for the 2024-2025 school year, they will continue to evaluate our options and will develop a plan moving forward.
Last week it was announced that mediation resulted in Charles City’s approval to join the North Central Conference starting with the ’25-26 school year. The Comets will continue to compete as a member of the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) this school year, with the NEIC set to dissolve on June 30, 2025.
