By Collin Miller The Cornbelt conference is disbandingfollowing Eureka’s announcement to leave next year to move into the Heart ofIllinois Conference and U-High’s departure to the Central State Eight andMahomet’s removal to the Apollo conference the following year. The Okaw Valley Conference contains St. Thomas More (Champaign), Monticello, Rantoul, St. Joeseph-Ogden and Unity (Tolono). The five remaining teams in the Cornbelt conference are Central Catholic (Bloomington), Illinois Valley Central (Chillicothe), Olympia (Stanford),Pontiac and Prairie Central (Fairbury). These 10 teams now form the brand new Illini Prairie Conference. In February, principals and athletic directors from all ten schools voted unanimously to explore the creation of a new conference. It was taken back to the Superintendent and Board of Education for consideration. “I’m not looking forward to this new conference at all, especially on Tuesday and Thursday night sporting events when the team will travel long distances,” said sophomore Mason Marquis.
Being a student athlete is challenging and these late bus rides home in the new conference will not make it easier for athletes. The shortest trip for Olympia in the new Illini Prairie conference would be to Central Catholic; all the rest are over an hour from the school.
“I don't think it will go good for sports. These new teams coming in are very competitive and compete at the top level every year,” said sophomore Blake Blessing.
The name of the new conference “Illini Prairie” was voted on by students and staff in the schools of both conferences. The name was unanimously passed by the new board of the conference in April. The current presidents of the Corn Belt and Okaw Valley Conferences are excited about both the academic and athletic aspects of the Illini Prairie Conference. This new conference will begin starting the 2018 school year.
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