Walking through the doors of Grayslake North on the first day of school with new classes, teachers, and opportunities was not the only major change that students were faced when entering the building. Over the course of the past two years, District 127 has been preparing to move out of the Fox Valley Conference (FVC) to join the new Northern Lake County Conference (NLCC) to benefit not only the entire district, but the students within both Grayslake schools.
“We have always been trying to be a part of a conference that is best for our students. [District 127] is very pleased with the change because it allows our games to be much closer and athletes do not have to miss as much school since travel times are reduced,” said athletic director Tina Woolard.
The NLCC is composed of eight schools rather than the 13 that participated in FVC. Reducing the amount of schools within the conference allows the scheduling of games much easier. It also benefits the athletes by possibly adding more playing time during the course of their specific seasons.
“I know the athletes are excited since traveling will be far less of an issue as it has been in previous years. In essence, all but two games are within a ten minute drive from our campus. Travel was a big burden in the past, but now we don’t have to deal with the issue which is very beneficial,” said coach Steve Wood.
The NLCC also will bring a more community based and friendly atmosphere for the athletes since the conference includes schools around the area. The conference will also bring in more people to watch the games which increases revenue and brings economic benefits to the district. Gas prices and transportation fees will also diminish due to the decrease in travel times.
“I am really excited for the change in conferences since I know the people who I am playing against, and it also brings a lot more competition and rivalry to the games which can be fun for both the student and parent sections,” said junior Nick Wilson.