East Grand School and the Greater Houlton Christian Academy are embarking on a cooperative spring sports season for both softball and baseball.
“Cooperative sports seems to really be gathering a foothold through Maine as numbers of students decrease in school systems,” said Barrett Potter, GHCA athletic director. “A recent announcement shows that Schenck and Stearns will be looking at cooperative fall sports and Houlton/Hodgdon have had a cooperative hockey team since inception.
“GHCA has had cooperative arrangements with Hodgdon in the past for cooperative soccer and golf and students from Hodgdon and Houlton have trained cooperatively with GHCA athletes in varsity cross country,” added Potter. “These arrangements have been very positive for all the student-athletes and the schools involved.”
Both schools have felt the impact of dwindling numbers in their sports programs.
East Grand has been unable to field enough players for a baseball team since the spring of 2012, while the Academy was forced out of the lineup in spring of 2013.
GHCA has not had a softball squad for four years, while East Grand’s program has developed into a contending Class D team.
As both schools athletic directors saw the number of participants decrease, each school was to the point of either being unable to offer the sport or barely at a level it could be offered.
The solution … join together in a cooperative manner.
“For baseball it was an easy choice, without the cooperation neither school would get a chance to play baseball,” said Chris Young, East Grand athletic director and co-coach of the baseball team. “After I spoke with our longtime softball coach Shaun Beaudoin, it also became an easy choice for softball, too. We have gotten so small that we were basically talking kids into playing on the team. You had participants who really did not want to be there, but played just to make sure there was a team.”
Potter added, “This arrangement allowed students at both schools the opportunity to play a sport they love without worrying each year if there were enough numbers. In addition, due to the combined enrollment levels at both schools, we will still be in Class D, which is important in a competitive sense.”
GHCA has three girls participating in the softball program and one baseball player.
After both school boards approved the joint team concept, the Maine Principal’s Association granted approval for cooperative baseball and softball between the schools. Once scheduling was in place, the two programs were divided, with East Grand overseeing the softball program, budget and coach, while GHCA takes care of the baseball program.
“We met with parents and players from both schools together before the season, and made if very clear that we thought of this as one team,” said Young. “We want them riding the bus together, and quick friendships have already emerged. Our small enrollments at both schools kept us in Class D, and actually kept us under the enrollment numbers to allow eighth-graders to play.
“The difference now is we have enough players on both teams so that we don’t have to have eighth-graders playing on the varsity team and they can grow and advance on a middle school team,” added Young.
Preseason practices started March 24. With a distance of 32 miles separating the schools, it is a challenge to always practice together.
“The commitment of the parents and student-athletes is something to be commended,” said Potter.
The teams are looking at playing most of their games in Danforth, but will also host two games in Houlton.
“Both schools and all of the players are excited about the teams and I expect them to be very competitive,” said Potter. “The arrangement has been an excellent opportunity for kids from different towns to make new friends and compete in the two sports.”
Beaudoin, an eight-year coach at East Grand, will head up the cooperative softball squad, while Young and Rex Crocker, who served as East Grand’s baseball coach in 2011, will co-coach the baseball team. Both teams have 14 to 15 players, which provides good competition for positions, said Young.
“I expect both teams to be competitive and battle for playoff spots,” Young added. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
Potter is appreciative of another cooperative effort with a local school.
“I’m very appreciative with the reception we’ve received from East Grand’s administration, coaches and students and I also want to thank our own administration, parents and student-athletes. They are the ones that are making this work. Has everything gone perfectly? No. There have been the usual small items that were missed in planning but sometimes taking a chance and being creative can have huge benefits.”
