HOISINGTON — For the first time ever, the Kansas High School Activities Association executive board has placed middle schools into an activities league. Pratt, Larned and Hoisington were placed into the Central Kansas League for middle schools starting with the 2015-2016 school year.
The motion passed with 6-1 vote. This placement marks the end of a quest that began in 2012.
Superintendent of USD 431 Bill Lowry said the school already has contracts for 2014-15.
Hoisington was a member of the Mid Central Activities Association league, which disbanded at the end of 2013-14 school year.
Lowry said the districts in CKL cited travel distance as the reason for not accepting the district.
Former members of the MCAA were Hoisington, Ellinwood, Larned and Thomas More Prep. When discussions of disbanding MCAA began, Hoisington and Larned both attempted to find new leagues to join.
They were assigned the Central Kansas League for high school by way of KSHSAA executive board placement. Hoisington had applied to several associations, but with no success.
Hoisington and Larned  were placed in the CKL that now includes Pratt, Nickerson, Lyons, Kingman, Smoky Valley, Sterling, Hillsboro, Hesston, Haven and Halstead.
However, only the high school team was accepted, leaving the middle school team with no league. TMP in Hays joined the Mid Continent League for both middle school and high school. Ellinwood joined the Central Plains League for both EMS and EHS.
Earlier this year, Hoisington Activities Director Joel Mason told the USD 431 School Board that they were pleased with the way the CKL worked for the high school. All of the sports teams had full schedules.
The CKL high school league has 12 schools, and the CKL middle school league had only eight.