Classic Lake Conference
Encyclopedia
The Classic Lake Conference, sometimes just referred to as the Classic Lake, is the conference for five high schools in the west metro area of Minneapolis
, Minnesota
. Much like the divisions in professional sports
, such as football
and baseball
, the Classic Lake Conference is one of many in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area that divide schools in proximity into different conferences (a few other examples are the Lake Conference and the Northwest Suburban Conference). The mission of the conference is to promote and recognize excellence by providing quality experiences for students in programs of academics, arts
, athletics and activities. The Classic Lake Conference conducts its activities
under the auspices of and in concert with the Minnesota State High School League
.
The five member high schools are, Robbinsdale Armstrong High School
(Plymouth
), Edina High School
(Edina
), Hopkins High School (Minnetonka
), Minnetonka High School
(Minnetonka), and Wayzata High School
(Plymouth). Until 1999, Richfield High School
was a member but left because of declining enrollment and changing demographics. Until 2005, St. Louis Park High School
and Robbinsdale Cooper High School
were also a members, but left for the North Suburban Conference due to their smaller student bodies.
At a conference meeting, held November 7, 2008, the superintendents of four of five schools voted to remove Armstrong from the conference starting in the 2010-2011 school year. Despite having comparable enrollment to the conference's other schools, Armstrong has a lower percentage of students that compete in athletics. To facilitate scheduling of competitions, MSHSL bylaw states that a conference may not have less than five members. The original intention was to dissolve the Classic Lake. Armstrong, Hopkins and Wayzata applied to the Northwest Suburban Conference as a group. They were rejected, but Armstrong was later offered a spot as a single school. The other four then applied to the already huge Lake Conference, but were turned down.
The Classic Lake will disband following the 2009-10 academic year. Armstrong will join the Northwest Suburban Conference while Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Wayzata will join Eden Prairie in the Lake Conference.
Like the Lake Conference, the Classic Lake Conference most likely derived its name from the number of lakes both in Minnesota and the southwest metro area of Minneapolis (such lakes could include Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun
and Lake Minnetonka
to name a few, as well as the fact that Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes). Classic Lake was part of the Lake Conference until 1993; because of the size of Lake, it had been split into two divisions: Lake Red and Lake Blue. All of the Classic Lake's schools were all in the Lake Blue conference, except for Robbinsdale Armstrong; most of the remaining schools merged to form the new Lake Conference.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Much like the divisions in professional sports
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
, such as football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, the Classic Lake Conference is one of many in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area that divide schools in proximity into different conferences (a few other examples are the Lake Conference and the Northwest Suburban Conference). The mission of the conference is to promote and recognize excellence by providing quality experiences for students in programs of academics, arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
, athletics and activities. The Classic Lake Conference conducts its activities
under the auspices of and in concert with the Minnesota State High School League
Minnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League is a voluntary, non-profit association for the support and governance of interscholastic activities at high schools in Minnesota, United States. The association supports interscholastic athletics and fine arts programs for member schools...
.
The five member high schools are, Robbinsdale Armstrong High School
Robbinsdale Armstrong High School
Robbinsdale Armstrong High School is a high school located in Plymouth, Minnesota, a second-tier suburb of Minneapolis...
(Plymouth
Plymouth, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,894 people, 24,820 households, and 17,647 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,002.0 persons per square mile . There were 25,258 housing units at an average density of 767.4 per square mile...
), Edina High School
Edina High School
Edina High School is a three-year public high school located in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The school was founded in 1949 and is the main high school in the Edina School District....
(Edina
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
), Hopkins High School (Minnetonka
Minnetonka, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,301 people, 21,393 households, and 14,097 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,893.0 persons per square mile . There were 22,228 housing units at an average density of 818.9 per square mile...
), Minnetonka High School
Minnetonka High School
Minnetonka High School is a public comprehensive high school that is located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a western suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul. With almost 3,000 students, it is the 3rd largest high school in Minnesota behind neighboring Wayzata and Eden Prarie high schools...
(Minnetonka), and Wayzata High School
Wayzata High School
Wayzata High School is located in Plymouth, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The high school, operated by the Wayzata School District, has approximately 3,060 students in grades 9 to 12 , making it the largest secondary school by enrollment in Minnesota. It is also the largest Minnesota...
(Plymouth). Until 1999, Richfield High School
Richfield High School (Minnesota)
Richfield High School is the only public traditional high school in Richfield, Minnesota, and also the only public high school in the area that is a college preparatory school. Richfield, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis located directly south of the Minneapolis city limits...
was a member but left because of declining enrollment and changing demographics. Until 2005, St. Louis Park High School
Saint Louis Park High School
St. Louis Park High School, is a four-year public high school located in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. St. Louis Park High School is ranked by Newsweek as #150 in their "List of the 1500 Top High Schools in America," #1 among Minnesota schools on the list in 2009...
and Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Robbinsdale Cooper High School is a public secondary school located in New Hope, Minnesota, a northwest suburb of Minneapolis...
were also a members, but left for the North Suburban Conference due to their smaller student bodies.
At a conference meeting, held November 7, 2008, the superintendents of four of five schools voted to remove Armstrong from the conference starting in the 2010-2011 school year. Despite having comparable enrollment to the conference's other schools, Armstrong has a lower percentage of students that compete in athletics. To facilitate scheduling of competitions, MSHSL bylaw states that a conference may not have less than five members. The original intention was to dissolve the Classic Lake. Armstrong, Hopkins and Wayzata applied to the Northwest Suburban Conference as a group. They were rejected, but Armstrong was later offered a spot as a single school. The other four then applied to the already huge Lake Conference, but were turned down.
The Classic Lake will disband following the 2009-10 academic year. Armstrong will join the Northwest Suburban Conference while Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Wayzata will join Eden Prairie in the Lake Conference.
Like the Lake Conference, the Classic Lake Conference most likely derived its name from the number of lakes both in Minnesota and the southwest metro area of Minneapolis (such lakes could include Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun is the biggest lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and part of the city's Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities...
and Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka is a lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Throughout its recorded history, the lake has been a resort destination. It is located west-southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The lake is an irregular shape with numerous bays and islands which make up about of shoreline...
to name a few, as well as the fact that Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes). Classic Lake was part of the Lake Conference until 1993; because of the size of Lake, it had been split into two divisions: Lake Red and Lake Blue. All of the Classic Lake's schools were all in the Lake Blue conference, except for Robbinsdale Armstrong; most of the remaining schools merged to form the new Lake Conference.