Olympic Conference (Illinois)
Encyclopedia
The Olympic Conference was a high school conference in northwest Illinois
in existence from 1976 to 2010. The conference participated in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association
. The conference comprised high schools with enrollments between 300-600 students on the fringe of the Illinois
Quad Cities
, Peoria
, Galesburg
, and in and around the cities of Macomb
and Monmouth
.
Sources:IHSA Conferences and IHSA Member Schools Directory
, Bushnell
, Cuba
, Lewistown
, Spoon River Valley
, and Table Grove VIT
. The conference got its name because, like the Olympics held that year, the member schools would be competing in many different events. The first football competition was held in 1948, but to be eligible for the championship schools had to play at least 3 other member schools. In 1953 Industry
was added, bringing the total to seven member schools. The 1958-1959 academic year was the league's final season. The Olympic conference name was resurrected in 1976 with completely different schools.
The present day Olympic Conference formed in the fall of 1976. The eight charter members included Abingdon, Aledo, and Knoxville from the Little 6 Conference; Joy-Westmer, Orion, Sherrard, and Taylor Ridge-Rockridge from the Corn Belt Conference; and Monmouth from the Illio Conference. After the 1981-1982 season Abingdon and Knoxville left to help form the Prairieland Conference, bringing the total to 6 schools. After the 1986-1987 season Joy-Westmer dropped out and Macomb took their place in the fall of 1987. In the fall of 1988 Sherrard consolidated with Winola (New Windsor-Viola), but retained the name Sherrard. In the fall of 1992 Farmington joined and Knoxville rejoined the Olympic, again giving the league an 8 team alignment.
The 2000-2010 decade brought several changes to the Olympic Conference. Monmouth consolidated with Roseville in the fall of 2005 to become Monmouth-Roseville. Aledo left the Conference after the 2005-2006 academic year to join the Lincoln Trail conference and West Prairie Trail mega conference for football. Knoxville left after the 2008-2009 academic year, and Farmington departed after the 2009-2010 season, both to rejoin the Prairieland conference. The loss of three conference schools in a short period of time put the remaining schools in the awkward position of facing a 5 school conference in 2010. The Conference had experienced a similar dilemma in 1987 with the loss of Westmer. However, at that time, Macomb High School filled the void.
In 2009, the Olympic Conference explored options of Kewanee High School
joining the Olympic, Mercer County High School (formerly Aledo and Westmer High Schools) rejoining the Olympic, joining or merging with the Three Rivers Conference
(north of the Olympic), and joining or merging with the Lincoln Trail Conference
(east and south of the Olympic). A solution was reached when as offer was extended from the West Central Conference
(distant south of the Olympic) to the five Olympic Conference schools that remained in 2010.
Due to the geographic range of the newly aligned West Central Conference, it was split into north and south divisions for most activities, with the five remaining Olympic Conference schools and Illini West High School
(Carthage
) comprising the north division. Mercer County High School
considered joining the West Central Conference beginning in 2011. This would have put many of the original Olympic Conference members back together, albeit under a new name, but it has not occurred to date.
Success may also be measured by the number of regional titles won by conference schools. For athletics and activities and activities without regionals, or where a team may still advance to state without winning the regional (or sectional), state qualifications or placing in the top 10 are roughly equivalent, as all mean the school is among the top schools (10-64) in the state within that division. In events where district titles were replaced by regionals, the data is summed. Only sectional titles are available for track. Only top 10 finishers are available for music. Based on these criteria, the most successful athletics and activities in the present day Olympic Conference through the 2008-2009 winter season are:
The most successful schools in the present day Olympic Conference, based on total regional championships or state qualifications through the 2008-2009 winter season, are:
The most successful individual programs in the present day Olympic Conference, based on rate of regional championship or state qualification production per year in the conference, are:
Source: http://www.ihsa.org/school/index.htm
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in existence from 1976 to 2010. The conference participated in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
. The conference comprised high schools with enrollments between 300-600 students on the fringe of the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
, Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
, and in and around the cities of Macomb
Macomb, Illinois
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
and Monmouth
Monmouth, Illinois
Monmouth is a city in and the county seat of Warren County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the home of Monmouth College and contains Monmouth Park, Harmon Park, North Park, Warfield Park, West Park, South Park, Garwood Park, Buster White Park and the Citizens Lake & Campground. It is the host...
.
Final Membership
| School | Location | Mascot | Colors | Enrollment | IHSA Illinois High School Association The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High... Classes 2/3/4 |
IHSA Illinois High School Association The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High... Music Class |
IHSA Illinois High School Association The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High... Football Class |
IHSA Illinois High School Association The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High... Cheerleading Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmington Central High School Farmington Central High School (Illinois) Farmington Central High School, or FCHS, is a public four-year high school located at 310 North Lightfoot Road across the Peoria County line from Farmington, Illinois, a town of Fulton County, Illinois. FCHS is part of Farmington Central Community Unit School District 265, which also includes... |
Farmington, IL | Farmers | 438 | A/1A/2A | B | 2A | Small squad | |
| Macomb High School Macomb High School Macomb High School, or MHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1525 S. Johnson Street in Macomb, Illinois, a city in McDonough County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. MHS is part of Macomb Community Unit School District 185, which also includes Macomb Junior High School, Edison... |
Macomb, IL | Bombers | 587 | A/1A/2A | B | 3A | Small squad | |
| Monmouth-Roseville High School Monmouth-Roseville High School Monmouth-Roseville High School, or MRHS, is a public four-year high school located at 325 West 1st Avenue in Monmouth, Illinois, a city of Warren County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States... |
Monmouth, IL | Titans | 531 | A/1A/2A | B | 3A | Small squad | |
| Orion High School Orion High School Orion High School, or OHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1103 13th St. in Orion, Illinois, a village in Western Township of Henry County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. OHS is part of Orion Community Unit School District 223, which also includes Orion Middle School, and... |
Orion, IL | Chargers | 346 | A/1A/1A | C | 2A | Small Squad | |
| Rockridge High School Rockridge High School Rockridge High School, or RHS, is a public four-year high school located at 14110 134th Avenue West in Taylor Ridge, Illinois, an unincorporated area in Rock Island County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States... |
Taylor Ridge, IL Taylor Ridge, Illinois Taylor Ridge is an unincorporated community in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. Taylor Ridge is located at the junction of Illinois Route 94 and Illinois Route 192 north of Reynolds. Taylor Ridge has a post office with ZIP code 61284.... |
Rockets | 444 | A/1A/2A | B | 2A | Small squad | |
| Sherrard High School Sherrard High School Sherrard High School, or SHS, is a public four-year high school located at 4701 176th Avenue near Sherrard, Illinois, a village of Mercer County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States... |
Sherrard, IL | Tigers | 534 | A/1A/2A | B | 3A | Small squad | |
Sources:IHSA Conferences and IHSA Member Schools Directory
History
The original Olympic Conference formed in the fall of 1948. The six charter members were AstoriaAstoria High School (Illinois)
Astoria High School, or AHS, is a public four-year high school located at 402 North Jefferson Street in Astoria, Illinois, a village in Fulton County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. AHS is part of [Astoria Community Unit School District 1], which serves the community of Astoria, and...
, Bushnell
Bushnell-Prairie City High School
Bushnell-Prairie City High School, or BPCHS, is a public four-year high school located at 845 North Walnut Street in Bushnell, Illinois, a small city in McDonough County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States...
, Cuba
Cuba High School
Cuba High School, also known as Cuba Senior High School, or CHS, is a public four-year high school located at 20325 North IL Route 97 south of Cuba, Illinois, a small city in Fulton County, in the Midwestern United States, at the intersection of Illinois Routes 95 and 97...
, Lewistown
Lewistown High School (Illinois)
Lewistown High School, or LHS, is a public four-year high school located at 15205 North IL Route 100 in Lewistown, Illinois, a small city in Fulton County, in the Midwestern United States. LHS is part of Lewistown Community Unit School District 97, which serves the communities of Bryant, Lewistown,...
, Spoon River Valley
Spoon River Valley High School
Spoon River Valley High School, also known as Spoon River Valley Senior High School, or SRVHS, is a public four-year high school located at 35265 North IL Route 97 east of London Mills, Illinois, a village in Fulton and Knox Counties, in the Midwestern United States, at the intersection of Illinois...
, and Table Grove VIT
VIT High School
VIT High School, or VHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1500 U.S. Hwy. 136 East near Table Grove, Illinois, a village in Fulton County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. VHS is part of VIT Community Unit School District 2, which serves the communities of Vermont, Ipava, and...
. The conference got its name because, like the Olympics held that year, the member schools would be competing in many different events. The first football competition was held in 1948, but to be eligible for the championship schools had to play at least 3 other member schools. In 1953 Industry
Rushville-Industry High School
Rushville-Industry High School, or RIHS, is a public four-year high school located at 730 North Congress Street in Rushville, Illinois, a small city in Schuyler County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. RIHS serves the communities of Rushville, Industry, Browning, Camden, Frederick, and...
was added, bringing the total to seven member schools. The 1958-1959 academic year was the league's final season. The Olympic conference name was resurrected in 1976 with completely different schools.
The present day Olympic Conference formed in the fall of 1976. The eight charter members included Abingdon, Aledo, and Knoxville from the Little 6 Conference; Joy-Westmer, Orion, Sherrard, and Taylor Ridge-Rockridge from the Corn Belt Conference; and Monmouth from the Illio Conference. After the 1981-1982 season Abingdon and Knoxville left to help form the Prairieland Conference, bringing the total to 6 schools. After the 1986-1987 season Joy-Westmer dropped out and Macomb took their place in the fall of 1987. In the fall of 1988 Sherrard consolidated with Winola (New Windsor-Viola), but retained the name Sherrard. In the fall of 1992 Farmington joined and Knoxville rejoined the Olympic, again giving the league an 8 team alignment.
The 2000-2010 decade brought several changes to the Olympic Conference. Monmouth consolidated with Roseville in the fall of 2005 to become Monmouth-Roseville. Aledo left the Conference after the 2005-2006 academic year to join the Lincoln Trail conference and West Prairie Trail mega conference for football. Knoxville left after the 2008-2009 academic year, and Farmington departed after the 2009-2010 season, both to rejoin the Prairieland conference. The loss of three conference schools in a short period of time put the remaining schools in the awkward position of facing a 5 school conference in 2010. The Conference had experienced a similar dilemma in 1987 with the loss of Westmer. However, at that time, Macomb High School filled the void.
In 2009, the Olympic Conference explored options of Kewanee High School
Kewanee High School
Kewanee High School, or KHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1211 E. Third Street in Kewanee, Illinois, a city in Kewanee Township of Henry County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States...
joining the Olympic, Mercer County High School (formerly Aledo and Westmer High Schools) rejoining the Olympic, joining or merging with the Three Rivers Conference
Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
The Three Rivers Conference, also known as the TRAC-8 , is a high school conference in northwest Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
(north of the Olympic), and joining or merging with the Lincoln Trail Conference
Lincoln Trail Conference
The Lincoln Trail Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
(east and south of the Olympic). A solution was reached when as offer was extended from the West Central Conference
West Central Conference (Illinois)
The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
(distant south of the Olympic) to the five Olympic Conference schools that remained in 2010.
Due to the geographic range of the newly aligned West Central Conference, it was split into north and south divisions for most activities, with the five remaining Olympic Conference schools and Illini West High School
Illini West High School
Illini West High School, or IWHS, is a public four-year high school located at 600 Miller Street in Carthage, Illinois, a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. IWHS serves the communities of Carthage, Dallas City, La Harpe...
(Carthage
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
) comprising the north division. Mercer County High School
Mercer County High School
Mercer County High School, or MCHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1500 South College Avenue in Aledo, Illinois, an city in Mercer County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States...
considered joining the West Central Conference beginning in 2011. This would have put many of the original Olympic Conference members back together, albeit under a new name, but it has not occurred to date.
| School | Years | Consolidations | Conference Came From | Conference Went To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon High School Abingdon High School (Illinois) Abingdon High School, or AHS, is a public four-year high school located in Abingdon, Illinois. AHS is part of Abingdon Community Unit School District 217, which also includes Abingdon Middle School, and Hedding Elementary School.- Academics :... |
1976–1982 | n/a | Little 6 | Prairieland Prairieland Conference The Prairieland Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Aledo High School | 1976–2006 | 2009 with Westmer | Little 6 | Lincoln Trail Lincoln Trail Conference The Lincoln Trail Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Farmington Central High School Farmington Central High School (Illinois) Farmington Central High School, or FCHS, is a public four-year high school located at 310 North Lightfoot Road across the Peoria County line from Farmington, Illinois, a town of Fulton County, Illinois. FCHS is part of Farmington Central Community Unit School District 265, which also includes... |
1992–2010 | n/a | Prairieland Prairieland Conference The Prairieland Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
Prairieland Prairieland Conference The Prairieland Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Knoxville High School Knoxville High School (Illinois) Knoxville High School, or KHS, is a public four-year high school located at 600 E. Main Street in Knoxville, Illinois, a small city of Knox County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. KHS is part of Knoxville Community Unit School District 202, which also includes Knoxville Junior High... |
1976–1982; 1992–2009 | n/a | Little 6; Prairieland Prairieland Conference The Prairieland Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
Prairieland Prairieland Conference The Prairieland Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... ; Prairieland Prairieland Conference The Prairieland Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Macomb High School Macomb High School Macomb High School, or MHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1525 S. Johnson Street in Macomb, Illinois, a city in McDonough County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. MHS is part of Macomb Community Unit School District 185, which also includes Macomb Junior High School, Edison... |
1987–2010 | n/a | Great Midwestern | West Central West Central Conference (Illinois) The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Monmouth-Roseville High School Monmouth-Roseville High School Monmouth-Roseville High School, or MRHS, is a public four-year high school located at 325 West 1st Avenue in Monmouth, Illinois, a city of Warren County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States... |
1976–2010 | 2005 with Roseville | Illio | West Central West Central Conference (Illinois) The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Orion High School Orion High School Orion High School, or OHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1103 13th St. in Orion, Illinois, a village in Western Township of Henry County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. OHS is part of Orion Community Unit School District 223, which also includes Orion Middle School, and... |
1976–2010 | n/a | Corn Belt | West Central West Central Conference (Illinois) The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Rockridge High School Rockridge High School Rockridge High School, or RHS, is a public four-year high school located at 14110 134th Avenue West in Taylor Ridge, Illinois, an unincorporated area in Rock Island County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States... |
1976–2010 | n/a | Corn Belt | West Central West Central Conference (Illinois) The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Sherrard High School Sherrard High School Sherrard High School, or SHS, is a public four-year high school located at 4701 176th Avenue near Sherrard, Illinois, a village of Mercer County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States... |
1976–2010 | 1988 with Winola | Corn Belt | West Central West Central Conference (Illinois) The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
| Westmer High School | 1976–1987 | 2009 with Aledo | Corn Belt | Lincoln Trail Lincoln Trail Conference The Lincoln Trail Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association... |
Competitive Success
The present day Olympic Conference won 23 state championships in IHSA sponsored athletics and activities. At the conclusion of the 2009-2010 season the conference won Illinois state titles in Boys Golf (9), Boys Football (5), Chess (3), Boys Wrestling (2), Girls Bowling (1), Girls Softball (1), Girls Track (1), and Scholastic Bowl (1).Success may also be measured by the number of regional titles won by conference schools. For athletics and activities and activities without regionals, or where a team may still advance to state without winning the regional (or sectional), state qualifications or placing in the top 10 are roughly equivalent, as all mean the school is among the top schools (10-64) in the state within that division. In events where district titles were replaced by regionals, the data is summed. Only sectional titles are available for track. Only top 10 finishers are available for music. Based on these criteria, the most successful athletics and activities in the present day Olympic Conference through the 2008-2009 winter season are:
- Boys Football: 83 state qualifications. Olympic conference teams qualify for state in Boys Football at a combined rate of 34%.
- Boys Basketball: 64 regional championships. Olympic conference teams win their regional in Boys Basketball at combined rate of 26%.
- Girls Volleyball: 50 regional championships. Olympic conference teams win their regional in Girls Volleyball at a combined rate of 20%.
The most successful schools in the present day Olympic Conference, based on total regional championships or state qualifications through the 2008-2009 winter season, are:
- Monmouth-Roseville (and formerly Monmouth): 127 regional titles or state qualifications (averaging 3.7 per year in conference).
- Sherrard: 89 regional titles or state qualifications (averaging 2.6 per year in conference).
- Macomb: 86 regional titles or state qualifications (averaging 3.7 per year in conference).
The most successful individual programs in the present day Olympic Conference, based on rate of regional championship or state qualification production per year in the conference, are:
- Monmouth-Roseville (and formerly Monmouth) Boys Golf: Won regional, or qualified for state, 85% of years in the conference. Eight state championships and 15 top four finishes.
- Abingdon Girls Bowling: Qualified for state 83% of years in the conference. One state championship and 4 top four finishes.
- Farmington Boys Basketball: Won regional 61% of years in the conference. Four state appearances and 2 top four finishes.
- Orion Girls Volleyball: Won regional 53% of years in the conference.
- Macomb Music: Placed in the state's top ten 52% of years in the conference.
- Macomb Boys Football: Qualified for state 52% of years in the conference.
Source: http://www.ihsa.org/school/index.htm