Conference realignments coming?

<span>The travel issue with the Black Diamond Conference has come back to the forefront once again.</span>

<span>As part of the Chester District 139 Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Chester High School football/baseball coach and Dean of Students Jeremy Blechle spoke on recent discussions that involve Chester leaving the Black Diamond Conference.</span>

<span>He indicated that area athletic directors and superintendents were debating several plans, two of which involve Chester, with further meetings to be held in January.</span>

<span>"Plan A" involves an expanded SIRR conference that would include Chester and Red Bud, with Carterville moved to the Ohio side of the conference.</span>

<span>"Plan B" involves reforming a new Southwest Egyptian Conference with Red Bud, Chester, Sparta, Pinckneyville, Du Quoin and either Anna-Jonesboro or Nashville.</span>

<span>Seven charter members of the SIRR - A-J, Du Quoin, Nashville, Pinckneyville, Sparta, Murphysboro and Chester - were part of the original SWEC conference.</span>

<span>"They feel like they lost a brother when we left and they have extended their arms and asked us back in," Blechle said, referring to SIRR officials.</span>

<span>Blechle indicated that the Yellow Jackets, who joined the BDC starting with the 2010-11 school year<span>,</span> will have to travel to Carmi-White County (105 miles one-way), Fairfield (116 miles) and new BDC member Edwards County (133 miles) for football next year.</span>

<span>He also noted the declining amount of lower-level games in the conference.</span>

<span>"I don't know if (the BDC) was the correct fit," Blechle said.</span>

<span>Blechle indicated that Red Bud is hoping to have something happen by the 2017-18 school year.</span>

<span>"I do believe they want to move very, very fast," he said.</span>

<span>Reached Monday for comment, Red Bud District 132 Superintendent Jonathan Tallman said the discussions were just that and that no decisions have been made.</span>

<span>"The conversations I've been apart of have been just conversations," he said. "I think all of this discussion is very preliminary.</span>

<span>"As a school, we'll assess everything and make a decision on what's ultimately best for Red Bud High School."</span>

According to the North County News, the topic of conference realignment has not come up during any recent meetings of the Red Bud Board of Education.

<span>Blechle gave the board two keys dates - Jan. 11 and Jan. 13. The first is reportedly a meeting with Nashville and Anna-Jonesboro representatives to gauge their opinions and the second is a meeting of superintendents and principals from both sides of the SIRR conference.</span>

<span>Blechle said Chester, Red Bud - and possibly Salem - representatives could be asked to attend the Jan. 13 meeting.</span>

<span>Chester board member Troy Clendenin asked Blechle about girls' sports.</span>

<span>"I couldn't prove if the girls would be more competitive in the new conference," Blechle said.</span>

<span>Clendenin said he wanted to hear from the coaches in Chester's other sports before any decision would be made, as well as mileage comparisons in basketball, volleyball and other sports.</span>

<span>Board President Mitch Hammel later advised Blechle to "pursue what you're working on" and report back to the board with more information.</span>

<span>The second part of Blechle's presentation, which was not a listed item on the meeting's agenda, was a list of suggestions he termed "Things best for the kids."</span>

<span>Included on the list was a privacy fence around the perimeter of W.O. Smith Field. Blechle stated that the home crowd sizes for the Yellow Jackets' games against state-ranked North Mac and the playoff game against Lawrenceville were disappointing.</span>

<span>"Half of the crowd is behind the fence watching for free," he said, adding that the players deserve to have the stands filled with fans from the community.</span>

<span>Interim Superintendent Bill Riley said sales tax funds could be used to replace the fence.</span>

<span>"The only reason why it was taken down was it was deteriorating and it looked bad," Clendenin said.</span>

<span>Blechle also shared a concern regarding pictures on social media that depicted the consumption of alcohol at games.</span>

<span>"You can turn a blind eye to it, but the kids don't," he said.</span>

<span>Blechle further noted that visiting coaches have raised an issue of heckling and profanity being directed toward them and their players from fans on the visitor's side of the field.</span>

<span>Other wish list items included the following:</span>

<span>- Proper bathroom and concession facilities (eliminating the use of porta-potties).</span>

<span>- Repainting the visitor's pressbox black with the new Yellow Jacket logo.</span>

<span>- Repainting the retaining wall gray.</span>

<span>- New stencil for the midfield Chester logo.</span>

<span> - Selling tailgating spots in collaboration with the Quarterback Club.</span>

<span> - A new or renovated practice field. The team currently uses the infield at the Dr. Charles R. Young Track and Field Complex, which Blechle stated was too small for their use and had liability and safety concerns.</span>

The BOE took no action on Blechle's suggestions.