Cape School District extends athletic support to Trinity Lutheran through cooperative sponsorship

Competing in the sport of their passion may not always be an option for students of Trinity Lutheran School in Cape Girardeau. A recent proposal with Cape Girardeau School District aims to remedy that.

With a unanimous vote Monday, the Cape Girardeau School Board approved a cooperative sponsorship with Trinity Lutheran.

The sponsorship enables Trinity Lutheran seventh- and eighth-grade students to participate in a variety of sports with Cape Girardeau School District athletes.

"Our students will have access to join the wrestling team or be on the football team, sports that we're not able to offer," Trinity Lutheran School principal Lisa Martin said.

Enactment of the sponsorship depends on approval from Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA). The association allows two or more junior high schools with MSHSAA memberships to establish cooperative programs if their boards prove insufficient student involvement, lack of staff, facilities or programs. These insufficiencies can prevent schools from providing certain sports on their own.

"There are a lot of different things you need," Martin said on what it takes to offer sports. "You need space, you need people, you need coaches, but sometimes it's just having enough students."

Trinity Lutheran's 154 students currently have access to boys and girls volleyball, basketball and cheerleading, but no other sports. The cooperative sponsorship will give them access to cross country, softball, football, wrestling, baseball and track at Terry W. Kitchen Central Junior High.

The cooperative sponsorship was spearheaded by Cape Girardeau School District.

"We see it as an opportunity to involve more local kids in the Cape Schools system," superintendent Neil Glass said. "They'll have choices after their eighth grade year, and we'd love to have them as part of the Cape family."

Glass said the sponsorship will have "minimal, if any" financial impact.

"The only financial impact it would require from a sending school would be transportation," Glass said. "If that's really a burden, we'll work something out. We're really concerned about opportunities."

According to a proposal for the sponsorship, four schools were asked to participate — Eagle Ridge Christian, St. Mary Cathedral, St. Vincent de Paul and Trinity Lutheran. Trinity Lutheran was the only school to express interest.

Athletic co-ops such as these are not uncommon. Schools and school districts may opt to join or create a cooperative sponsorship to increase participation in interscholastic activities.

If approved by MSHSAA, the partnership between Trinity Lutheran and Cape Girardeau School District will go into effect this upcoming school year.

Students who choose to participate in sports with the district will represent both Cape Girardeau and Trinity Lutheran School.

Glass said the partnership will have to be renewed on an annual basis. Renewals can allow for more schools within Cape Girardeau School District's boundaries to participate.

"I think our diversity is what makes us great, and we want to celebrate that with everybody," Glass said.