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ISD 191 board approves revised boys lacrosse cooperative sponsorships to sustain program participation
Summary
After reviewing declining participation, the board approved dissolving the existing cooperative sponsorship with Bloomington Kennedy and authorized new cooperative sponsorships with Bloomington Jefferson and Bloomington Kennedy to keep boys lacrosse available to students.
The ISD 191 Board of Education on Sept. 11 approved changes to the district’s boys lacrosse cooperative arrangement to address declining participation and sustain opportunity for student athletes. Assistant Superintendent Chris Belmont and Athletic Director Kleiner explained the proposal: the district would dissolve the current cooperative sponsorship with Bloomington Kennedy and establish cooperative sponsorships to include Bloomington Jefferson and Bloomington Kennedy as host partners.
Belmont told the board that boys lacrosse participation has fallen locally and nationally, and that the current partnership with Bloomington Kennedy alone has not yielded sufficient numbers to field a competitive team. The revised arrangement is intended to preserve access for district students by sharing sponsorship and offering students attainable options to play.
Board Director Ault asked about pipeline and recruitment at middle grades; Belmont said middle‑school programming and equipment costs (for example, providing lacrosse sticks) are factors and that the district leans on community partnerships and middle‑school PE exposure to build interest. Belmont said he would follow up with more details on recruitment strategies. The motion to approve the cooperative changes was moved by Director Anderson, seconded by Director Ault, and carried unanimously by voice vote.
