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Alexandria activities director reports uptick in class placement, Central Lakes additions and recent facility upgrades
Summary
The district's activities report covered fall participation, MSHSL reclassification (many sports moved up a class), Central Lakes Conference adding Bemidji next fall, and recent facility improvements including a privately funded pool scoreboard and new locker rooms at the RCC.
The Alexandria Public School District's activities update highlighted strong fall participation, reclassification changes that moved many teams up a class, a Central Lakes Conference (CLC) membership change, and several recent facility upgrades.
Ben Kivett, who presented the activities report, said the girls tennis team qualified for the state tournament for the first time in school history and that both boys and girls cross-country teams won the Central Lakes Conference in 2025. Kivett said the district's teams saw reclassification this year after the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) used October 1 enrollment figures (or a multi-year average) to place teams; as a result, many sports moved up a class — soccer moved from 2A to 3A, for example — while football and wrestling remained unchanged in their respective class structures.
Kivett told the board that the MSHSL has discussed moving to a two- or three-year average for enrollment counts to speed the classification process and allow athletic directors more time to plan schedules and events such as homecoming.
The board heard that Bemidji applied to join the Central Lakes Conference and will be admitted beginning next fall. Kivett said Bemidji already competes against district schools in postseason sections and regions; adding Bemidji to the CLC was described as a proactive step to avoid having the MSHSL place the school into the conference under its transfer procedures. Board members asked about conference size, travel times for some schools, and how championship meets or limited-entry events might be adjusted to accommodate more teams.
Facility updates included a nearly $80,000 privately fundraised scoreboard installed at the district pool (donors and the Cardinal Athletic Foundation assisted), upgraded locker rooms at the RCC for hockey programs, and new sewer and water lines at the softball complex to support future permanent restrooms and press-box facilities. Kivett and other speakers thanked donors and foundations who supported the projects.
(Ending) The activities director recommended the MSHSL approach to multi-year enrollment averages for classification, and the board acknowledged facilities improvements made possible by booster clubs and local foundations. No formal board action was required for the athletic updates.
