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Board approves CRUSH girls soccer co-op between Apollo and Tech to preserve opportunities
Summary
The St. Cloud Area School District board approved a cooperative (CRUSH) girls soccer program combining Apollo High School and St. Cloud Tech High School rosters to sustain participation and preserve competitive opportunities; administrators said the timing allows an appeal of state reclassification.
The St. Cloud Area School District Board of Education on Jan. 22 approved a cooperative girls soccer program merging Apollo High School and St. Cloud Tech High School under the district’s CRUSH umbrella to preserve students’ access to competitive soccer.
Administrators told the board the co-op is intended to keep opportunities in-district as participation at Apollo has declined. Activities Director Carl Heine said the move was the product of “a planned and thought out process” and asked the board to approve the cooperative so the district can submit the required paperwork to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).
The recommendation follows registration and participation counts collected this fall. District data presented at the meeting showed Apollo would lose 10 seniors from its current roster and be left with about 11 high-school participants if it remained separate; Tech would retain about 30. Junior-high numbers were smaller on both sides: North/ Kennedy combined showed 26 middle-school participants while the south-side junior highs combined had 18. Administrators said those trends made it unlikely Apollo could field stable varsity and junior-varsity squads long term.
Jason Harris, assistant superintendent for secondary education, and Principal Justin Scalarud said the co-op would make Tech the host school for administrative and postseason filing purposes but that home games and resources would be split as practicable between sites. Heine said Coach Boardman — currently Tech’s girls head coach — is the proposed head coach for the combined program.
Board members asked about classification and postseason competitiveness. Heine and other administrators explained that forming the cooperative now triggers MSHSL’s process for reclassification and gives the district the right to appeal the classification that would apply to the combined enrollment. Superintendent Lori Putnam’s office and district staff said they would prepare information for any appeal. Board member Heather Weems said a board letter supporting the district’s appeal would be helpful; Scott Andresen amended his motion to include that commitment and the board approved the amended motion.
Board members and district officials repeatedly framed the plan as an effort to preserve equitable opportunities for girls in the district and to avoid sending students to other districts to play. Several board members stressed that the co-op is not intended as an “easy out” but as a way to sustain participation while the district continues recruitment and youth‑level partnerships.
The motion, amended to include the board’s participation in preparing a supporting letter for a potential MSHSL appeal, passed unanimously.
Votes at a glance Motion: Approve formation of a CRUSH cooperative for girls soccer (Apollo + Tech), with district to prepare supporting materials for MSHSL classification appeals. Mover: Scott Andresen (motion amended to include board participation on an appeal letter) Second: Bruce Hentges Vote: Yes — Scott Andresen, Natalie Copeland, Zach Dorholt, Diana Fenton, Shannon Hawes, Bruce Hentges, Heather Weems (7 yes) Outcome: Approved
Why it matters: District officials said the cooperative preserves in‑district access for girls who otherwise might not have a viable team, and the filing timing preserves the district’s right to seek an appropriate postseason classification from the MSHSL.
