Maple Heights Board approves joining new United Athletic Conference after presentation
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Summary
After a joint presentation by Maple Heights Superintendent De La Flora and Warrensville Heights Superintendent Donald Jolley, the Maple Heights City Board voted unanimously to join the new United Athletic Conference, which will launch with six districts and a $5,000 annual fee to support a commissioner and league events.
Maple Heights City Schools’ board voted unanimously Dec. 15 to join the newly formed United Athletic Conference (UAC) after a presentation by Superintendent De La Flora and Donald Jolley, superintendent of Warrensville Heights. The board approved Resolution 205-112 to join the conference.
The presentation explained that the UAC is being formed by six districts — Bedford City, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, South Euclid–Lyndhurst, Warrensville Heights and Youngstown City — after the Lake Erie League dissolved. Jolley described the conference structure, saying it will have bylaws, an executive board of superintendents meeting quarterly, a hired commissioner reporting to the superintendents, and monthly meetings of athletic directors to manage schedules and operations. “The commissioner will report to the superintendents,” Jolley said, and the league will include signature events such as band showcases, academic challenges and esports in addition to athletics.
Board members asked practical questions about which sports would be included and how travel and membership would work. Jolley confirmed traditional sports including wrestling, baseball and softball are included, and that new sports require about 50% of member teams to adopt them before the league adds them. He also said middle-school championships would be part of the conference and that Youngstown will participate only in football and basketball because of distance concerns.
On finance, Jolley said the initial league fee will be $5,000 per district per year, to pay a commissioner and cover league events and referee scheduling; the fee will be reviewed annually. A board member asked whether the $5,000 was a one-time or yearly charge; Jolley clarified, “It’s gonna be a yearly.”
The board’s formal vote to approve joining the UAC (Resolution 205-112) was taken by roll call and passed unanimously.
The most immediate next steps the presenters described are final board approvals from other districts and development of bylaws and an operational commissioner role. The board also discussed outreach to additional potential members (including some private schools) and plans to monitor scheduling and competitive balance as membership grows.
