South Euclid‑Lyndhurst board approves membership in United Athletic Conference
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The South Euclid‑Lyndhurst Board of Education voted unanimously Dec. 16 to join the newly formed United Athletic Conference beginning with the 2026–27 school year, a move officials said will reduce travel, create championship opportunities and expand extracurricular showcases for students.
The South Euclid‑Lyndhurst Board of Education voted unanimously Dec. 16 to approve membership in the new United Athletic Conference (UAC) beginning in the 2026–27 school year. The board acted on a superintendent recommendation and approved the motion by roll call, with all members voting "Aye."
Superintendent (name not specified) said the UAC is intended to be student‑centered and to restore competitive opportunities the district lost while independent. "Everything we're going to do is based around leadership, about growing this the right way and instilling what we believe all student athletes should have," the superintendent said during a presentation explaining the conference's structure and goals.
Under the agreement, initial UAC members named by district officials include Bedford, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, Warrensville and Youngstown; Youngstown will participate only in football and basketball at the high‑school level because of transportation concerns. Officials said governance will include an executive board of superintendents (one vote per district), a commissioner to manage operations, and a monthly athletic‑director council to implement league standards.
Mr. Ross, the district's athletic director, described expected benefits: reduced travel, more local competition and the ability for more teams to compete for conference championships across a broader set of sports and activities. The UAC will also sponsor band showcases, academic challenges, cheer showcases and leadership academies, officials said. "It's not just athletics — band and academic competitions are included," Mr. Ross said.
Board members lauded the effort as a boost for students. A formal motion to approve membership (Item 13.3) was made, seconded and carried by unanimous roll call vote.
The board's approval means the district will move forward with UAC scheduling and governance work over the next months; school officials said additional operational details and dates will be shared with coaches, students and families as they are finalized.