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Parent asks board to revisit girls swimming co-op denial by Superior School District
Summary
A parent at the Aug. 10 board meeting asked the Superior School District to explain why a girls swimming co-op with Northwestern was denied while boys swimming co-ops exist, and requested clear, objective criteria before the WIAA Oct. 1 deadline for 2027–28 recognition.
Beth Betchelcutter, who identified herself as a parent of a Northwestern High School female swimmer, told the Superior School District Board of Education on Aug. 10 that her family was denied a girls swimming co-op by Superior while the same district allowed a boys swimming co-op in the same sport.
“What objective criteria are used to determine when athletic co ops agreements are approved, denied, and or continued?” Betchelcutter asked, urging the board to apply standards consistently between boys and girls programs.
Betchelcutter said Northwestern requested a girls swimming co-op in spring 2025 and again at the end of the 2025–26 school year, but received an email from Superior’s athletic director saying a co-op was not an option because Superior “already has enough” to field its own team. She noted Superior and Northwestern already share co-ops for boys swimming, girls gymnastics and girls hockey and questioned why the girls request was treated differently.
“I respectfully ask that the board examine what criteria led to those different outcomes between them and whether they’re being applied consistently and equitably,” she said, and added that WIAA recognition would need to be in place by Oct. 1 for the 2027–28 girls season.
Board members did not take immediate action; the item was raised as public comment and the chair acknowledged it would not be decided that night. The comment prompted board members to say they would follow up with staff as appropriate.
Next steps: Betchelcutter asked the board to share the objective criteria the district uses for approving or continuing co-op athletic agreements and to ensure parity across boys and girls teams; she also asked the board to reconsider the current denial in light of the WIAA deadline.
