[MarshallCounty]

I'm somewhat of a young pup. Can anyone give me the story behind Bremen leaving the NLC in after 1988. I have heard Bremen was forced out, I also heard the left on their own. Was it a mutual decision?

[Panther Fan For Life]

I dont know the answer to that question, but I know Bremen did not renew their contract with NW for football as they were just getting crushed every year. then the last year of the series, Bremen almost squeaked out the game. It is a shame the two schools don't play anymore, it was a great rivalry.

[Bill B.]

Unless there was a hidden agenda, Bremen was a pretty small school in a league of growing schools.

NSC was a better fit in that regard.

I also think NLC wanted Northridge in to the NLC at the same time. Good fit for them as well.


Bill B.

[MarshallCounty]

Don't get me started on the ending of the Northwood series. A lot of upset people in town when that series was ended.

[zebraboiler24]

MarshallCounty, on Sep 15 2008, 06:35 PM, said:

I'm somewhat of a young pup. Can anyone give me the story behind Bremen leaving the NLC in after 1988. I have heard Bremen was forced out, I also heard the left on their own. Was it a mutual decision?

I don't know much, but I find it interesting that Bremen left a year after Rochester left. I wonder if the schools started seeing the writing on the wall? Since Rochester and Bremen are about the same size, it makes since that they would both leave at the same time......

[Class of 62]

As I remember it, Both zebraboiler24 and Bill B. are correct. Bremen, Manchester and Rochester were the three smallest schools in the conference and back then, most years were not competitive. Although they all had a bit of success.
But they all decided that they would be a better fit with conferences with smaller schools. Northwood is now the smallest school in the NLC (population wise), but they can play with anyone in all sports. And they prove it year in and year out. :P

[MarshallCounty]

Zebraboiler do you know if there was ever interest in Valley and the Zebras joining the NSC.

[Houndstooth Hat]

Class of 62, on Sep 20 2008, 08:36 AM, said:

Northwood is now the smallest school in the NLC (population wise), but they can play with anyone in all sports. And they prove it year in and year out. :P

Football, yes, Northwood is competitive most every year....but for most of the sports programs Northwood is not very competitive in the NLC. Northwood typically finishes at the bottom or near the bottom of the all-sports trophy competition in the NLC. With that being said, you have to realize that the NLC usually is represented very well in the state tournement in every sport, so smaller schools with less athletes to choose from like Northwood are not going to be good in every sport the conference offers - they are going to struggle because of the level of excellence generally found in the conference in most every sport.

[NLCFan57]

I am sure most of you know of this website but thought I would post the url anyways.
Shows a history of the conferences going way back. Apparently in the early days
there were only 6 player games.
http://ifca.zebras.n...er/football.htm

[zebraboiler24]

MarshallCounty, on Sep 20 2008, 11:28 AM, said:

Zebraboiler do you know if there was ever interest in Valley and the Zebras joining the NSC.

No, I do not. Then again, I was born when we came to the TRC, so I don't know much of what happened before... :lol:

I will try to find out though....

[GlennGrad1]

I don't think that Rochester or Valley would want to leave the very easy TRC and play in the much more competitive NSC.

[Panther Fan For Life]

Houndstooth Hat, on Sep 20 2008, 11:36 PM, said:

Football, yes, Northwood is competitive most every year....but for most of the sports programs Northwood is not very competitive in the NLC. Northwood typically finishes at the bottom or near the bottom of the all-sports trophy competition in the NLC. With that being said, you have to realize that the NLC usually is represented very well in the state tournement in every sport, so smaller schools with less athletes to choose from like Northwood are not going to be good in every sport the conference offers - they are going to struggle because of the level of excellence generally found in the conference in most every sport.

NW is not competitive in this conference in any sport other than football and basketball and in some years baseball and wrestiling, but the other sports, NW performance is poor, swimming, track, cross country, soccer, etc. Some years NW can be in the mix for being in the middle of the NLC in these sports, but for the most part, NW is the last place team in the conference. There is some chatter in the community, that it is time for NW to look for another conference. NW is the only 3A school in a conference of 4A and 5A schools. And the NW enrollment is shrinking, so it is not going to get any better

[WRC_1]

Panther Fan For Life, on Sep 22 2008, 07:14 AM, said:

NW is not competitive in this conference in any sport other than football and basketball and in some years baseball and wrestiling, but the other sports, NW performance is poor, swimming, track, cross country, soccer, etc. Some years NW can be in the mix for being in the middle of the NLC in these sports, but for the most part, NW is the last place team in the conference. There is some chatter in the community, that it is time for NW to look for another conference. NW is the only 3A school in a conference of 4A and 5A schools. And the NW enrollment is shrinking, so it is not going to get any better

NorthWood leaving the NLC might help them place better in other sports, but it would destroy their post-season preparation in football and basketball. The NLC always gets you ready to play in the tournament.

[Black Knight]

I remember being quite peeved about leaving the NLC in 1989. Bremen had just finished two consecutive years as NLC Runners-up to a couple of really good Goshen teams. It was a meat grinder playing in that conference, but Bremen football has not been the same since leaving.

[ON 2]

Panther Fan For Life, on Sep 22 2008, 06:14 AM, said:

NW is not competitive in this conference in any sport other than football and basketball and in some years baseball and wrestiling, but the other sports, NW performance is poor, swimming, track, cross country, soccer, etc. Some years NW can be in the mix for being in the middle of the NLC in these sports, but for the most part, NW is the last place team in the conference. There is some chatter in the community, that it is time for NW to look for another conference. NW is the only 3A school in a conference of 4A and 5A schools. And the NW enrollment is shrinking, so it is not going to get any better

I don't know where you are hearing this "chatter" but the NLC is one of the greatest conferences in the state of Indiana. As a former athlete in this conference, it forced you to be at your best all of the time. NW may not be competitive in every sport every year, but ask last years boys soccer team if playing in the NLC helped prepare them to win the sectionals and regionals last year. I don't think we should pick up our toys and move to a different sand box just because we are a smaller school........this would be a mistake.