New-look GRC meets in Trenton, approving conference by-laws

Representatives of Grand River Conference schools met yesterday (Wednesday) at Trenton and approved by-laws for the new conference.

Those bylaws previously were developed by a committee comprised of Superintendents Daniel Gott of Trenton, Dennis Eastin of South Harrison of Bethany, and Doctor Zach Bruner of Marceline. They had been in contact with the various G-R-C schools during that process.

Plans call for conference meetings to be held at least three times a year. Superintendents, Activities Directors, and High School Principals from all the G-R-C schools are to attend those meetings to determine what is best for the conference.

The meetings are to be held at Trenton because of its central location. Trenton R-9 will be the conference treasurer. South Harrison Superintendent Dennis Eastin is the president.

The seven Grand River Conference schools for the upcoming academic year are Gallatin, Maysville, Milan, Polo, Putnam County, South Harrison, and Trenton.  Brookfield and Marceline join the Grand River Conference a year from now, making it nine members. However, Brookfield and Marceline get an early start in the conference by being invited to participate in the G-R-C Wrestling Tournament in this upcoming school year.

Wednesday was the first official meeting of the conference with all nine members involved. Trenton R-9 Superintendent Daniel Gott indicated the conference is ready to get started, although there’s still some fine-tuning to do.

Trenton R-9 Activities Director and Assistant High School Principal John Cowling mentioned an athletic change from the “old Grand River Conference” in addition to another potential change: 

Brookfield and Marceline have been invited to participate in the 2024 GRC wrestling tournament to provide more participants and competition.  Both schools are among the elite in Missouri high school wrestling when it comes to wrestling tradition.  Otherwise, it will be basically “status quo” in sports within the new GRC: 

The conference will continue to have Honor Band, Honor Choir, and Academic Bowl. Trenton R-IV Superintendent Gott says a committee is to look at adding some type of art showcase:

Gott anticipates some type of conference art showcase will be adopted for next year, if not this upcoming academic year.

In the old Grand River Conference, Honor Band was held one year and Honor Choir the next. There was no discussion at Wednesday’s meeting about changing that format. 

Trenton, with its centralized location and performing arts center, is to host both the Honor Band and Honor Choir programs.  Superintendent Gott noted there will be a lot of similarities to the past:

The Trenton R-9 Superintendent noted the conference also provides the security of having area schools to schedule.  Activities Director and Assistant High School Principal Cowling talked about his goals for the Grand River Conference:

With Brookfield and Marceline given the invite to participate in the 2024 GRC Wrestling Tournament for this upcoming school year, Cowling is excited about the overall strength of the GRC as it pertains to wrestling moving forward: 

In the Class 1 state wrestling tournament from February 2023, Brookfield finished second and Marceline ninth.  Three current GRC schools also placed in the Top 10, with Maysville fifth, Trenton sixth, and Gallatin tenth.  Cowling mentioned the GRC wrestling event being moved from a Saturday to a weeknight, a request made by several conference coaches.

A conference junior high school basketball tournament has been discussed as a possibility.  Meanwhile, there have been no requests thus far for a GRC high school varsity basketball tournament.  Several area schools already host high school basketball tournaments, so adding another such event to schedules would be challenging: 

Before the old GRC split into two separate leagues, the conference has an honor band performance one year, followed by a honor choir performance the next.  The new GRC will continue to have honor band and honor choir.  However, it has not been determined when to hold the performances.  That was not a topic of discussion on Wednesday night.

Trenton, by virtue of the high school’s performing arts center, was chosen to host both the honor band and honor choir performances.  THS, for the first time, hosted the honor choir event in February 2023: 

The Grand River Conference, in 2023-2024, will consist of Gallatin, Maysville, Milan, Polo, Putnam County, South Harrison, and Trenton.  Brookfield and Marceline will join the GRC officially in July 2024.  Trenton R-IV Superintendent Daniel Gott explains there have been no discussions about expanding from the nine-school footprint: 

Superintendent Gott mentioned Princeton as part of his remarks.  Princeton is now part of a separate league called the GRC West.  Other schools with PHS are Albany, King City, North Andrew, North Harrison, Pattonsburg, St. Joseph Christian, Stanberry, and Worth County.  Those schools had been previous members of the old GRC.