Is there a bone to pick with our school? I grew up in Leavenworth and now teach here so I know the dynamics of the town well. Leavenworth is a fantastic school with a growing athletic program that has been overhauled the past few years and is beginning to build winners.

A more transient military population does not mean consistent sports programs cannot be built. The baseball team made the state playoffs in 2011 and was extremely competitive in the Sunflower League last year with a winning record and should be just as tough this year. It has been about 5 years since their last state title, but our ladies track program was as dominant for over a decade as an athletic program can be.

So all middle of the pack programs should be dropped from their affiliated league? If our school population places us in 5A this year or the next, so be it, but it isn't really a choice our school gets to make. It does not affect me as the competition there for wrestling is just as tough or tougher. And maybe someday a population shift may require the need to look at conference affiliation, but our enrollment is near 1300 this year and I believe our athletic program as a whole will be extremely competitive this year in a number of sports, not just basketball. For the "sake" of our athletes, I will tell them they if they work hard enough they can be competitive in any league or classification.