An agreement to enter into a sports cooperative with the Hayfield School District in gymnastics was approved by the Austin Public School District Board of Education Wednesday.

Thursday, April 20, 2000

An agreement to enter into a sports cooperative with the Hayfield School District in gymnastics was approved by the Austin Public School District Board of Education Wednesday.

According to Naomi Hatfield, the high school activities director, Hayfield expressed a strong interest in entering into the agreement.

The Austin gymnastics team – which has a winter season – would likely gain one athlete.

In addition, Pacelli High School has indicated an interest in joining the Austin in a similar agreement with boys’ and girls’ soccer, as well as boys’ and girls’ swimming.

Hatfield said the soccer coaches are in agreement with the proposal, so far as the district could ensure staffing and scheduling concerns are met.

No figures for the number of Pacelli athletes are available.

She added the two schools did have a cooperative in girls’ swimming, but that was dissolved because of a lack of participants from Pacelli.

The addition of Pacelli female swimmers would also raise the level at which the Packers compete – from Class A to AA – a notion the the Austin coaching staff didn’t favor.

The board was in agreement with the swimming coaches.

The remaining cooperative proposals were passed with an additional amendment to end a current agreement in place with Albert Lea in gymnastics. Albert Lea contributed no varsity gymnasts last season.