Submitted by Olympia School District
Capital High School will join a newly formed Class 3A athletic and activities league, which encompasses eight schools representing Thurston, Pierce, Kitsap and Mason counties.
The new league was formed thanks to an agreement worked out this morning in a meeting of 16 area school district athletic directors facilitated by a Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) representative.
Jeff Carpenter, director of health, fitness and athletics in the Olympia School District, said the new agreement paves the way for Capital High students to compete against high schools in the region while providing competition at all levels — varsity, junior varsity and C teams.
The eight high schools that will form the new Class 3A league, which will be named in the next week, include Capital, Central Kitsap, Gig Harbor, North Thurston, Peninsula, Shelton, Timberline and Yelm.
As a result of this morning’s decision, the Olympia School District will withdraw Capital High from District 4, where the district had intended to compete in the Greater St. Helens League, and continue to be a part of the WIAA West Central District 3, which encompasses the new league.
“The agreement worked out this morning is a big win for our district,” Carpenter said. “The travel time for away games is not as far as it would have been in the Greater St. Helens League, and we still are able to make sure that all of our students, whether in varsity, junior varsity or C team athletics and activities, have an equal opportunity to compete.”
Carpenter thanked District 4 and the Greater St. Helens League for its willingness to work with the Olympia School District in the league realignment effort. “We are grateful for their offer and help along the way,” Carpenter said.
Olympia School District Superintendent Dick Cvitanich also thanked district parents for their interest, input and patience as the league realignment process unfolded.
Capital High School Co-Principal Michelle Anderson added, “We are excited to have our students compete at all levels while maximizing their instructional time. This is a win-win for Capital students and families.”
Olympia High School
Olympia High School remains a Class 4A school based on its enrollment; however, it applied and was accepted into the South Puget Sound League (SPSL) South Division along with two other former Narrows League 4A teams — Bellarmine Prep and South Kitsap high schools.
The district applied to have Olympia High join SPSL after learning that its former league, the Class 4A Narrows League, was disbanding due to other schools dropping to Class 3A or moving to other leagues.
Beginning this fall, the Olympia High Bears will compete against Bellarmine Prep, Curtis, Emerald Ridge, Graham-Kapowsin, Puyallup, Rogers, South Kitsap and Sumner high schools.
