It hasn’t happened since 1989. It won’t happen this year.

A small school won’t win the WIAA hockey title. That is, by my definition, a public school, with an enrollment under 1,000, that isn’t part of a co-op program. In fact during the last thirteen years, only six of the 104 tournament teams have fit my “small school” definition. The classic underdog success story is as rare as the caped dog by the same name.

While other sports have addressed their enrollment inequities with multiple divisions and champions, hockey still crowns only one. I fear the underdog is no longer welcomed here.

Hockey, a sport of considerable expense for most school districts, has been unable to crack the WIAA’s magical number for splitting into two divisions of ninety-six schools. Adding athletic programs to high schools right now is about as popular as another gas price hike.

Player movement, co-op programs refusing to split up and schools merging to gain numbers and talent have all contributed to the failure to reach ninety-six schools. After peaking at 93 schools in 2010, we are looking at the possibility of dropping below 90 schools by next season.

The WIAA’s refusal to move to a two tier tournament has prompted small schools to look elsewhere, through the co-op option, to find a way to close the gap with the big and private schools. A couple of key player additions can help turn perennial pretenders into contenders.

The purpose of co-op programs was originally sold on the premise it could grow the sport, giving schools time to develop and grow their youth programs. It has morphed into a way to create a competitive advantage over single school programs. Forty-one of the current ninety hockey programs are co-op teams.

While it could be debated that several co-op programs have the numbers to split, most choose to stay together citing financial resources as the reason. With Rhinelander running a program with 17 players, and Wisconsin Rapids funding their entire program outside the school budget, it is difficult to justify the continuation and expansion of some co-op programs.

McFarland and Oregon are an example of a former co-op program that has successfully split; Oregon now even has their own rink. And after celebrating a trip to the state tournament, Sparta and West Salem will go their separate ways next season. Those are the success stories that co-op programs were expected to produce. They have been too few and far between.

When it comes to regulating co-op programs the WIAA steps back from their customary micro-management style and gives power to the individual conferences to make decisions on their shelf life. With no hard and fast timelines or expectations placed on co-op programs they choose to keep their competitive advantage instead of dividing and growing the sport statewide. The folks in Sparta and West Salem should be commended for their unselfish decision.

Perhaps small schools would be more motivated to stay on their own and co-op teams more likely to split if they weren’t left to wonder when and if their “Hoosier” moment might occur. Six out of 104 translates into a 5% chance of just getting to the state tournament, much less winning it. How many people would enter into a job that had a 5% chance for success?

I am all about the “journey” and the adversity and all the life lessons that athletics can teach us. I love fighting the good fight. And on more than one occasion every season I will tell my players that life isn’t fair. Playing the role of the underdog is great, but asking a high school of 400 to compete with one of 2,400 is more like being offered up as a sacrificial lamb.

If hockey is to grow in the current economic climate the WIAA needs to provide the motivation for the small schools by adding a second division. Seneca High School, enrollment 90, played for the Division Five state title in football last November. Isn’t it time to give those same opportunities to hockey’s small schools?

Breaking up is hard to do, but when it comes to well stocked co-op programs and a one division state tournament—it is well overdue.