Rock Island Alleman drops football for 2023

[EdgyTim]

I haven’t seen anything officially released yet but I’ve been contacted by multiple head coaches in the WB6 looking for games confirming that Alleman has dropped football for next season.

Quite a shame for sure a program that has had a ton of success and tradition over many years.

 

[ClownBaby]

 

[epicbret]

Whoa

 

[ramblinman]

I understand their rationale, but how many juniors do they currently have on the team? What happens when they graduate next year? Same thing? Will the conference keep their spot open for them?

 

[mc140]

How many of the 20 left bail for another school that has varsity football? How many incoming kids will find somewhere else to go now with football being on life support?

 

[crusader_of_90]

What a damned shame.

 

[ClownBaby]

How many of the 20 left bail for another school that has varsity football? How many incoming kids will find somewhere else to go now with football being on life support?

This.

They took a bad situation and with the best of intentions now made it worse. Not sure if they can recover from this.

 

[atrain97]

I think there is a multitude of issues here, but one of the big ones is the same issue that Geneseo is facing. Many families of means in the QC area are moving to the Iowa side.

 

[doctor_d]

Storied program that was out scored 378-65 last season and 489-14! in 2021.

 

[corey90]

Storied program that was out scored 378-65 last season and 489-14! in 2021.

It doesn’t sound like much thought went into the decision. I doubt they will ever recover.

 

[atrain97]

It doesn’t sound like much thought went into the decision. I doubt they will ever recover.

It's not just Football, it's the entire school that is in jeopardy. Their enrollment is way down.

 

[LPCoachDB]

It doesn’t sound like much thought went into the decision. I doubt they will ever recover.

So why would you make this comment? Do you have some evidence that they made a thoughtless decision?

In the article I read in the Quad City newspaper, the coach talked a lot about safety and the mis-match of playing freshman and sophomores against experienced varsity linemen. Since I spent over 40 years coaching mostly freshman, I certainly understand that concern. It is a rare high school freshman who can hold his own against juniors and seniors. In my experience, few parents would be amenable to this option.

As an Alleman graduate (a lot of years ago), I am saddened by their present condition. Whether they ever play varsity football in the Western Big Six again is probably the least of their worries. I pray that the school will continue to exist as a viable option for Catholic education in the Illinois Quad Cities.

 

[stripes13]

Storied program that was out scored 378-65 last season and 489-14! in 2021.

They have 5 state trophies.

 

[crusader_of_90]

They have 5 state trophies.

I helped hand them a second-placer.

 

[DadCoachSports]

Sounds like school is making the right decision. Hope they can right the ship and build the enrollment and roster.

I commend the school on making the decision in January and not waiting till July.

 

[colin2229]

Last seasons results at Alleman for the big 3 sports:

Baseball 4-17
Basketball 0-32
Football 1-8

Holy smokes.

According to IHSA page…there are still over 400 kids in the building. Being the only private option in rock island, you’d think they should be fine.

Simply kids going over the boarder?

 

[LPCoachDB]

Last seasons results at Alleman for the big 3 sports:

Baseball 4-17
Basketball 0-32
Football 1-8

Holy smokes.

According to IHSA page…there are still over 400 kids in the building. Being the only private option in rock island, you’d think they should be fine.

Simply kids going over the boarder?

I'm not sure what all of the issues are but simply going over to Assumption HS in Davenport doesn't make financial sense. Alleman's tuition is at least $375 lower per year and as much as $1,445 lower per year (there are different categories dependent on parish/non-parish affiliation). The extra cost of travelling would also seem to deter going across the river to Iowa everyday for school. There must be some other underlying issue(s) that have caused the enrollment to drop.

 

[colin2229]

New AD or superintendent in the last few years?

 

[doctor_d]

They have 5 state trophies.

As I said, a storied program.

 

[RoaminCatholic]

I'm not sure what all of the issues are but simply going over to Assumption HS in Davenport doesn't make financial sense. Alleman's tuition is at least $375 lower per year and as much as $1,445 lower per year (there are different categories dependent on parish/non-parish affiliation). The extra cost of travelling would also seem to deter going across the river to Iowa everyday for school. There must be some other underlying issue(s) that have caused the enrollment to drop.

First, I'm unaware of the trend or situation of Alleman prior to 2020... but I know they were one of the loudest about their enrollment drastically changing once COVID rules were put in place. It seemed as though many didn't even bat an eye at taking the leap across state lines whether driven by politics or just simply so their child could play sports.

Assumption is 5.2 miles from Alleman's campus. I think that rules out the travel distance or cost concern. Alleman is not a diocesan school as far as I can tell with a quick search. I think this is just a big ball of things that's led to this.

I'll end with this... the WB6, for what I've payed attention to over the years, has a history of being quite stingy and arrogant in regards to their status, existence, and the members they have or take in. Alleman is an OG, so to speak. They have a history with the WB6 that is cherished by many. But I wouldn't be shocked if the WB6 decides to remove them after this season. Mainly, with the lines of sight we currently have, as it seems this will be a much longer or perhaps permanent process for Alleman.

 

[LPCoachDB]

First, I'm unaware of the trend or situation of Alleman prior to 2020... but I know they were one of the loudest about their enrollment drastically changing once COVID rules were put in place. It seemed as though many didn't even bat an eye at taking the leap across state lines whether driven by politics or just simply so their child could play sports.

Assumption is 5.2 miles from Alleman's campus. I think that rules out the travel distance or cost concern. Alleman is not a diocesan school as far as I can tell with a quick search. I think this is just a big ball of things that's led to this.

I'll end with this... the WB6, for what I've payed attention to over the years, has a history of being quite stingy and arrogant in regards to their status, existence, and the members they have or take in. Alleman is an OG, so to speak. They have a history with the WB6 that is cherished by many. But I wouldn't be shocked if the WB6 decides to remove them after this season. Mainly, with the lines of sight we currently have, as it seems this will be a much longer or perhaps permanent process for Alleman.

Perhaps you are correct about the COVID effect. I have no recollection of Alleman being "loud" about the effects on their enrollment. They certainly didn't emphasize that when they solicited donations from me.

None of my Quad City siblings have school age children and none of their children chose to send their kids to the Catholic schools because of the cost. My comment about the cost of sending students across the river relates to my knowledge of the local economy. I don't believe too many parents would be willing to spend the additional $1,445 to send their student to Assumption (that would be the amount required to send a non-parish affiliated individual). While the distance is only 5.2 miles, providing transportation is still an added cost that I don't see as minimal for most QC wage earners.

Alleman is a school listed on the Diocese of Peoria website. They were when I graduated and that hasn't changed.

Your correct about the WB6 and this will probably be a permanent athletic change unless Alleman can make significant strides in enrollment quickly. I'm not sure where they would fit into some other conference.

 

[rink62221]

The Mississippi Division of the Big Rivers Conference might be a fit with Kewanee (enrollment 552), Mendota (539), Princeton (546), Hall (702) and Sterling Newman (355). That league always seems to frequently realigning divisions as teams either jump to the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference or switch to seven-on-seven.

 

[stl705]

The Mississippi Division of the Big Rivers Conference might be a fit with Kewanee (enrollment 552), Mendota (539), Princeton (546), Hall (702) and Sterling Newman (355). That league always seems to frequently realigning divisions as teams either jump to the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference or switch to seven-on-seven.

It’s been a mess with those Three Rivers Mississippi schools for pry over a decade ever since NCIC disbanded. Problem is there probably isn’t enough schools with similar enrollments to form their own conference anymore. Maybe Dixon and Rock Falls coming back would help but they already had a similar conf yet that disbanded with all those schools involved having their heads up their ass. None of them are in a better spot than when NCIC was rolling. Mendota or Hall traveling to QC makes zero sense imo.

 

[rink62221]

Can't be any worse than Geneseo, Sterling and the QC schools in the WB6 having to make that trek to Quincy. Nothing's worse than that drive to Quincy.