News Summary

Colome High School has announced it will only field a junior varsity basketball team for the 2025-26 season due to declining enrollment and recent performance challenges. A unanimous vote by the school board aims to focus on developing young talent, with the hope of reinstating a varsity team in the future. Coaches have resigned, but the Activities Director remains optimistic about nurturing athletes through this transition. The shift is seen as a strategic move to cultivate skills at the junior varsity level in response to a tough previous season.

Colome High School to Embrace Junior Varsity Basketball for 2025-26 Season

In a move that reflects the ongoing challenges facing schools across the region, Colome High School has announced that it will only field a junior varsity basketball team for the 2025-26 athletic season. This decision comes on the heels of a unanimous vote by the Colome School Board on March 10, marking a notable shift in the school’s approach to its basketball program.

Enrollment Declines Prompt Changes

The rationale behind this shift is quite straightforward. With declining student enrollment at the school, the board decided to prioritize a junior-varsity-only schedule. Colome’s enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year was reported at 138 students, with only 39 of those in grades 9-12 and 34 in grades 6-8. This number is significantly down from past years; for instance, there were 64 students in grades 9-12 just three years earlier.

With this drop in numbers, it became apparent that it was necessary to focus on building up the program from the ground up. The intent is to provide middle school athletes an opportunity to develop their skills alongside their peers, ultimately strengthening the program for years to come.

Basketball Performance Signals Need for Change

The move to a junior-varsity schedule follows a difficult season for both the boys and girls basketball teams, who collectively finished with just one win and 37 losses in the 2024-25 season. With nine players on both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams, it was clear that the combination of young players and a lack of wins put significant strain on the program.

The decision to forego a varsity team for the time being didn’t come without its share of concerns. During the March school board meeting, it was revealed that both the boys’ coach and girls’ coach had resigned. Just a year earlier, a similar situation played out for the varsity football team, which was also hampered by low roster numbers and had to forfeit a game due to not having enough players to proceed.

Future Optimism for Colome Athletics

Despite these challenges, Activities Director Kathy Hrabanek remains optimistic about the future. She emphasized that the plan to field a junior-varsity team is a conscious choice focused on the students, their enjoyment of the game, and their growth as athletes. By cultivating a stronger talent base at the JV level, there is hope that a varsity team can be reinstated in the future, providing a pathway back to competitive play.

It’s important to note that Hrabanek will retire at the end of the 2024-25 academic year after 15 years serving in various roles in Colome athletics. Her departure marks the end of an era, although she has assured everyone that her retirement is not directly linked to the current challenges facing the athletic programs.

The Focus on Development

In the spirit of building the basketball program, no cooperative opportunities with neighboring school districts were considered prior to this decision. The focus is firmly set on developing existing players and nurturing young talent through the junior varsity setup. Over the next season, it is anticipated that this approach will better prepare athletes for their future in the sport, paving the way for a stronger athletic environment in Colome.

As the community looks ahead to the 2025-26 season, all eyes will be on how the junior varsity team forms and grows. With dedicated support and commitment from both coaches and players, the hope is that good things are on the horizon for Colome basketball.

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