By Eric Erickson,
Sports analysis

The 2024 fall sports season began in August with cooperative high school teams dotting the landscape across Minnesota. The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) allows and encourages the formation of a “co-op”—a team comprising players from two separate schools—when it creates opportunities and access for student athletes.

Having a full roster to practice and compete in a safe environment is a primary reason for establishing a co-op. Providing an athletic opportunity for students whose own school doesn’t sponsor the sport they want to play is another.

Partnerships between neighboring schools or similar communities are common, to the point where prep sports enthusiasts don’t bat an eye when they see former rivals uniting as teammates under a hyphenated name. If kids can have a positive education-based experience, it’s worth pursuing.

Football welcomes Washington players

The Como Park Cougars football team under head coach Kirby Scull has averaged about 40 players in grades 9–12 during the last 10 years. Most years, the Cougars have managed to stay competitive and win some games.

However, a dozen players graduated from last year’s team while there are only three seniors returning this fall. The coaching staff expected around 35 Como students in total. At the same time, there’s a handful of students 1.5 miles away at Washington Technology Magnet who have wanted to play football but can’t because their school doesn’t have a team.

For a couple of years, Washington Athletic Director Jesse McCann inquired about Como’s openness to allowing the interested students to join the Cougar squad. In the spring of 2024, it made sense for Como to say yes and welcome Washington players into the program.

Advantages of forming the co-op include the possibility of fielding a full junior varsity team, enabling every player a chance to develop by playing at their appropriate level. More athletes would also improve practice situations.

The impact may not be immediate. Coach Scull said the number of Washington students officially signed up for first day of practice was eight but anticipates that will grow through opening week.

“I would expect our overall numbers will be about 35 Como and 15 from Washington,” he said.

Logistically, practices and games will still be at Como. The Cougar uniforms remain black and gold. But there’s a new name: the Como Park–Washington Cougars.

“I am excited that a group of athletes now get a chance to play football,” Scull said. “A few of these athletes grew up playing football and had the desire, but felt they had no opportunity to continue playing.”

Now they do.

Girls tennis combines with Harding

Como’s returning players knew this upcoming 2024 season was going to be different. They were eagerly anticipating playing on the eight newly constructed tennis courts!

What else emerged last spring was less expected—but also turned out to be exciting.

A local private school had asked Como girls tennis if they’d like to form a co-op team. St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) policy dictates that co-op status must be offered to fellow SPPS schools first before partnering outside the district. That opened dialogue within the St. Paul City Conference, resulting in two SPPS teams seeking to partner (co-op) with Como.

Cougar tennis coach Kia Yang explained that pairing up with Harding made the most sense. “There are connections between the two programs. The coaches knew each other, and the players already trained together.”

Both teams rostered about 15 players last season and had no problem producing successful varsity teams for city competition. But neither could field a junior varsity roster. The co-op program will let them do that and play full JV matches against suburban and private school opponents.

“By ourselves, Como and Harding are both in contention for a conference championship,” Yang said. “Together we can make a run in our section.”

As for the new team’s name? “The coaches have discussed possibilities, but we want the girls to come up with something,” Yang said. “If they create it together, they can get behind it together.” n

Eric Erickson is a social studies teacher at Como Park High School and a longtime coach of school and youth sports in St. Paul.