Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the IHSA has mandated that all schools separate their co-op teams into their respective schools if the combined enrollment between them exceeds 3,500 students. Unfortunately for Downers Grove, that affects the girls’ gymnastics team, boys’ gymnastics team, girls’ lacrosse team and boys’ lacrosse team.
Assistant varsity and head freshman boys’ lacrosse coach Philip Pakowski shared his thoughts on the logistics of separating the two teams when they were originally combined due to the number of players.
“I don’t know that we will have the same number of teams, currently we have a freshman, sophomore, JV and varsity… We have 80-90 total players in the program. So when we are looking at splitting that next year, it might be close to 50/50. It might be a little lean towards either of the schools we don’t know until we get to next year,” Pakowski said.
The co-op teams currently in the district are split between North and South, but lacrosse is different. The girls’ team is affiliated with DGN, while the boys’ team is affiliated with DGS. Pakowski touches on how some positives could come from the split.
“It will be nice for the North athletes to compete for their school since they were technically on a South team,” Pakowski said.
However, junior gymnast Edie Condon can not see any positives coming from the split.
“Taking away co-ops leaves us less room for injuries and sickness, meaning our team will have to be at our best almost 100% of the time due to there being less alternates/people to step up in people’s positions,” Condon said.
She expanded on the cons, commenting on the smaller talent pool that will be available per school.
“I think it will have a negative effect on both teams. I don’t think that means taking away any gymnasts’ talents individually, but the way our team flows as a whole is definitely something that really shows the amount of talent our team has, and separating us sort of takes away that structure,” Condon said.
Not only do the facts speak for themselves regarding fielding teams and staying healthy, but emotions are another aspect running high amid this change.
“These players have competed with each other for 3-4 years at this point, and now they’re being told they won’t be teammates anymore,” Pakowski said.
Condon had the same perspective.
“It makes me really sad because I love my North teammates, we are all like a family, and I can’t imagine a season without them. I think that it’s definitely going to be very different, which is okay, but it’s going to take a lot of getting used to,” she said.
Despite the drastic changes to hit Illinois’ high school sports, DGS and DGN are remaining positive and hopeful for the future.
“We have already talked about a crosstown rivalry game… Personally, I think that will be really cool. You competed with each other for so long, and now you’ll be competing against each other,” Pakowski said.
Condon shared an optimistic view of next season, recognizing that the show must go on.
“I think it will feel weird at first, but I think we will be able to figure it out. No matter what, we will still be a team without the North girls, so that’s just something we’re going to have to work with and make changes around,” she said.