Fairview is joining Great Lakes Conference

The Warriors are moving up to the GLC so that they can develop rivalries with neighbors Bay and Rocky River and participate fully in sports that the Patriot Athletic Conference did not offer.

Fairview is rising to the occasion.

On May 10, Fairview Athletic Director Joe Dianetti announced that the Warriors would be joining the Great Lakes Conference, effective in the fall of 2019.

The move from the Patriot Athletic Conference, which announced in December that it was disbanding in 2020 so the Lorain County schools could form their own conference, was approved by the Fairview Board of Education on April 20 and the transition plan for the Warriors was completed at the GLC athletic directors meeting on May 9.

“We’re excited,” Dianetti said. “It’s definitely a big leap for us. We’re, in a sense, going to be playing with the big boys. It’s going to be a challenge, but one that will pay off for us.”

Dianetti said that he explored a number of options, including creating a new conference or joining the recently expanded Chagrin Valley Conference — the landing spot for Lutheran West and Brooklyn with the PAC disbanding.

Fairview, along with PAC school Buckeye, will bump the GLC membership to nine, joining Bay, Elyria Catholic, Holy Name, Normandy, Parma, Rocky River and Valley Forge — all teams that the Warriors play regularly, which Dianetti said was a big factor in the decision.

“For me, the No. 1 motivation was the familiarity,” Dianetti said. “These are all schools and administrations that we enjoy working with and are extremely familiar with. So that was a big driving force.”

The proximity of Fairview to the GLC schools was another huge factor for Dianetti.

“I like that this will help build natural rivalries,” Dianetti said. “Rocky River is down the street on West 210 (which turns into Wagar Road, where Rocky River High School is located). Bay is a short trip down I-90. The Parma schools are just down (Interstate) 480.

“It’s something we haven’t had outside of Lutheran West and Brooklyn in the PAC. And that’s nothing against the Lorain County schools. It’s just tough to build some rivalries like we can in the GLC when they are so far away.”

Dianetti said that he has received a mixed reaction from his coaches about the move — something he expected.

“This is a big step up for us,” Dianetti said. “We’re going from being in a conference with schools that were all the same size into one where we’re going to be the second smallest. That’s not going to be easy.

“I expected a mixed reaction from our coaches, and that’s what I got. But I think they all see the benefits of this move and can see a bright future for their teams because they’re going to be playing great teams game in and game out.”

Perhaps no team will be as happy as the swimming and diving team which, as the only PAC team to offer swimming, has put together an independent schedule for years.

“Being able to get our swim team in a conference that offers swimming was an added bonus,” Dianetti said. “It’s a great conference for swimming and I know the team is happy to have a home.

“I think this also presents a great opportunity for us to explore getting a bowling and tennis program started. The GLC offers them, and it’s something we’ve been interested in, so that is a possibility now, too.”

In the end, Dianetti is simply happy to have quickly found a home for his school after things looked unclear following the December announcement.

“We’re moving forward and we’re excited,” he said. “We loved being a part of the PAC and enjoyed it there, but we had to find somewhere new, and I don’t think we could be going to a better conference.”