Wheeler leaving RIIL
Hockey players can finish eligibility with PSW co-op
After a six-year run of participating exclusively in the Interscholastic League, The Wheeler School is leaving at the end of the current school year and rejoining the NEPSAC in all sports beginning with the 2022-23 academic term.
“It was something we discussed thoroughly with school administrators as well as with coaches, student-athletes, and parents,” said Sean Kelly, Wheeler athletic director and also the school’s varsity boys’ basketball head coach. “We valued the opportunity to compete with public schools and we are proud of our experiences, both the wins and losses, but we came to the decision that our calendar and day-to-day logistics are just more closely aligned with independent schools.”
Wheeler’s departure became official at the March 21 meeting of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics. A letter dated March 15 was sent from the school to the league and members of the PCOA.
The Principals’ Committee unanimously accepted the private school’s decision to remove itself as a RIIL member school (13-0 vote). The same board unanimously denied Wheeler’s request to remain in the Interscholastic League as an affiliate member. The Warriors were seeking to compete in indoor track and gymnastics with all other sports falling under the NEPSAC umbrella. The NEPSAC does not offer boys indoor track as a sport.
“We understand the RIIL’s reasons of not being half-in, half-out and we totally get it,” said Kelly.
The PCOA did grant a waiver for all rostered students from Wheeler that participated on RIIL football and boys ice hockey co-op teams during the 2021-2022 school year that allows them to finish out their academic eligibility on those respective coop teams. No new Wheeler students will be allowed to join the existing co-op teams.
The Warriors co-op with Juanita Sanchez during football season and with St. Raphael during boys’ hockey season.
“Our hope [in applying for affiliate membership] was to continue having as many opportunities for our kids to compete and to maintain our important relationships with Juanita Sanchez and St. Ray’s,” said Kelly.
Asked if Wheeler’s move to leave the Interscholastic League will have a ripple effect both in terms of within the current RIIL landscape and with schools located in the nearby region, Kelly cited the example of Boston-based Austin Prep School announcing earlier this year that it would be leaving the Massachusetts Interscholastic
Athletic Association for the NEPSAC.
“You have a Catholic school like Austin Prep making a decision like that … they see a lot of opportunities,” said Kelly. “It does raise the question for those operating as parochial and independent schools to maybe experience a little more autonomy, particularly with scheduling.”
Private schools such as Wheeler possess the ability to cast a wide net to attract student-athletes. In some respects, the Warriors are no different than their fellow private schools as well as the Catholic schools in the state. Geographic boundaries do not exist, unlike public schools.
All, however, does not glitter like gold when the reach is perceived as limitless. Just because Wheeler can attract players from multiple communities does not mean the program has the market cornered on All-State talent and state championships across multiple sports.
This past fall, the Wheeler girls soccer team posted a 2-14-1 record in Division II. The Warriors haven’t posted a winning record in RIIL girls soccer since 2018.
The history of Wheeler’s baseball program in the Interscholastic League reveals numerous ebbs and flows, the kind that’s no different from the challenges that confront public schools. For every successful baseball season that ended with a championship, several campaigns culminated with less-than-desirable results.
Between 2012 and 2014, Wheeler posted no more than six league wins against RIIL competition in a single season. Then came an upswing that culminated with Wheeler capturing the Division III baseball title in 2016. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Warriors slumped to identical 8-10 finishes before roaring back to a perfect regular season last spring (12-0).
Upon closer inspection, the success achieved by last year’s baseball team helped mask the fact that Wheeler featured an 11-player varsity roster and no jayvee program.
Similarly, girls basketball at Wheeler was a sport that was healthy, vibrant, and not too far removed from being regarded as one of the best in RIIL Division I. The Warriors won 10 games during the 2019-20 season and posted a 7-2 record during the pandemic-impacted 2021 campaign.
Following the 2021 season the program endured a seismic exodus of talent with players moving on due to graduation and transfers. The pieces that remained formed an inexperienced team that once again was ticketed to compete at the top level in Rhode Island. Public or private, the sight of a substantial wave of talent departing the scene in one fell swoop is a scene that the vast majority of RIIL member schools can speak to regardless of the sport.
“In the RIIL, we are often paired with schools who have much larger enrollments,” said Kelly. “In the NEPSAC, we will play schools that are our size and logistically operate like us. With more scheduling autonomy, in any given year, we will be able to challenge our strongest programs and create consistency with others.”
Sizing up the makeup of the girls’ basketball roster for the 2021-22 season, Wheeler opted to play an independent, non-RIIL schedule. The decision to not field an Interscholastic League girls’ basketball team helped further the belief among Wheeler officials that a change in affiliation would prove beneficial when sizing up the long-term validity of the school’s athletic programs.
“We are excited about our schedule moving forward,” said Kelly, who expressed strong interest in maintaining a foothold with RIIL schools.
“We formed a number of strong relationships with a lot of schools that we wouldn’t have played before 2016. That was an awesome experience for our kids and our community,” said Kelly. “One of the beautiful things about the schedule moving forward is that it’s going to afford us the opportunity to [line up non-league games against Interscholastic League members].”