By Regan Edwards
After competing for all of its existence in private school associations that included Mississippi schools, Glenbrook School’s athletic program is joining the Louisiana High School Athletic Association effective with the upcoming school year.
Glenbrook has ended its long-standing involvement with the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, leaving on a high note by capturing the final championship of the 2020-21 academic year, winning the MAIS baseball title.
That was the cornerstone of a very successful spring in athletics for Glenbrook, but had no bearing in the decision to depart the MAIS to affiliate with Louisiana’s much larger – and convenient – high school sports association.
“The move to LHSAA is something that many Glenbrook parents and supporters have been looking at for some time,” said head football coach and athletic director David Feaster, who has coached in the LHSAA throughout nearly all of his highly-accomplished career.
“Recently it became our only option if we were going to continue playing 11-man football because of all the nearby schools in the (MAIS) league are changing to 8-man.”
The main reason for the move, however, is the opportunity to greatly reduce travel costs.
Changes in MAIS districts would have forced Glenbrook teams to travel extremely far distances into Mississippi and south Louisiana. The change to LHSAA will limit the travel and allow them to play against local schools.
“We also look forward to competing against all of the Webster Parish schools in any sport where it’ll be beneficial to both schools,” said Feaster, who previously served as the head coach at Minden High.
“The district that we will be competing in is 1-1A. The teams that are in this district are Arcadia, Calvary, Haynesville, Homer, Lincoln Prep, Magnolia Charter, Plain Dealing, and Ringgold. This season we will not be eligible for postseason play in any sport and it will serve as our probationary year,” said Feaster.
Once Glenbrook becomes eligible for postseason competition in 2022-23, some of the teams that the Apaches could face in the playoffs would be Cedar Creek in Ruston, Ouachita Christian in Monroe, St. Mary’s in Natchitoches, or a former MAIS team, Central Private located in Central.
“There will be quite a few changes, as far as the academics side of it goes, that administration has to deal with, but the day-to-day operations will not be noticed by the students or parents,” Feaster said.
The savings realized by the school, parents and fans in travel expenses, and the excitement generated by competing against nearby schools, will be extremely beneficial, he said.
PHOTO – The 2020 Glenbrook football team
