History of the Ohio Capital Conference
On December 6, 1966 five schools met at Millers Village Inn in Gahanna to discuss the formation of a new athletic conference and to develop a proposed conference constitution. The conference was created as a result of suburban enrollment growth and a changing landscape around central Ohio leagues due to the collapse of the original Central Buckeye League.
The conference currently inc
The league brought together schools from the Central Buckeye League, Franklin County League, Metropolitan League, and the Mid-8 League.
The original five principals and athletic directors to attend the meeting were:
- Gahanna-Lincolng - Ben Webb and Byron Prushing (member of the Mid-8 League)
- Reynoldsburg - Joe Endry and Bill Starner (member of the Metropolitan Leauge)
- Westerville (South) - Dana Aukerman and Walt Bahorek (member of the Mid-8)
- Whitehall-Yearling - Bob Strohm and Ray Schick (member of the Metropolitan)
- Worthington (Thomas) - Lou Koloze and Dick West (member of the Franklin County League)
Acting Chairman Joe Endry of Reynoldsburg started a discussion for a name for the proposed new conference, and out of several suggestions Ohio Capital Conference was unanimously chosen. The proposed constitution was reviewed and discussed and the new document was approved and signed by the five schools.
The new conference would begin play during the 1968-69 school year and invitations were sent to Delaware Hayes (from the Central Buckeye League), Mount Vernon (Central Buckeye), and Pleasant View (absorbed into Westland from the Metropolitan League). All three schools accepted before that first season in 1968.
In 1974 two more schools, Groveport-Madison and Hilliard (Davidson) joined from the Mid-8 League
Westerville opened a second high school in 1977. The original Westerville High School became South and the new Westerville North joined the conference along with Chillicothe from the Central Ohio League. The two members meant a move to two divisions for the first time. Teams were split by enrollment with a rule that "sister" schools be placed in separate divisions.
Original divisions:
Ohio: Chillicothe, Gahanna-Lincoln, Groveport-Madison, Westerville South, Westland, Worthington
Capital: Delaware Hayes, Hilliard, Mount Vernon, Reynoldsburg, Westerville North, Whitehall-Yearling.
In 1981, four more schools joined. Grove City and Upper Arlington came from the Central Ohio League, Franklin Heights from the Metro, and Pickerington from the Mid-State League. Renoldsburg and Chillicothe were swapped between the divisions.
The new divisional alignment:
Ohio (8 teams): Gahanna-Lincoln, Grove City, Groveport-Madison, Reynoldsburg, Upper Arlington, Westerville South, Westland, Worthington
Capital (8 teams): Chillicothe, Delaware Hayes, Franklin Heights, Hilliard, Mount Vernon, Pickerington, Westerville North, Whitehall-Yearling.
In 1987 Reynoldsburg moved to the Capital with Westerville North joining the Ohio.
The next round of expansion occurred in 1991 with Dublin (Coffman), Marysville, Watkins Memorial, and Worthington Kilbourne joining. Dublin and Marysville joined from the second Central Buckeye League, Watkins Memorial from the Licking County League, and Kilbourne was a new school from the Worthington school district.
A third division, the "Central," was created:
Ohio (6 teams): Dublin, Gahanna-Lincoln, Groveport-Madison, Westerville South, Westland, Thomas Worthington
Capital (8 teams): Delaware Hayes, Franklin Heights, Marysville, Mount Vernon, Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Watkins Memorial, Whitehall-Yearling
Central (6 teams): Chillicothe, Grove City, Hilliard, Upper Arlington, Westerville North, Worthington Kilbourne
Over the last 30 years the growth of the OCC has matched the growth of Central Ohio as a whole with districts expanding to multiple high schools and districts that were once considered rural now being a part of the Columbus suburbs. The OCC will continue to lead the way not only across central Ohio, but as one of the top conferences in the state of Ohio.
The conference currently inc
The league brought together schools from the Central Buckeye League, Franklin County League, Metropolitan League, and the Mid-8 League.
The original five principals and athletic directors to attend the meeting were:
- Gahanna-Lincolng - Ben Webb and Byron Prushing (member of the Mid-8 League)
- Reynoldsburg - Joe Endry and Bill Starner (member of the Metropolitan Leauge)
- Westerville (South) - Dana Aukerman and Walt Bahorek (member of the Mid-8)
- Whitehall-Yearling - Bob Strohm and Ray Schick (member of the Metropolitan)
- Worthington (Thomas) - Lou Koloze and Dick West (member of the Franklin County League)
Acting Chairman Joe Endry of Reynoldsburg started a discussion for a name for the proposed new conference, and out of several suggestions Ohio Capital Conference was unanimously chosen. The proposed constitution was reviewed and discussed and the new document was approved and signed by the five schools.
The new conference would begin play during the 1968-69 school year and invitations were sent to Delaware Hayes (from the Central Buckeye League), Mount Vernon (Central Buckeye), and Pleasant View (absorbed into Westland from the Metropolitan League). All three schools accepted before that first season in 1968.
In 1974 two more schools, Groveport-Madison and Hilliard (Davidson) joined from the Mid-8 League
Westerville opened a second high school in 1977. The original Westerville High School became South and the new Westerville North joined the conference along with Chillicothe from the Central Ohio League. The two members meant a move to two divisions for the first time. Teams were split by enrollment with a rule that "sister" schools be placed in separate divisions.
Original divisions:
Ohio: Chillicothe, Gahanna-Lincoln, Groveport-Madison, Westerville South, Westland, Worthington
Capital: Delaware Hayes, Hilliard, Mount Vernon, Reynoldsburg, Westerville North, Whitehall-Yearling.
In 1981, four more schools joined. Grove City and Upper Arlington came from the Central Ohio League, Franklin Heights from the Metro, and Pickerington from the Mid-State League. Renoldsburg and Chillicothe were swapped between the divisions.
The new divisional alignment:
Ohio (8 teams): Gahanna-Lincoln, Grove City, Groveport-Madison, Reynoldsburg, Upper Arlington, Westerville South, Westland, Worthington
Capital (8 teams): Chillicothe, Delaware Hayes, Franklin Heights, Hilliard, Mount Vernon, Pickerington, Westerville North, Whitehall-Yearling.
In 1987 Reynoldsburg moved to the Capital with Westerville North joining the Ohio.
The next round of expansion occurred in 1991 with Dublin (Coffman), Marysville, Watkins Memorial, and Worthington Kilbourne joining. Dublin and Marysville joined from the second Central Buckeye League, Watkins Memorial from the Licking County League, and Kilbourne was a new school from the Worthington school district.
A third division, the "Central," was created:
Ohio (6 teams): Dublin, Gahanna-Lincoln, Groveport-Madison, Westerville South, Westland, Thomas Worthington
Capital (8 teams): Delaware Hayes, Franklin Heights, Marysville, Mount Vernon, Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Watkins Memorial, Whitehall-Yearling
Central (6 teams): Chillicothe, Grove City, Hilliard, Upper Arlington, Westerville North, Worthington Kilbourne
Over the last 30 years the growth of the OCC has matched the growth of Central Ohio as a whole with districts expanding to multiple high schools and districts that were once considered rural now being a part of the Columbus suburbs. The OCC will continue to lead the way not only across central Ohio, but as one of the top conferences in the state of Ohio.
