SWISS Conference
{{Short description|Former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin and Illinois}}
The Southern Wisconsin and Illinois Small Schools Conference, more commonly referred to as the SWISS Conference, is a former high school athletic conference. It was in existence from 1982 to 2006, and consisted primarily of private schools in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
History
= 1982-1996 =
{{OSM Location map
| title =
| coord = {{coord|42.67500|-88.5000}}
| float = right
| zoom = 8
| width = 250
| height = 250
| mark-size1=10
| mark-title1=Heritage Christian
| mark-coord1={{coord|42.9812|-88.0911}} | mark-description1=Location:
| shape-color1=#ba0c2f | shape1=circle
| mark-title2=Keith Country Day School
| mark-coord2={{coord|42.2864|-89.0624}} | mark-description2=Location:
| shape-color2=#002d6c | shape2=circle
| mark-title3=Parkway Christian
| mark-coord3={{coord|42.8457|-87.8918}} | mark-description3=Location:
| shape-color3=#041e42 | shape3=circle
| mark-title4=University Lake School
| mark-coord4={{coord|43.1002|-88.3775}} | mark-description4=Location:
| shape-color4=#115740 | shape4=circle
| mark-title5=Waukegan Christian
| mark-coord5={{coord|42.3387|-88.0420}} | mark-description5=Location:
| shape-color5=#ffc72c | shape5=circle
| caption = Location of Original SWISS Conference Members
| auto-caption=
| wrap=wrap}}
The SWISS Conference was formed in 1982 by five small private high schools in Wisconsin and Illinois: Heritage Christian School in New Berlin, Keith Country Day School in Rockford, Parkway Christian Academy in Oak Creek, University Lake School in Hartland and Waukegan Christian School.{{Cite news |date=28 January 1982 |title=ULS to join new league |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1100834369/?match=1&terms=%22swiss%20conference%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Oconomowoc Enterprise |pages=4, Section 2}} Faith Christian School in Williams Bay became the sixth member of the SWISS Conference in 1983,{{Cite news |date=5 April 1984 |title=Photo insert (no title) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/588498112/?match=1&terms=%22swiss%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Lake Geneva Regional News |pages=12}} and the arrival of Brookfield Academy brought the membership total to seven schools the next year.{{Cite news |date=8 December 1984 |title=Brookfield Academy 75, Parkway Christian 55 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1067455347/?match=1&terms=%22swiss%20conference%22%20%22brookfield%20academy%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Waukesha County Freeman |pages=3B}} In 1989, two years after attaining membership in the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association, Heritage Christian School left the SWISS Conference for membership in the Midwest Classic Conference.{{Cite news |last=LeCount |first=Randy |date=1 September 1989 |title=Rebels have all the ingredients |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/343020253/?match=1&terms=%22heritage%20christian%22%20%22midwest%20classic%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Racine Journal Times |pages=65}} Christian Life School in Kenosha replaced them that same year.{{Cite news |date=30 November 1989 |title=Christian Life School joins SWISS Conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/597878705/?match=1&terms=%22swiss%20conference%22%20%22christian%20life%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Kenosha News |pages=22}} In 1990, the SWISS Conference added three new members: Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Berean Baptist Christian School in Rockford and Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan.{{Cite book |last=Unknown |url=https://history.aramlibrary.org/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=8f40c279-cedf-4972-a418-334a285d85cc/WDA00000/00000006/00000017 |title=1991 Wisconsin School for the Deaf |publisher=unknown |volume=112 |location=unknown}}
= 1996-2006 =
{{OSM Location map
| title =
| coord = {{coord|42.6750|-88.5500}}
| float = right
| zoom = 8
| width = 250
| height = 250
| mark-size1=10
| mark-title1=Berean Baptist
| mark-coord1={{coord|42.3016|-89.1470}} | mark-description1=Location:
| shape-color1=#6f2c3f | shape1=circle
| mark-title2=Faith Christian
| mark-coord2={{coord|42.5736|-88.5710}} | mark-description2=Location:
| shape-color2=#69b3e7 | shape2=circle
| mark-title3=Keith Country Day School
| mark-coord3={{coord|42.2864|-89.0624}} | mark-description3=Location:
| shape-color3=#002d6c | shape3=circle
| mark-title4=University Lake School
| mark-coord4={{coord|43.1002|-88.3775}} | mark-description4=Location:
| shape-color4=#115740 | shape4=circle
| mark-title5=Westlake Christian
| mark-coord5={{coord|42.3387|-88.0420}} | mark-description5=Location:
| shape-color5=#ffc72c | shape5=circle
| mark-title6=Wisconsin School for the Deaf
| mark-coord6={{coord|42.6331|-88.6436}} | mark-description6=Location:
| shape-color6=#ba0c2f | shape6=circle
| caption = Location of Final SWISS Conference Members
| auto-caption=
| wrap=wrap}}
The SWISS Conference would remain at ten members until 1996, when Brookfield Academy was invited to join the Midwest Classic Conference.{{Cite news |date=10 February 1996 |title=Crusaders handle Brookfiele |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/242097333/?match=2&terms=%E2%80%9Cmidwest%2520classic%E2%80%9D%2520%E2%80%9Cbrookfield%2520academy%E2%80%9D |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Sheboygan Press |pages=14}} Two years later, Abundant Life Christian left the SWISS Conference to compete as an independent during the merger between WISAA and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.{{Cite news |last=Reeves |first=Jeremy |date=5 March 1999 |title=Abundant Life realizes dream |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/522230508/?match=1&terms=%22swiss%20conference%22%20%22abundant%20life%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=The Capital Times |pages=20}} In 2005, Christian Life exited for membership in the Midwest Classic Conference{{Cite news |date=16 December 2004 |title=NOTEBOOK/Realignment in MCC |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/343610202/?match=1&terms=%22midwest%20classic%22%20realignment%20%22christian%20life%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Racine Journal Times |pages=4C}} and Parkway Christian Academy joined the Indian Trails Conference,{{Cite news |date=30 November 2005 |title=BOYS (from Page 1C), Union Grove Christian 49, Oak Creek Parkway Christian 39 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/343417763/?match=1&terms=%22parkway%20christian%22%20%22indian%20trails%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Racine Journal Times |pages=34}} bringing membership down to six schools. The SWISS Conference was disbanded in 2006,{{Cite news |date=29 August 2006 |title=New ULS volleyball team takes the court |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1096844054/?match=1&terms=%22swiss%20conference%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Living Oconomowoc Focus |pages=18}} and its member schools were dispersed to other conference. Wisconsin School for the Deaf rejoined the Indian Trails Conference in 2006.{{Cite news |date=8 December 2006 |title=PREPS (from Page 1C), Union Grove Christian 57, Wisconsin School for the Deaf 42 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/342222201/?match=1&terms=%22wisconsin%20school%20for%20the%20deaf%22%20%22indian%20trails%22 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Racine Journal Times |pages=26}} The other two Wisconsin-based members of the SWISS Conference (Faith Christian School and University Lake School){{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=Faith Christian Boys Basketball History |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/wi/williams-bay/faith-christian-eagles/basketball/history/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=MaxPreps}}{{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=University Lake School Boys Basketball History |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/wi/hartland/university-lake/basketball/history/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=MaxPreps}} and two of the three Illinois-based schools (Berean Baptist and Keith Country Day){{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=Berean Christian Boys Basketball History |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/il/rockford/berean-christian-kingsmen/basketball/history/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=MaxPreps}}{{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=Keith Country Day Boys Basketball History |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/il/rockford/keith-country-day-cougars/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=MaxPreps}} became members of the Indian Trails Conference in 2007 after competing as independents. The final school, Westlake Christian Academy in Grayslake, also competed as an independent.{{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=Westlake Christian Academy Boys Basketball History |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/il/grayslake/westlake-christian-academy-eagles/basketball/history/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=MaxPreps}}{{clear}}
Conference membership history
| class="wikitable sortable"
!School !Location !Affiliation !Enrollment !Mascot !Colors !Joined !Left !Conference Joined !Current Conference |
| Heritage Christian
|Private (Protestant) |Patriots |{{color box|ba0c2f}} {{color box|0032a0}} | colspan="2" |Midwest Classic |
| Keith Country Day
|Private (Nonsectarian) |Cougars |{{color box|ba0c2f}} {{color box|002d6c}} |Independent |
| Parkway Christian
|Private (Baptist) |N/A |Flames |{{color box|041e42}} {{color box|d50032}} |Closed in 2009 |
| University Lake School
|Private (Nonsectarian) |Lakers |{{color box|115740}} {{color box|white}} |Independent |
| Westlake Christian
|Private (Nondenominational Christian) |Eagles |{{color box|ffc72c}} {{color box|0032a0}} |Independent |
| Faith Christian
|Private (Nondenominational Christian) |Eagles |{{color box|69b3e7}} {{color box|002d6c}} |Independent |
| Brookfield Academy
|Private (Nonsectarian) |Blue Knights |{{color box|041e42}} {{color box|ffc72c}} | colspan="2" |Midwest Classic |
| Christian Life
|Private (Nondenominational Christian) |Eagles |{{color box|black}} {{color box|005eb8}} | colspan="2" |Midwest Classic |
| Abundant Life Christian
|Private (Nondenominational Christian) |Challengers |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|white}} |Independent |
| Berean Baptist Christian
|Private (Baptist) |Kingsmen |{{color box|6f2c3f}} {{color box|a2aaad}} |Independent |
| Wisconsin School for the Deaf
|Public (State, Special Needs) |Firebirds |{{color box|ba0c2f}} {{color box|ffc72c}} | colspan="2" |Indian Trails |
Membership timeline
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1982 till:2006
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:m
bar:1 color:tan1 from:1982 till:1989 text:Heritage Christian School (1982-1989)
bar:2 color:tan1 from:1982 till:2006 text:Keith Country Day School (IL) (1982-2006)
bar:3 color:tan1 from:1982 till:2005 text:Parkway Christian Academy (1982-2005)
bar:4 color:tan1 from:1982 till:2006 text:University Lake School (1982-2006)
bar:5 color:tan1 from:1982 till:1995 text:Waukegan Christian School (IL) (1982-1995)
bar:5 color:tan1 from:1995 till:2006 text:Westlake Christian Academy (IL) (1995-2006)
bar:6 color:tan1 from:1983 till:2006 text:Faith Christian School (1983-2006)
bar:7 color:tan1 from:1984 till:1996 text:Brookfield Academy (1984-1996)
bar:8 color:tan1 from:1989 till:2005 text:Christian Life School (1989-2005)
bar:9 color:tan1 from:1990 till:1998 text:Abundant Life Christian School (1990-1998)
bar:10 color:tan1 from:1990 till:2006 text:Berean Baptist Christian School (IL) (1990-2006)
bar:11 color:tan1 from:1990 till:2006 text:Wisconsin School for the Deaf (1990-2006)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1982
List of state champions
= Fall sports =
| class="wikitable"
|+Girls Tennis !School !Year !Organization |
| Brookfield Academy
|WISAA |
= Winter sports =
None
= Spring sports =
None
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wisconsin high school athletic conferences}}
{{Illinois High School Association}}
Category:Wisconsin high school sports conferences
Category:Illinois high school sports conferences
Category:Sports organizations established in 1982
Category:1982 establishments in Wisconsin
Category:1982 establishments in Illinois