Greater Cleveland Conference

The Greater Cleveland Conference is an OHSAA league that was re-formed to begin play in the 2015–2016 school year.[1][2]

Member Schools

This group of schools uses the name "Greater Cleveland Conference" as Mentor retained the rights to the name from their previous tenure in the GCC. [3] The initial seven members left the Northeast Ohio Conference (NOC) while Euclid came over from the Lake Erie League.[4]

School Nickname Location Colors Type Tenure
Brunswick Blue Devils Brunswick, Ohio Blue & White
   		 Public 2015-
Euclid Panthers Euclid, Ohio Navy Blue & Gold
   		 Public 2015-
Medina Battling Bees Medina, Ohio Green & White
   		 Public 2015-
Mentor Cardinals Mentor, Ohio Scarlet & Gray
   		 Public 2015-
Strongsville Mustangs Strongsville, Ohio Green & White
   		 Public 2015-
Cleveland Heights Tigers Cleveland Heights Black & Gold
   		 Public 2023-
Shaker Heights Red Raiders Shaker Heights Red & White
   		 Public 2023-

History

The inaugural lineup of the reinstated Greater Cleveland Conference[5] began in 2015 with Brunswick, Elyria, Euclid, Medina, Mentor, Shaker Heights, Solon, and Strongsville. Shaker Heights announced in January 2019 that they would leave the GCC to rejoin the Lake Erie League for the 2020–21 school year. The district cited "new and improved leadership in the LEL, better geography and travel times, but also diversity/cultural sensitivity issues" as reasons for leaving.[6] On January 16, 2020, Elyria accepted an invitation to leave for the Southwestern Conference, effective in 2021. These departures left the league with six schools for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 school years.

A unanimous vote on April 13, 2022, granted approval for Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights of the Lake Erie League to join the conference beginning with the 2023-24 school year.[7] Later that year in September, Solon announced plans to leave for the Suburban League, at the conclusion of the current school year, a year earlier than conference bylaws allowed. At its December 2022 meeting, the GCC approved Solon's departure for all sports except for football, citing difficulties scheduling with seven teams. Under the agreement, Solon football will play the 2023 season in the GCC while all other sports will begin play in the Suburban League. Football will join the Suburban League in 2024.[8]

References
  1. "Football Historical Games By Season" (PDF). Mayfield City Schools. mayfieldschools.org. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  2. "Chagrin Falls, Orange school boards approve efforts to create new athletic conference". 25 September 2013.
  3. "Elyria and Lorain County news | Chronicle Telegram".
  4. "High school sports: Euclid to join Greater Cleveland Conference in 2015-16". 17 April 2014.
  5. "Football Historical Games By Season" (PDF). Mayfield City Schools. mayfieldschools.org. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. WKYC Staff (January 11, 2019). "Shaker Heights to leave Greater Cleveland Conference, says athletes have dealt with 'multiple instances' of racial slurs". WKYC. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  7. "Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights approved to join Greater Cleveland Conference in 2023". 13 April 2022.
  8. Noland, Rick (December 2, 2022). "Solon's move to Suburban League delayed by football season". Medina County Gazette. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
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