Norwich - Mark Friese, the principal at Stonington High School and spokesman for his colleagues, said it with a measure of satisfaction early Friday afternoon:

"We are going to remain a conference," Friese said, following the Eastern Connecticut Conference Board of Directors meeting at Norwich Free Academy.

The league principals adopted a two-division scheduling system based on program strength, beginning next winter. They also voted to ban scheduling opt-outs that allow schools not to play each other and to begin the process of searching for the first ECC commissioner.

Friese said the entire league was in agreement and expects that East Lyme, which had explored interest in the Southern Connecticut Conference, is staying in the ECC.

"Everyone was truly on board with putting a product together that's best for all the kids in the conference," Friese said. "Everybody's in. No wavering. We walked out as everybody hoped: a united front. We have some tweaking to do, but I think this is a program that works for everybody."

One athletic director called the two-divisional system "fair and equitable. It's all anybody can ask for."

The scheduling system, or "power scheduling" will be based on program strength and vary depending on the sport.

"As an example," Friese said. "New London might be up in one sport and down in another. We're going to assign an athletic director to be put in charge of each sport and then use a three-member panel to vet the process. It's more than one person's input. That panel will present the proposal to the Board of Directors.

"We're doing it this way to ensure the right teams are in the right divisions. If a small school has an 80 percent winning percentage, it doesn't necessarily mean that school will be in the larger division. We want to make sure this is a program that works for everybody."

Friese said next fall's schedule will be based on enrollment and that this new scheduling format begins with the next winter season.

The principals believe that the new scheduling format will make the opt-out option unnecessary. League schools have been allowed to play each other in divisional "cross-over" games. The policy has caused consternation among some athletic directors amid their difficulties in completing schedules.

Friese said there is no timetable as to when a commissioner is named, but that the league will draft a job description.

"We all agree that we need a commissioner," Friese said. "All in all, a good day. We still have some things to fine tune, but in the end, we are going to remain the ECC."

m.dimauro@theday.com

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