DMPS Announces Membership in the Iowa Alliance Conference

11 Iowa High Schools to Begin Competition in 2022-23 School Year

IAC Logo HighResDes Moines Public Schools is today announcing its membership in a new high school athletic league: the Iowa Alliance Conference. Eleven of Iowa’s largest high schools will begin competing in the new conference, developed to enhance competition and participation among schools with long-time rivalries, with the start of the 2022-23 school year.

“This change is about providing our students with more opportunities to participate, compete and succeed,” noted Dr. Thomas Ahart, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. “I am excited for what this will mean for our high schools and all members of the new conference.”

The Iowa Alliance Conference will be divided into two divisions and consist of the following high schools:

  • North – Ames, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Mason City, and Waterloo East
  • South – Des Moines East, Hoover, Lincoln, North, Ottumwa, and Roosevelt

Currently 10 of the 11 schools compete in the Central Iowa Metropolitan League. Waterloo East is joining the IAC from the Mississippi Valley Conference.

Athletic directors and administrators from the member school districts have been working over the past several months on establishing the new conference. Positive considerations in forming the alliance include:

  • More competitive equity between the member high schools;
  • Greater similarities among the member high schools;
  • Increased competition and success for greater student participation and engagement;
  • Increased competition and success in order to hire, support and retain coaches;
  • Greater flexibility in decision-making and scheduling within a smaller conference;
  • Maintain historic rivalries between central Iowa high schools.

“The Iowa Alliance Conference meets the needs and interests of not only our DMPS high schools but all members, and lays the groundwork for all students, coaches and teams to have more opportunities to succeed,” added Jason Allen, the school district’s director of activities.

Next year’s schedules for the Iowa Alliance Conference will be posted at a later date. The new conference will first compete in Cross Country, Boys Golf, Girls Swimming and Volleyball starting next August.

Click here to download versions of the Iowa Alliance Conference logo.