Bainbridge High School wants to keep competing in sports in the Olympic League through 2024.

The Bainbridge Island School District recently received an OK from the school board to apply for that change.

BHS has competed in the Olympic League during COVID-19. Gov. Jay Inslee’s Road to Recovery plan placed Kitsap County schools in the Northwest Region, while Metro League schools in Seattle were placed in the Puget Sound Region. BHS has competed in the Metro League for years.

BHS has seen the benefits of competing in the Olympic League for two seasons and wants that to continue. COVID restrictions and limited capacity for transportation to and from Seattle schools would still be difficult for BHS teams to compete in the Metro League in coming years.

BHS athletic director Jim Corsetti said the athletes have enjoyed a couple of seasons of good competition, “The Olympic League really came to our aid in a time of need due to the COVID pandemic. It has been so good for the physical and social-emotional health of our kids to get to practice and compete.”

Athletic leagues normally run in four-year cycles, but the league changes due to COVID forced BHS to apply mid-cycle for membership in the Olympic League.

Corsetti said it has been nice to see the friendships and connections between athletes in the other Olympic League schools, due to growing up together and playing on select or club teams outside of school. The teams are looking forward to a healthy rivalry with North Kitsap High School that has been rekindled in all the sports.

“That’s the kind of thing that adds school and community spirit to our athletics programs,” Corsetti said.

By competing closer to home, students will miss less class time, require less travel time, and they will get home earlier after away competitions.

BHS athletes have been doing well in the league. Last fall, the Spartans sent several teams to the state playoffs: both girls and boys cross country, the girls volleyball team and the state champion Girls Swim/Dive Team. In addition, the girls soccer team missed district playoffs by one game, and three boys tennis players qualified for the state tournament that takes place in the spring.

One of Corsetti’s favorite experiences was attending the girls’ fastpitch tournament, and they upset Port Angeles and North Kitsap to win the league title. “That team played with so much heart, and they were not the favorites going into the tournament,” Corsetti said, “Our Bainbridge girls gave it all they had and never gave up, and the games were nail biters.”

Applying does not mean slam-dunk approval. Athletic directors in the Olympic League voted against Bainbridge joining last time. Principals had to step in to vote for it to be allowed.