Black Diamond Conference

Infobox Organization
name = Black Diamond Conference


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formation = 1949
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purpose = High school athletic conference
headquarters =
location = Southern Illinois
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membership = 12 schools
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affiliations = Illinois High School Association
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website = [http://www.z-r.frnkln.k12.il.us/vortex/newbdc/ BDC website]
remarks =The Black Diamond Athletic Conference is a high school athletic conference represented by 12 schools in the southern portion of Illinois. The conference offers championships for girls in Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Softball, Track & Field, and Volleyball. In boys sports, the BDC offers championships in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Track & Field, and Wrestling.

History

The Black Diamond Conference was created first as a football-only conference in 1949. The original schools were members of the Coal Belt Conference for other sports.

The original conference schools were Carterville, Christopher, Elkville, Sesser, and Zeigler.

Carbondale University High, a charter member of the Coal Belt Conference, joined the conference in 1963 and remained a member until 1968, when the school closed.

In 1962, Elkville High School Consolidated with Vergennes HS to become Elverado High School and Zeigler High School consolidated with Royalton High School to become Zeigler-Royalton High School.

In 1963, Sesser High School Consolidated with Valier High School to become Sesser-Valier High School.

Trico (Campbell Hill) joined the Black Diamond in 1968 -69 season and won three consecutive BDC Basketball Titles. They left the BDC after the 1970-71 season after failing to start a football program.

Johnston City joined the conference in 1975.

McLeansboro (Now Hamilton Co.) joined for football only in 1990 when Christopher and Zeigler-Royalton combined their football programs.

Cairo and Eldorado joined for football in 1992 for football only.

Eldorado would later join for Girls Basketball and both Boys and Girls Track & Field in 1992.

McLeansboro joined the BDC for Baseball and Boys and Girls Track & Field in 1992.

Carmi/White Co., Fairfield, and Trico (Campbell Hill) joined the BDC in 2003 and Cairo, Eldorado, and Hamilton Co. joined the conference for all sports. The conference was divided into two divisions, East and West.

The West Division consisted of the original five members Carterville, Christopher, Elverado, Sesser-Valier, and Zeigler-Royalton and former member Trico was added to the division. The East consisted of Cairo, Carmi/White Co., Eldorado, Fairfield, Hamilton Co., and Johnston City.

Cairo High School left the conference at the end of the 2007-2008 school year and Vienna High School joins the conference in the 2008-2009 school year. [http://www.z-r.frnkln.k12.il.us/bdchistory&facts/ Black Diamond Conference History and Facts] . Black Diamond Conference. Retrieved on 2008-07-08.]

Current members of the Black Diamond Conference

;East Division [http://www.z-r.frnkln.k12.il.us/vortex/newbdc2/page4.html Directory] . Black Diamond Conference. Retrieved on 2008-07-08.]
*Carmi/White Co. High School (Bulldogs), Carmi, IL
*Eldorado High School (Eagles), Eldorado, IL
*Fairfield High School (Mules), Fairfield, IL
*Hamilton Co. High School (Foxes), McLeansboro, IL
*Johnston City High School (Indians), Johnston City, IL
*Vienna High School (Eagles), Vienna, IL

;West Division
*Carterville High School (Lions), Carterville, IL
*Christopher High School (Bearcats), Christopher, IL
*Elverado High School (Falcons), Elkville, IL
*Sesser-Valier High School (Red Devils), Sesser, IL
*Trico High School (Pioneers), Campbell Hill, IL
*Zeigler-Royalton High School (Tornadoes), Zeigler, IL

References

External links

* [http://www.z-r.frnkln.k12.il.us/vortex/newbdc/ Black Diamond Conference Official Website]