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As we've mentioned many times, conference realignment is often a "hurry up and wait" process. Things change, opinions change, variables change, and the entire thing is very fluid.

It appears we're back to the "wait" part of that statement. After surveying impacted schools in southeast Wisconsin regarding two proposals, and finding significant support for "Option B", WIAA Associate Director Deb Hauser contacted the schools involved recently to indicate she will not be advancing the proposal to the Board of Control for consideration at their June meeting.

"While there is support of Option B, I am still not convinced that the Option B plan is the one I want to take to the Board of Control at this time," her email to school administrators stated. "I don't believe the two divisions of 7 will work, as there will be reluctance on the part of some schools to play the crossover games in football. While it might appease some schools, it may just create a new list of requests from others."

Option B was supported by 35 of 45 schools surveyed initially, and would have merged five conferences into three, with two 7-team divisions in each league.

Hauser indicated she will re-visit the realignment of most southeastern schools, with a goal of sharing a proposal at the September 14th District 7 Area Meeting in Greenfield. Based on discussions there, she would then decide to advance a plan to the Board of Control in October.

She also indicated that this delay would mean the earliest implementation for any realignment plans would be for the 2017-18 school year at the earliest in order to allow conferences to adjust or develop new bylaws and schedules. Previously, plans were on track to be implemented in 2016-17.

This also means that the proposed move of Watertown and Beaver Dam to the Badger Conference is on hold until the entire southeast Wisconsin realignment plan is finalized, and such a move wouldn't be made until 2017-18 at the earliest.

So, we're back to the drawing board a bit on realignment, which is often the case. 

Stay tuned to WisSports.net for the latest and most in-depth news and analysis of the ongoing realignment discussions as they develop.