The Lake Conference is the conference for five high schools in the southern and western metro areas of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The purpose of the different conferences, much like in professional sports, is to group the many different high schools in the region together based primarily on location.
The Lake Conference was originally formed in 1932 with the charter members being Hopkins, Minnetonka, Mound, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis University High School and Wayzata. The name originates from the fact that most of these schools were located in cities where lakes were abundant. It also derives from the fact that Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes. All of these schools have since departed, with a majority of them going to the Classic Lake Conference. Until 1993, Lake was split into two divisions (Lake Red and Lake Blue), most of the departed schools had been in Lake Blue. These included Robbinsdale Armstrong, Minnetonka, Edina, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Wayzata, and Robbinsdale Cooper. Richfield also departed to the Classic Lake, but was soon to leave due to a fast declining enrollment and changing demographics.
The departure of the Classic Lake Schools changed the face of the conference forever. All departed schools have sought to rejoin their old conference. The classic line up of the 1970s was: Wayzata High School, Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, Robbinsdale Cooper High School, Robbinsdale High School (closed 1982), Minnetonka High School, Hopkins Lindbergh High School (now Hopkins High School), Hopkins Eisenhower High School (now Eisenhower Community Center), St. Louis Park High School, Edina East High School (now Edina Community Center), Edina West High School (now Edina High School), Richfield High School, Bloomington Lincoln High School (closed in 1982), Bloomington Jefferson High School, and Bloomington Kennedy High School.
In 1957, Bloomington High School entered. This district later divided into Bloomington Lincoln and Kennedy in 1965 and Jefferson High School who joined in 1970. Burnsville entered in 1976. Apple Valley, Rosemount and Eden Prairie joined in 1986. Eagan came in 1990; Lakeville in 1993; Chaska in 1994; Eastview High School in 1997 and Lakeville South in 2005. The school previously known as Lakeville now has the name Lakeville North. Chanhassen opened and became a member in the fall of 2009. In the 2010-2011 academic year, Apple Valley, Bloomington Jefferson, Bloomington Kennedy, Burnsville, Eagan, Eastview, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, and Rosemount will form a new conference called the South Suburban Conference. Prior Lake will leave the Missota Conference will go form the South Suburban with the Lake teams forming the South Suburban. Also, Chaska and Chanhassen will join the Missota conference in 2010. Eden Prairie will stay in the Lake Conference while Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Wayzata will join the Lake to disband the Classic Lake Conference.
The mission of the Lake Conference is to promote and recognize excellence by providing quality experiences for students in programs of academics, arts, athletics and activities. The Lake Conference conducts its activities under the auspices of and in concert with the Minnesota State High School League.
The Lake Conference prides itself on being one of the premier high school conferences in the state of Minnesota. Currently member schools compete in 27 interscholastic sports and 14 fine arts activities.
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