Growing up in Blanchardville, Wisconsin, baseball was always a huge part of my life. It brought our community together and gave us something to be proud of. However, I recently learned that there are plans to combine our town's team with Argyle for the 2024 baseball season.

As someone who has played on the Pec team for years and has seen firsthand how important it is to our community, I am deeply concerned about this decision. Not only would it hurt our town's baseball identity, but it could also have a negative impact on kids' playing time and potentially cause us to move up a division.

According to research from the National Federation of State High School Associations, combining teams can lead to decreased participation rates and lower overall success on the field. Additionally, studies have shown that smaller schools often struggle when combined with larger ones in terms of resources and funding.

I urge those in charge of making this decision to reconsider their plans and keep Argyle's baseball team separate from Pecatonica. Our community deserves the opportunity to continue fostering a love for the game among its youth without sacrificing their opportunities or identity.

Please sign this petition if you agree that combining Pecatonica and Argyle for the 2024 baseball season would be detrimental to both communities' sports programs