The decision comes after years of efforts by Section VI and the schools, with the proposal going to the state because of “Section VI inability to place charter schools into a league as per NYSPHSAA Constitution,” according to agenda items from multiple NYSPHSAA meetings.

The state association’s Constitution calls for schools to be placed in leagues based on “comparable size, similar interests and within reasonable distance of each other.”

That proved easier on paper than in reality, especially with the Covid pandemic intervening. Supporting documents included in the Executive Committee agendas date to a May 2019 email from Tapestry Athletic Director Marc LaMorticella to school officials saying he had a promising conversation with Aubrey Lloyd, the BPS’ athletic director, about the Thunderhawks joining BPS in several sports. Tapestry would eventually apply to join for the 2020-21 year.

“We’ve spent years to get our schools programs to a place where we’re ready to be in a league,” LaMorticella said Monday. “We requested and applied to be in a league in the Buffalo area. This is kind of pre-pandemic and things went through the process. We are honored to be a part of ECIC.”

The placement of Tapestry, Health Sciences, Global Concepts, WNY Maritime, Buffalo Academy of Science and Charter School for Applied for Technologies was turned over to a Section VI committee in the fall of 2021. According to a November 2021 email, the committee had video conferences and sent out surveys to the five schools to get a pulse of what they offer and their thoughts. Maritime responded that it already had “a good relationship with Buffalo” as its basketball and baseball schedules featured mainly BPS opponents and CSAT said it would be staying in the Niagara Frontier League, per its school board. 

Last June, Section VI Executive Director Mark DiFilippo requested that NYSPHSAA place the charter schools.

“These charter schools have been participating in Section VI since the 2009-10 school year as independents,” DiFilippo wrote in an email to NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas. “They have tried to individually get into leagues, which has been unsuccessful.  They recently have requested that Section VI place them into a league since they were unsuccessful in trying to secure spots in our local leagues. … We continue to try to work things out locally but we still do not have consensus on their placement, therefore we are asking you to place these schools for the 2023-24 school year. ”

The placement was a discussion item in the October NYSPHSAA Executive Committee meeting and then voted on last week, with three of the four schools being placed. 

“I believe it’s great we’re starting to federate and diversify our leagues and our communities,” said Michael House, BPS assistant superintendent of athletics. “That’s what sports does, brings people together and helps provide a platform for student achievement. Anytime we can advance our leagues I think it’s in the best interest of the students, parents, families, and coaches.”

House said the schools joining the leagues is a win-win for everybody, as it’ll prepare teams from the city for possible deep playoff runs while giving them stiff opponents throughout the regular season.

“This is a great advancement to support them and get a competitive schedule,” House said. “As athletic directors and coaches, we’re always looking for our teams and leagues to be more competitive and prepare our teams with a strength of schedule. Ultimately, we want to achieve the goals of sectionals and state championships.”

While the change doesn’t impact this school year, Health Sciences could enter BPS as a defending sectional champion in boys basketball. The Falcons currently are 16-1 on a 16-game winning streak and are ranked No. 2 in The News’ large schools poll.

They’ve established themselves as one of the top programs in Western New York, but a challenge they had as an independent, according to coach Ty Parker, was scheduling games.

“I’m extremely excited about it,” Parker said. “We’ve been trying to get into the league for the past four or five years because it’s hard for us to get games. A lot of teams don’t want to play us for whatever reason. I’m a competitor, so we try to play the best teams. I don’t know if that’s every coach’s mindset. By us being independent and certain teams not wanting to play, it’s hard for us to get 20 games. I’m excited to be part of the league now so I know for a fact we’ll get 20 games.”

The Falcons will end the regular-season with 19 games played this season, barring a cancellation. Parker is known for wanting to compete against the best, and his team’s only loss is from No. 1-ranked large school Canisius. Some of Health Science’s opponents this season are St. Mary’s, Lancaster, St. Joe’s, and St. Francis.

“I look forward to playing in the Yale Cup,” Parker said. “I’m glad we still have some non-league games because I enjoy playing some of the best teams in Western New York because I feel like that gets us ready for playoff basketball. I’m extremely happy to be in the league and have the opportunity to still play some of the best teams in Western New York, it’s a blessing for us.”

As for Tapestry, joining a league has been years in the making. LaMorticella has been part of the school since its opening in 2001, with a high school being added in 2009, and has seen the athletics evolve to a point where it became clear they were ready to join a league.

“We are honored to be a part of ECIC,” Lamorticella said. “It’s going to be a great experience for our students, teachers, and coaches to be a part of that league. To have a schedule with schools across Western New York will be great. Being independent my whole career as an independent charter school in Section VI, it is very difficult to create schedules and have consistency in schedules with certain sports. Being a part of a league was almost out of a necessity in the sense that it’s hard to get full schedules and give opportunities to kids, which is what this is all about. We want our kids to have the same opportunities as any other kids at a public school.”

Tapestry’s athletics have grown and just last year the school received a $250,000 grant from the Buffalo Bills to go toward a $2.1 million track and multisport complex in North Buffalo. Having the facilities and compeitive programs are among the reasons why Lamorticella said now is the time for the Thunderhawks to join a league.

“It validates a lot of years of hard work and we couldn’t be happier with where we’re at,” Lamorticella said. “Even as a small school, we’ve had to work hard to get those teams developed and those coaches in place and certified and making sure our facilities are great. We have a brand new track and field I’ve been staring at and haven’t been able to use yet. We’re super pumped to get all of these things going and show it off to all of the schools in Western New York.”