The Apollo Conference is a high school athletic conference represented by 6 schools in the central portion of Illinois. It is a member of the Illinois High School Association.

The conference offers championships for girls in basketball, cross country, golf, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. In boys' sports, the Apollo offers championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, track & field, and wrestling.

History

The conference was formed in 1970 by charter members Charleston, Newton, Paris and Robinson who left from the Eastern Illinois Conference. In 1972 Decatur Lakeview and Mt. Zion joined the conference after departing the Cenois Conference. Effingham and Taylorville joined in 1981, leaving the Mid-State Conference. Lakeview closed in 1982, bringing the conference back to seven members. In 1993 Taylorville left to join the newly formed Central State Eight Conference. Olney and Salem joined from the North Egypt Conference, which was dissolved in 2003.

Significant changes have occurred for the Apollo Conference. Founding members Newton and Robinson, as well as Olney, left for the Little Illini Conference in the 2012–13 school year. Mattoon joined the league in that same school year, departing from the Big 12 Conference. Teutopolis was invited to join the conference, but declined the invitation. The Taylorville Tornadoes rejoined the conference in 2014, while another Apollo founding school, Paris, left for the Little Illini Conference. In 2015, Corn Belt Conference member Mahomet-Seymour was accepted into the conference starting with the 2017–2018 school year. Later in the same year, Central State Eight conference member Lincoln was accepted to join in 2017–2018. Shortly after, Salem elected to join the Cahokia Conference in 2017–18. In 2023, Lincoln will leave the conference and head back to their previous league, The Central State Eight.

Geographical concerns and school enrollment has played a part in the switching between Apollo and Little Illini Conferences. Charleston is the only founding member of the conference to stay in the Apollo, while Newton, Paris and Robinson have moved into the LIC

Current members

Apollo Conference is located in Illinois
Apollo Conference Members (clickable map)
SchoolLocation (Population)NicknameColorsAffiliationEnrollment 2022-23Year JoinedPrevious conferenceSchool Website
Charleston High SchoolCharleston, Illinois (20,117)TrojansScarlet and GoldPublic7961970Eastern Illinois Conference
Effingham High SchoolEffingham, Illinois (12,511)Flaming HeartsRed, White and Forest GreenPublic7361981Mid-State Conference
Mahomet-Seymour High SchoolMahomet, Illinois (8,605)BulldogsOrange and NavyPublic9872017Corn Belt Conference
Mattoon High SchoolMattoon, Illinois (17,615)Green WaveGreen and GoldPublic9302012Big Twelve Conference
Mt. Zion High SchoolMount Zion, Illinois (5,795)BravesRed and WhitePublic7631972Cenois Conference
Taylorville High SchoolTaylorville, Illinois (10,360)TornadoesPurple and GoldPublic7561981, 2014Central State Eight Conference

Former members

SchoolNicknameColorsLocationEnrollmentYear DepartedConference Joined
Lakeview High SchoolSpartansDecatur, ILN/A1982School Closed in 1982
Lincoln High SchoolRailsplittersLincoln, IL8102023Central State Eight Conference
Newton Community High SchoolEaglesNewton, IL4342012Little Illini Conference
Paris High SchoolTigersParis, IL5612014Little Illini Conference
Richland County High SchoolTigersOlney, IL7352012Little Illini Conference
Robinson High SchoolMaroonsRobinson, IL4642012Little Illini Conference
Salem Community High SchoolWildcatsSalem, IL6472017Cahokia Conference

Membership timeline

Full members Full members (non-football) Full members (8-man football) Full members (Football Coop) Other Conference Central State Eight Conference Little Illini Conference) Cahokia Conference

See also

External links

  • official website
  • (IHSA) official website
  • . IllinoisPigskin.com (Illinois Pigskin: Fan Focused Coverage of Illinois High School Football)