The Weatherly Area School District is moving forward with a possible plan to join the Hazleton Area School District to play football.

First, the Weatherly School Board voted to approve a Waiver of Conflict Agreement allowing the Slusser Law Firm to represent both the Weatherly Area School District and the Hazleton Area School District pertaining to the Cooperative Sponsorship of the Interscholastic Sports, varsity/junior varsity boys football.

Attorney Christopher Slusser is the solicitor for the Weatherly Area School District.

The original motion said the agreement would be contingent upon “The Slusser Law Firm’s review and approval of the agreement.”

Slusser said he was not comfortable with that part of the motion. After some discussion, it was determined that the Weatherly School Board would need to provide that agreement.

The question of tabling the motions was brought up, but Ryan Binder, board member and head of the Athletic Committee, suggested otherwise.

“I would like to note that the season for summer training, conditioning and everything is coming up,” Binder pointed out.

After some discussion, it was decided that the Weatherly School Board would be the group to review and approve the agreement.

Weatherly Superintendent Dr. Robert Croop addressed a question of cost.

“I have talked to their AD and they told me there would not be a cost,” Croop said. “Now, I do not have that in writing; all I can go off is what they’re telling us.

“The co-ops I’ve worked with in the past, I can’t think of any financial obligation between districts. The main obligation, as always, has been transportation of our own student to Hazleton and back. We’ve said, we will not be dealing with that. We are not offering transportation for our students.”

Slusser suggested the motion read, “The Weatherly Area School District will approve student participation in HASD varsity and junior varsity football beginning in the 2026/2027 school year contingent upon the negotiated agreement between the districts.”

The board voted 8-1 to approve the motion.