Due to Rio’s recent success in the Capital Athletic League (CAL), the school will transfer into an improved sports league, the Capital Valley Conference (CVC), next year.

 The other schools participating in this new league will be Bella Vista, Vista Del Lago, Christian Brothers, Ponderosa, Woodcreek, and Inderkum. 

Every four or five years, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) realigns teams based on school population and athletic success to match up with other schools.

“COVID delayed the realignment,” Athletic Director WIlliam Taylor said. “[The] last time we realigned was 2018. We liked the league from the very beginning.”

Each school puts in a request for who they want to match with. CIF directors propose matches and then sports directors from each school argue which league would fit them best.

Taylor, along with athletic directors from other schools, came together for multiple meetings to create a league that benefits all of the participating teams. 

Rio was originally in the CVC from the 1960s to the 1990s. In 1998 Rio moved into the CAL.

One major point of emphasis for this new league was making sure there wasn’t a dropoff in the level of each school. 

“This is going to be a big-time D2 league,” Taylor said. “This new league will better prepare teams for playoffs.” 

Without rival El Camino in this new league, Bella Vista is looking the most likely to fill that spot.