Staff Report / February 23, 2026
Two small Finger Lakes area school districts are taking early steps toward a cooperative athletics partnership that could reshape the sports landscape for students in both communities.
Officials from the Dundee and Hammondsport Central School districts confirmed they are in preliminary talks about combining some of their interscholastic athletic programs beginning with the 2026–27 school year, although no final decisions have been made. The conversations, outlined in letters sent to families by both superintendents, are focused on expanding participation and stabilizing teams amid fluctuating student numbers.
Hammondsport Superintendent Brian Corey and Dundee Superintendent Chris Wood said the discussions are exploratory. If pursued, the collaboration would not affect Dundee’s existing shared programs with Penn Yan — including football, fall cheerleading, and girls wrestling which would continue unchanged.
Smaller school districts across New York often engage in shared-team agreements to help students access a wider range of sports. Under the governance of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), co-ops and mergers are permitted through formal application processes overseen by the appropriate Section office, typically requiring justification based on participation needs and competitive equity.
Hammondsport already participates in cooperative teams with neighboring districts including Campbell-Savona, Avoca, and Prattsburgh, and on a limited basis with Bath-Haverling. Dundee, meanwhile, has a broad partnership with Bradford Central School for most sports.
The push to explore a Dundee-Hammondsport partnership gained momentum after Bradford’s 2025 decision to explore a full district merger, including talks with multiple neighboring schools. While the larger merger discussions, particularly those involving Watkins Glen, drew wider attention, they prompted Dundee to evaluate options that would preserve consistent athletic offerings for its students.
Superintendents from both districts emphasized that any arrangement would be aimed at sustaining athletic programs, making teams more competitive, and preserving opportunities for student-athletes. Enrollment fluctuations at smaller schools often make it difficult to field full teams in every sport, and cooperative agreements can help maintain eligibility and participation levels.
If a partnership proposal moves forward, it must be approved by both boards of education and the relevant athletic governing bodies before teams can form under the new structure for the 2026–27 academic year. Community input is expected to be part of the process, as parents and residents in both districts weigh potential benefits and challenges of shared athletics.
