PLAINVIEW, Neb. -- Talks of conference realignment are stirring up in Nebraska and many schools are supposedly behind it. 

“I'm not closed minded, I'm open to considering I don't necessarily have any very strong allegiances or loyalties,” said Darron Arlt, Plainview Superintendent.

On Monday, the Hartington-Newcastle school board discussed the possibility of inviting seven other teams from neighboring towns to unite into one conference.

The initial purpose was to be able to schedule more junior varsity and reserve games. With only a certain number of schools being invited to potentially kick around the new idea, the only schools that would qualify would have to have strong numbers of athletes. 

“Everything shifts in life including schools and demographics and cooperations and consolidations and such,” Arlt said. “Occasionally, you need to really rethink, you know, how we do things and experiences that we provide for kids and that's what it comes down to.” 

Ultimately by evening the numbers, the intention is to not only be able to schedule more games, but to also even the playing field.

While smaller schools may be left behind in the Lewis and Clark Conference, Arlt doesn’t believe it has anything personal to do with those schools. 

“No, there's no malice, there's no, you know…I don't know that any of the schools that are considering it, whether they're in the Niobrara Valley or the Lewis and Clark, it's not because we don't get along with any other school, or are they, you know, something's happened and we felt somebody, you know, somebody feels mistreated, or somebody's got the upper hand, whatever,” Arlt said. “None of that exists from my perspective at all.”

Some schools were quick to jump at the opportunity, but others wanted to remain loyal to the conference they have been playing in for decades.

“At this time, we, you know, we definitely appreciate the invitation to attend this meeting,” said Josh Weber, Superintendent of Creighton Public Schools. “But at this time, we would feel that it's in our best interest to stay with our current conference. We are, you know, as of right now, a proud member of the Lewis and Clark Conference.”

Due to the possibility that every school invited may not be on board with the decision, it questions the validity of whether or not the conference can actually be brought to fruition. If it does, Weber said there are no hard feelings. 

“If there is another conference, we definitely wish them the best of luck and would not have any hard feelings by any means,” Weber said. “But, you know, each school ultimately needs to look at their students, their programs, their teams and their district and decide what's best for them.”

Nothing is set in stone as there has only been one board meeting. Expect a lot of talk to unfold here in the coming months regarding a potential new conference.