Six schools, one team? Burgeoning of high school co-ops brings on extremes

Rumors circulated last summer about the fate of struggling metro area girls hockey programs, leaving players to joke among themselves about future alliances.

Aurelia Meza of St. Paul Academy and Lily Keefe of Burnsville, defenders on teams looking for co-operative partners to achieve required numbers, laughed it up during summer hockey sessions.

"We said, 'How hilarious would it be if our teams combined?'" Meza said. "Then she texted me when the news broke out and said, 'I guess we are playing together.'"

https://www.startribune.com/high-school-sports-cooperative-programs-co-ops-minnesota-girls-hockey-metro-south-phoenix/600247845/