MOOSEHEART, IL, July 28 - In just a bit more than two weeks, high school athletes around the state of Illinois will gather for their first fall-sport practices.

When Mooseheart's football and volleyball athletes gather on Aug. 12 in preparation for their 2009 seasons, they do so as members of the new Northeastern Athletic Conference.

The buzz from having an overarching conference in which all the school's teams will compete is spreading.

"I met with the volleyball coaches this week and told them they're not just playing for the playoffs at the end of the season now," Mooseheart Superintendent of Education and football coach Gary Urwiler said. "Now they've playing for the conference title, and they've got something to strive for each and every game. It'll bring a different motivation piece and maybe allow them to aspire to win that conference championship."

The NAC includes the following teams: Mooseheart, Alden-Hebron, Chicago International Charter School (CICS)/Longwood, Hope Academy, Kirkland-Hiawatha, Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA), Keith School, Lake Forest Academy, Luther North, Luther South, North Shore Country Day, Rockford Christian, Rockford Christian Life and Westminster Christian.

The new conference unifies the entirety of Mooseheart's athletic program into one conference for the first time in several years. Last year, football, wrestling, and boys' and girls' track teams competed in the Indian Trails Conference -- while volleyball and boys' and girls' basketball competed as independents. Even for the teams that have existed in a conference setting, the NAC represents a forward move.

"I'm just looking at it from a logistical standpoint," Urwiler said. "We've had to go out and find opponents and, the last couple of years, it's been a struggle for us to find the one opponent and fill the void in our schedule. It's reassuring to know you have 10 or 12 schools, depending on the sport, to pull from as an opponent."

Both Mooseheart fall athletic teams open with home contests. The football team hosts North Shore Country Day on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. Kristin Shuman begins her second season as Red Ramblers volleyball coach when her team hosts Kirkland-Hiawatha on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m.

"As far as football goes, I'm a little bit nervous," Urwiler said. "But it's a good feeling of nervousness. We've got a nucleus of teams that we've played. Then there are some new teams where we're not aware of their style or their level of play. It'll be nice to get out there and to see where in the puzzle we fit in. Hopefully we'll put a team out there that will be competitive."

One return to past habits for the football team is a trip to Camp Ross for the opening of preseason practice. Camp Ross is a 150-acre camp owned by the Moose fraternity located near Mt. Morris, IL. The Ramblers were unable to have practices there in 2008, and Urwiler said he is looking forward to Aug. 12 when he can take his players there again.

"Last year was one of the first times in my coaching career that we were unable to do that," Urwiler said. "It's something I definitely feel we need to do. I'm going to go back to some old-school stuff, and set the groundwork this year on what it means to be a man of good character, what you are, even when no one's watching. I very much want to be competitive. But I also believe in the development of our young men and helping them to be better men in the future. Our trip to Camp Ross begins that process."

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,800 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S. , Canada , Great Britain and Bermuda . Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.
  
Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1.
  
Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.
  
Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 230 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a fully functioning branch of Fifth Third Bank.
  
In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville , FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.mooseintl.org, www.mooseheart.org ., www.moosehaven.org , or call 630-966-2229.