As high school athletics in New Jersey grew in the 1990s and 2000s, problems began to develop in the organization of leagues and conferences.
Transportation costs began to grow, as some conferences had teams from as many as four different counties competing against each other.
The strongest tensions were found in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League, where public schools who were frustrated by the competitive imbalance with non-public schools, especially Don Bosco Preparatory (Ramsey) and Bergen Catholic (Oradell) in football or Immaculate Heart Academy (Township of Washington) in girls' athletics, threatened to secede from the league.
[1] While the original proposal[2] was not accepted as presented, it was adjusted and schools realigned yet again, to create the current system in place in New Jersey athletics.
[3] Pascack Hills High School initially changed its mind about leaving the NJIC to join the Big North, but subsequently asked to be admitted.