Norristown has officially joined the Pioneer Athletic Conference.

                On Feb. 17, the conference members voted to approve the school district's application to join, according to Steve Perlstein, Upper Perkiomen's Athletic Director.  The vote was unanimous, according to a news release from Perlstein.

                The Eagles will begin competing in the 10-team conference during the 2016-17 school year, according to the news release.  It states that Norristown's three middle schools, East Norriton, Eisenhower and Stewart, will begin competing with the conference's middle school next fall.

                Final acceptance into the conference required a three-fourth majority, or eight affirmative votes, of the member schools, according to Perlstein.

                Previously, Perlstein wrote in an email that Norristown's addition to the conference can spark "continued expansion with the leagues goal of providing athletic parody among member schools."  He also stated that the addition would allow Upper Perkiomen student-athletes and teams to "broaden their competition base and eventually allow our teams to play against schools of like size and competitiveness."

                Perlstein played a role in recruiting Norristown to join the Pioneer Athletic Conference.

                In January, as a member of PAC-10 Membership/Expansion Committee, he participated in two informational presentations.  Initially, the members of the committee, designed to address league membership and expansion opportunities, met with a group of parents, coaches, school board members and district administrators from Norristown High School, according to Perlstein.

                He said one week later, the committee, which includes Judith Landis, the principal of Methacton High School, Gary Derenzo, the athletic director at Pottsgrove, Paul Speiwak, Methacton's athletic director and Pat Connors, Pottstown's athletic director, made a similar presentation at a Norristown School Board workshop meeting.

                Both presentations lasted approximately 45 minutes, according to Perlstein. He wrote in an email that various "questions and concerns were raised and answered" during both sessions.

                On Jan. 29, Norristown's school board voted 9-0 to in favor of making application to the conference for membership.