the columbia high school cougars compete in the super essex conference following a reorganization of sports leagues in northern new jersey by the new jersey state interscholastic athletic association njsiaa with  students in grades - the school was classified by the njsiaa for the - school year as north ii group iv for most athletic competition purposes which included schools with an enrollment of  to  students in that grade range prior to the njsiaas  realignment the school had competed as part of the iron hills conference made up of public and private high schools in essex county and union county prior to  the school competed in new jerseys big ten conference