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Football safety

School board discusses Eagle opportunities

The Youngsville football discussion continues.

Members of the Warren County School District Board of Directors laid out its work so far toward finding options for the program, and heard head football coach Andy Chase and other interested parties speak during its Personnel/Athletics and Co-Curricular Activities committee meeting Monday evening.

Superintendent Amy Stewart said that since the board’s last meeting, in early February, they have had “more time to look at where we’re at.” Because of two canceled games during the 2016-2016 season, Stewart said, District 10 asked the WCSD to investigate the program. As a result of that investigation, Stewart said, the WCSD determined that “we had some variances in the numbers. There were a disproportionate number of serious injuries,” said Stewart, along with other concerns. Two options were put before the decision makers at YHS, said Stewart, including an option recommended by the board – that YHS co-op with the Warren Area High School football program – and that YHS play a junior varsity schedule which, said Stewart, “the decision makers at YHS declined.”

As of Monday, Stewart said, three basic options exist for the board to decide between. The first, said Stewart, is to leave the program as it is, allowing them to go forward with their varsity schedule. The second option would be for the program to continue but on a junior varsity schedule. The third option, Stewart said, would be to co-op the program with the Warren Area High School program. Warren, said Stewart, was the program chosen for YHS to co-op with “simply because of the numbers,” said Stewart, adding that “it’s a numeric formula and warren is really the only place we could take them” based on those numbers.

Concerns over the safety issues were the main issues cited by members of the board including superintendent Stewart, and members Marcy Morgan and Joe Colosimo. “When we look at this issue,” said Stewart, “we’re looking at it in terms of all kids.” And while “a varsity schedule is not something we think we can do at this point, from a safety standpoint,” said Stewart, the choice between adopting a junior varsity schedule or co-opting the program presents unique pros and cons to specific students, respectively.

“A co-op is probably the most conservative and safest choice for kids, but we know fewer Youngsville kids would participate. We know that that travel time is real,” said Stewart. A co-op, however, “assures that there would be a program because a co-op is an opportunity” and by creating that opportunity, said Stewart, “we don’t have to lose a female sport.”

On the other hand, she said, more experienced players that are ready to play in a varsity atmosphere wouldn’t get a lot of play if a junior varsity schedule were adopted, but adopting a JV schedule would address the safety concerns. It sill, said Stewart, carries the risk of the loss of a female program if it fails to work out.

Either way, said Stewart, “there’s a lot to work out in terms of which way we go.”

Board Member Mike Knapp, though, was of a different opinion. “You have to give the coach another year to build the program,” said Knapp, to applause from those who showed up to listen to the board discuss, and to comment on, the issue, including coach Chase, parents, and students. If, however, “they fail I’ll jump to the other side just as fast as anyone else,” Knapp said.

Colosimo answered that “the whole philosophy of another chance introduces collateral damage” in that “if this program tries” to right itself “and fails, a woman’s sport goes as well.”

Issues related to the Youngsville football program such as marching band, cheerleading, and homecoming, Stewart said, could be dealt with if a co-op were the decision.

Coach Chase finished off the evening’s discussion by telling the board “I’m not asking you to save our program. I feel I’m well on my way to doing that myself.” However, Chase said, “I’m not interested in one year’s statistic. I’m interested in the life of this program.” Chase asked board members to consider “how many kids are going to put hard work and dedication into something they don’t know is going to be there” a year from now. If given the chance to develop the program for the coming year, Chase said, “I guarantee that you’ll see the numbers you want to see.”

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