Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Conference Call

Williamsport played Stroudsburg in high school football a couple weeks ago.  Are you kidding me?  We sent kids on a bus, three hours, on a Friday night, to play high school football?  Some professional teams don't travel that long.

When I was growing up, my high school was in a conference called the Big 11.  Scranton Tech, Central, West, Dunmore, Valley View, Mid Valley, North Pocono, Old Forge, Riverside, Abington Heights and Tunkhannock.  Except for Tunkhannock, all were in Lackawanna County, and all were relatively close.  It made for some great rivalries.  Plus, you could go to a game, have a pizza afterward, and still be home in time for Johnny Carson.

 My school regularly got its clock cleaned.  There were far more losses than wins (including zero wins in my senior year).  In retrospect, my school was too small, too disorganized, too facilities challenged for the Big 11.

My point is someone really has to take a hard look at the high school football conference structure.  There is too much travel, and too few regional rivalries.  It's not good for the players, and it's not good for the fans.  How many of us can devote six hours in a car on a weekend night?

There has to be a better way.