A level playing field?
As a Claremont resident, do you believe the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association is corrupt? This writer certainly does. Let’s take a look at the sport of high school football.
In 2005, Stevens lost a football championship game to Hanover 15-13. In 2013, Stevens lost a football championship to Bow 20-6. Both of these high schools grabbed banners then went back to divisions based on high school population where they previously failed. Has the NHIAA greased the wheels of certain schools to help provide banners? Sure does appear that way.
Why is Lebanon currently in Division III football? They can’t beat Bow or Kennett of Division II, that’s why. If history proves right, Lebanon will win the Division III football championship then move back to their previous division based on population.
In 2019, nothing has changed. The same sport schedule injustice is very alive and well. Case in point, Trinity High School, a private school in Manchester, is scheduled to play football against Stevens next week. Trinity has an open policy for sports recruitment or skimming the cream off the top for local high school athletes. Wait, does Stevens recruit?
Another personal favorite, let’s create a high school all-star football team called Hillsboro-Deering-Hopkinton. Yes, it is true that these kids have no high school football team at the local level, so maybe like the rest of the world, pay your tuition to a school that does offer the program you so desperately need. I’m sure Trinity would welcome you to their school but why bother when the NHIAA allows a regional sports team.
The athletic directors at Stevens, Newport and Kearsarge should immediately drop their individual high school football programs only to combine later as a three-team nonprofit regional football elite. What has been created by the government body of NHIAA?
As a final act, let’s address the Stevens sports programs as a whole being moved from Division III to Division II by way of the NHIAA. This was done why? Was it done because Stevens finally won a sports championship in 2016 for the first time in 30 years in any sport? Or did the NHIAA enjoy a grin with the scramble by all our coaches to petition down? The end result is disturbing.
Certain Stevens sports are being played in Division II, others Division III. For example, girls soccer continues to play Division III while boys soccer plays Division II. Basketball, both boys and girls play Division II though never producing a championship in Division III. A pretty good Division III baseball team now becomes just an instant average team in Division II.
Could these happenings have been prevented? Where was our voice? Who is our voice? Or is it just simply easier and better to get steam rolled athletically by the powers that be in Concord, the NHIAA?
Good Claremont kids with true reachable championship sport dreams are being crushed by external forces. Some would say winning isn’t everything, perhaps, but playing fair is. We can do better, other schools have. Check their banners or wait another 30 years to view one of ours.
John Tursky
Claremont
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