Good, bad, but mostly indifferent.
That about sums up the response Sharon Springs Central School administrators have gotten to the possibility of combining spring sports with Cherry Valley-Springfield.
Superintendent Pat Green expects to make a recommendation to the school board on the long-discussed move at their December 10 meeting.
His concern is that there aren’t really enough players to sustain either a baseball or a softball team especially if someone gets hurt or can’t play because of academic ineligibility.
Administrators have proposed merging those two SSCS teams with CV-S’s.
The possibility of a merged track and field team--a sport SSCS doesn’t have--is also being discussed.
Last Monday, school board members said they haven’t heard much discussion about merging the teams--that in itself says a lot--but both Laura Jackson and Jim MacFadden said their sons, who play baseball, are strongly opposed to the idea.
“I’ve heard them say that they’re not going to Cherry Valley,” Mr. MacFadden said. “That they’ll find more people [for the team] or they won’t play. We’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t.”
Ms. Jackson said she’s heard the same thing: “If they’re going to play, they’re going to play as Spartans in Sharon. We need to convince the kids…”
Board member Helen Roberts said she’s been to a lot of alumni events lately and no one’s even brought it up; Chris Cornell said she’s received a single comment--positive--from an elementary parent.
“We’ll continue to listen,” Mr. Green said, “but we need to make a decision in December so I can let Cherry Valley know. They’re having the same problems--maybe a little worse because they also have track. They’re interested and I think the response they’ve gotten is mostly positive.”
At SSCS, board members said, students are afraid that if they become part of a larger or different team, they’ll end up sitting on the bench instead of the field.
“But that’s what sports is all about,” Mr. Green pointed out. “If you want to make the varsity team, you play travel ball...instead of just showing up the first day of practice.”
A combined team would be just that, Business Administrator and coach Tony DiPace said, merged; there would be different uniforms and a different name for the teams.
“I think it’s kind of it our future one way or another,” Mr. Green said.
“I do too,” said Ms. Jackson.