Parents ask board’s help to keep middle school football in New Haven, Boston

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Carol Cothern speaks to the Nelson County Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday night about the board policy that could eliminate middle school football for Boston, New Haven and St. Catherine Academy in New Haven.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 11:28 p.m. — A group of parents of Boston, New Haven and St. Catherine Academy schools pleaded Tuesday night with the Nelson County Board of Education to take action to preserve the three schools’ ability to field a combined middle school football team.

Representing Southwest Nelson Football League, Nat Rogers Road resident Jackie Thornsberry told the board the possible loss of the middle school football program would destroy a decade of work that created a program that is positive impact on youth.

Thornsberry noted that an existing district policy prohibits students who don’t attend a school from playing on its sports teams. If enforced, it would mean that St. Catherine Academy’s sixth, seventh and eight-graders would be prohibited from being part of the Southwest Nelson league.

“We don’t believe the intent of the policy was to break up something that took a decade to build,” she said. “In this case, we need to be use common sense. Every community is unique and cannot be served by a generic blanket policy that serves to protect the board rather than its constituents.”

Lacy Coyle Hatfield told the board that without the participation of the three schools it would be impossible for middle school students to have an opportunity to play football.

Board member Larry Pate listens to parents talk about the benefits the Southwest Nelson Football League has provided their children and their communities.

The league is supported primarily by donations and volunteers, she said. Those who participate in the program learn valuable life lessons, and it makes a positive contribution to the community.

Carol Cothern’s son is a seventh-grader at the Boston School who is just starting his first season training in the middle school league. Cothern said she wasn’t sold on her son playing, but her son sold him on it.

“I had a lot of questions about how three schools could come together as a football team,” she said. She told the board the unity and respect they have for themselves and the coaches was inspiring. The coaches also make it clear to players that keeping their grades up is necessary to stay on the team.

“I’m excited to see such enthusiasm in my son, as well as the team and the parents,” Cothern said.

“We believe you have our children’s best interest at heart,” she said. She asked the board to change board policy to allow St. Catherine Academy students to play with the Boston and New Haven students.

After the meeting, Superintendent Anthony Orr said the district is part of the Mid-Kentucky Middle School Conference which supports middle school sports programs. The conference is supposed to make a decision Wednesday on this particular issue, he said.

Orr said the policy that prohibits students who don’t attend a school from playing on its athletic teams has been in place for several years. He noted that it was created by an earlier school board, and apparently was not a mandate came from the Kentucky Department of Education or other state education entity.

And even though the district had the policy in place, it wasn’t enforced and did not prohibit St. Catherine students from playing football with the Boston and New Haven middle school students.

Orr said he will continue to research the issue and see what direction the middle school conference takes. The need to revise or eliminate the policy in place now will likely come before the board at a future meeting, he said.

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