Not off the Press (Extra Edition): Chillicothe and Wilmington both should be re-admitted to the SCOL
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Thursday is "D-Day," as in Decision Day for those who are in charge of the South Central Ohio League.
The past few months for the SCOL have been trying, interesting, confusing and possibly stressful with London and Madison-Plains' decision to leave the league for "greener pastures."
Once their final year is over at the conclusion of the 2012-13 school year, it will leave a void in the league with just six teams in Hillsboro, McClain, Washington, Miami Trace, Clinton-Massie and East Clinton.
Thursday's decision by the powers of the SCOL will change the future of the league, either for the better or the worse (depending on who you speak with).
The decision?
The folks in charge of the SCOL are scheduled to meet on Thursday, March 8 to either welcome back or slam the door shut on both Chillicothe High School and Wilmington High School, both of whom were charter members back when Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge were Presidents of the United States (that means 1923).
The two schools have given their proposal, and now it is up to the members of the league to either send them on their way, or in the style of "The Bachelor," give them a rose and whisk them off their feet.
This decision is more than a "yes" or "no" decision. It's even more important than "The Decision" by LeBron James a couple summers ago when he took his "talents" to South Beach (at least for South Central Ohio). This decision will either keep the league thriving or it could be 1991 all over again, and nobody wants to see that happen.
My thoughts … I want the SCOL to hop into their DeLorean, put on a pair of Nike gray hightops with lights in the back (have you seen the remakes of those shoes? … very nice), a pair of worn jeans and even a dingy jean jacket with a red puffy vest over it (I guess a good look back in the '80s, not so much now) and go "Back to the Future," so to speak and re-admit both Wilmington and Chillicothe into the storied league.
If I seem a bit sarcastic in tone, well (I'm not apologizing) … I'm still grumpy from two summers ago when Wilmington wasn't voted in, and here we are two or so years later, back in the same boat. (All of this could have been easier and possibly avoided if the Hurricane were given a "yes" vote two summers ago when East Clinton was admitted.)
I know I've said this on numerous occasions, but the league needs both teams (or at least Wilmington) to truly make it a "South Central Ohio League."
I have not yet had anyone give me a reason as to why the league doesn't need either team, but I, along with other media members in the area, have given many reasons as to why those schools should be in the league.
My question to those in charge of the league is this … Has Wilmington been kept out of the SCOL because of a comment by one Wilmington school board member from 2002, who I'm told is no longer a part of the board?
The "Wilmington has outgrown the South Central League" comment was, in fact, not the best of moves by the Hurricane, but that was 10 years ago, and those who break rules or even commit crimes get punished for a lesser amount of time.
If this has been the case for the past few years (or decades), as the reasoning to not allow the Hurricane in the league … well, that is childish on many levels.
Just for business reasons alone, both Chillicothe and Wilmington will bring great gates to home games of the schools in the SCOL (not to mention less travel, easier scheduling, more natural rivalries, and did I mention better gates?) … it would bring in another team from Clinton County and expand the league to Ross County.
The competition will be better, and those who think the "new" schools will take over the league … if so … so what? If one team is better than the other on any given day, then they deserve to win … that's why sports are competition. (By the way … I don't see either school "dominating" any sport, just my opinion.)
There was a time where both Wilmington and Chillicothe both were atop the SCOL standings in football and basketball. In 1923, Wilmington was the league champion in football (5-0), and Chillicothe was second (4-1). That winter, Wilmington was first-place in basketball (9-1) and Chillicothe was second (8-2).
In 1924, Chillicothe, McClain and Wilmington all went 5-1 in football. For the 1925-26 season, Chillicothe was 5-1 in basketball for the title, and from '27-29, Chillicothe won the SCOL football title along with Wilmington winning the league basketball title for the 1927-28 season (Chillicothe was second). CHS also won the 1928-29 basketball title, with Wilmington in second.
I could keep going on, but the overall records show (thanks to the help of Bob Patton) … at times, both of these teams have shown they can dominate the league, but they didn't win the title every year.
Not to mention … the past is the past, and let's all look toward the future.
If you look at the SCOL currently, Clinton-Massie by far dominates the league in football, and for the past seven years, either McClain or Hillsboro has been the SCOL boys soccer champion.
The league isn't asking them to leave anytime soon because they are winning too much.
What about Miami Trace girls basketball, winning the league title every year up until this past season since the league re-formed in 2003?
My point … there will be times when schools dominate a sport, it will happen, but the fear (or argument) Chillicothe and Wilmington will take complete control of the league is nonsense.
After Thursday's vote, my hope is the SCOL Board of Directors decides to vote both Wilmington and Chillicothe into the league by a unanimous vote.
It is what is best for not only the league and its fans, but most importantly its student-athletes, and that is one topic that can't be argued.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com.[[In-content Ad]]
The past few months for the SCOL have been trying, interesting, confusing and possibly stressful with London and Madison-Plains' decision to leave the league for "greener pastures."
Once their final year is over at the conclusion of the 2012-13 school year, it will leave a void in the league with just six teams in Hillsboro, McClain, Washington, Miami Trace, Clinton-Massie and East Clinton.
Thursday's decision by the powers of the SCOL will change the future of the league, either for the better or the worse (depending on who you speak with).
The decision?
The folks in charge of the SCOL are scheduled to meet on Thursday, March 8 to either welcome back or slam the door shut on both Chillicothe High School and Wilmington High School, both of whom were charter members back when Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge were Presidents of the United States (that means 1923).
The two schools have given their proposal, and now it is up to the members of the league to either send them on their way, or in the style of "The Bachelor," give them a rose and whisk them off their feet.
This decision is more than a "yes" or "no" decision. It's even more important than "The Decision" by LeBron James a couple summers ago when he took his "talents" to South Beach (at least for South Central Ohio). This decision will either keep the league thriving or it could be 1991 all over again, and nobody wants to see that happen.
My thoughts … I want the SCOL to hop into their DeLorean, put on a pair of Nike gray hightops with lights in the back (have you seen the remakes of those shoes? … very nice), a pair of worn jeans and even a dingy jean jacket with a red puffy vest over it (I guess a good look back in the '80s, not so much now) and go "Back to the Future," so to speak and re-admit both Wilmington and Chillicothe into the storied league.
If I seem a bit sarcastic in tone, well (I'm not apologizing) … I'm still grumpy from two summers ago when Wilmington wasn't voted in, and here we are two or so years later, back in the same boat. (All of this could have been easier and possibly avoided if the Hurricane were given a "yes" vote two summers ago when East Clinton was admitted.)
I know I've said this on numerous occasions, but the league needs both teams (or at least Wilmington) to truly make it a "South Central Ohio League."
I have not yet had anyone give me a reason as to why the league doesn't need either team, but I, along with other media members in the area, have given many reasons as to why those schools should be in the league.
My question to those in charge of the league is this … Has Wilmington been kept out of the SCOL because of a comment by one Wilmington school board member from 2002, who I'm told is no longer a part of the board?
The "Wilmington has outgrown the South Central League" comment was, in fact, not the best of moves by the Hurricane, but that was 10 years ago, and those who break rules or even commit crimes get punished for a lesser amount of time.
If this has been the case for the past few years (or decades), as the reasoning to not allow the Hurricane in the league … well, that is childish on many levels.
Just for business reasons alone, both Chillicothe and Wilmington will bring great gates to home games of the schools in the SCOL (not to mention less travel, easier scheduling, more natural rivalries, and did I mention better gates?) … it would bring in another team from Clinton County and expand the league to Ross County.
The competition will be better, and those who think the "new" schools will take over the league … if so … so what? If one team is better than the other on any given day, then they deserve to win … that's why sports are competition. (By the way … I don't see either school "dominating" any sport, just my opinion.)
There was a time where both Wilmington and Chillicothe both were atop the SCOL standings in football and basketball. In 1923, Wilmington was the league champion in football (5-0), and Chillicothe was second (4-1). That winter, Wilmington was first-place in basketball (9-1) and Chillicothe was second (8-2).
In 1924, Chillicothe, McClain and Wilmington all went 5-1 in football. For the 1925-26 season, Chillicothe was 5-1 in basketball for the title, and from '27-29, Chillicothe won the SCOL football title along with Wilmington winning the league basketball title for the 1927-28 season (Chillicothe was second). CHS also won the 1928-29 basketball title, with Wilmington in second.
I could keep going on, but the overall records show (thanks to the help of Bob Patton) … at times, both of these teams have shown they can dominate the league, but they didn't win the title every year.
Not to mention … the past is the past, and let's all look toward the future.
If you look at the SCOL currently, Clinton-Massie by far dominates the league in football, and for the past seven years, either McClain or Hillsboro has been the SCOL boys soccer champion.
The league isn't asking them to leave anytime soon because they are winning too much.
What about Miami Trace girls basketball, winning the league title every year up until this past season since the league re-formed in 2003?
My point … there will be times when schools dominate a sport, it will happen, but the fear (or argument) Chillicothe and Wilmington will take complete control of the league is nonsense.
After Thursday's vote, my hope is the SCOL Board of Directors decides to vote both Wilmington and Chillicothe into the league by a unanimous vote.
It is what is best for not only the league and its fans, but most importantly its student-athletes, and that is one topic that can't be argued.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com.[[In-content Ad]]