New Hartford Plus Editor Continues Football Attack

Maria Moore, Editor of New Hartford Plus is continuing a one-person attack begun somewhere back in 2010 or 2011, to try to get football shut down. I say shut down, not moved, because yesterday she made her intentions clear.

At last evening’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, she presented the Board with a letter. In the next to the last paragraph she clearly states that football should move to another location more appropriate to its needs and that they should not hold practices after dark, like “other active sports in town.”  (Editor’s note:  I have been told that Ms. Moore did not attend the meeting.  The letter was  sent to the First Selectman, but not discussed.   A reprint of the letter appears on her blog, New Hartford Plus.)

Football games are played September – November. Practice, because of the shortening days, has to take place after dark. If they can’t practice after dark, they cannot safely play in games against towns that do practice.

Posted pictures are captioned with the time listed as “dusk,” while although the shadows are a little long, the sun is clearly out. Dusk does not fall at 6:30 in August. Dusk, according to Webster is “The darker part of twilight especially at night” and “darkness or semi-darkness caused by the shutting out of light.” Since by her own admission the sun sets in August at 8:45, 6:30 is not even close to dusk.

I appreciate the concern she’s expressing for the safety of our children (sarc off) but any attempt to fix the “jutting rocks, uneven field, lighting and parking on a permanent basis would elicit howls of protest.

On June 25 the Republican American by Debbi Morello covered the situation with a headline “Football, cheerleading in legal scrimmage.” In it the situation with Friends of Brodie Park South (whose members specifically avoid identification so they don’t point out how few of them there are), want football moved now, not when the field at Antolini is ready, regardless of any compromise attempted by Football. Compromise is a strange word, since Football was the only one to change anything.

There’s a fracture all right. Whether it’s being fanned by New Hartford Plus to boost website hits or they have an anti-sports agenda, we all know where it’s coming from.

I wonder what people in other towns must be thinking about New Hartford right now. I wonder how many people who might be thinking of moving here will think that there is too large an anti-kids element to make it attractive here.

Editor’s note:  I know that CTYFL requires the towns to pay for insurance for liability and medical insurance, and the money is paid to CTYFL who carries the coverage, per the bylaws.  I know that the Wolverines pay money for that coverage.  I’m not sure how much if any the town pays, so am waiting for information before I address the insurance aspect that Ms. Moore talks about in her post.