Sept. 10,2010 I The Clarion
Page 5
Move to Asheville High School unfortunate but necessary
I EDITORIAL I
Readers of local newspapers over the summer
witnessed a strange kind of back-and-forth
jockeying between Brevard College and the
Brevard School District over a “Will-they-or-
won’t-they” question.
The question referred, of course, to whether
the Tornados football team would play their
Fall 2010 home games—^the fifth season since
football was reinstituted at the College in
2006—once again at Brevard High School, or
would they move to a different location, most
likely Asheville High School?
Before the College officially confirmed on
June 28 that BC football home games would
be moved to Asheville for the 2010 season, that
question had been answered for all intents and
purposes in the local press.
And almost immediately, the rumors and
jockeying and second-guessing began. Was
the College making the move simply to save
money? Had the College turned its back on
the city and fans who had supported it for the
past four seasons? How would this move affect
local businesses that had reaped the benefits of
Tornado football?
For its part, the Brevard School District also
faced some tough questions. Was the field at
Brevard High School overused? Did it pose a
danger, especially in wet weather, to athletes
who played on it? Was it wise to double the
price it charged Brevard College from $8,500
to $16,500 to play home games there?
No matter how one chooses to answer these
questions, nearly everyone agrees that the move
of Tornado home games to Asheville High
School is unfortunate for those in Brevard who
are fans of BC football.
Unfortunate, but necessary, given the
circumstances.
President Drew Van Horn and Athletic
Director Kim Pate have said repeatedly that
the decision to move home games to Asheville
High School was not based on cost. Despite
the lower cost charged by the Asheville school
district, other factors—such as the added
cost of transportation, lower gate receipts
and concessions—serve to offset the price
difference, enough that it may actually cost the
College more to play in Asheville in the long run.
The real reason for the move lies elsewhere.
Last season’s rainfall, coupled with the heavy
use and poor drainage of the Brevard High
School field, directly impacted at least two BC
games. One could not be played at all because
of the severe saturation of the field, requiring the
College to move at the last minute to an alternate
venue for that week’s game.
The other game was the so-called “Mud
Bowl” Oct. 31, in which field conditions were
so bad. South Atlantic Conference officials were
concerned it could affect player safety. Officials
had raised a similar concern about the BHS
field conditions two weeks earlier, following
the Mars Hill game.
Pate has said that player safety is the overriding
factor that led to the decision. “As a member of
the NCAA and the South Atlantic Conference, we
value student-athlete welfare and are committed
to providing a safe playing environment for our
student-athletes to compete,” she said at a press
conference announcing the decision June 28.
“In consideration for the safety and welfare of
our student-athletes, including the youth in this
community who rely on the venue for multiple
sporting opportunities, we feel it is in the best
interest for us to move our games temporarily
until the field can be addressed.”
Van Horn reiterated how difficult it was for
the College to reach this decision. “The ultimate
safety and welfare of all student-athletes is a
priority for our conference, the NCAA Division
II and Brevard College,” he said. “Brevard
College sees this relocation as a one year
solution and hopes to return to our great town
next fall. We do ask our boosters, fans and
community to understand the reasons for our
decision and to support our student-athletes
this fall.”
Also present at the June 28 press conference
was SAC Commissioner Patrick Britz, who
reiterated the emphasis on player safety
while referencing the games affected by field
conditions last season that contributed to the
decision. “It was important to make every
effort to avoid similar situations for future
contests,” Britz said. “One of the priorities of
the Conference’s strategic plan is to protect the
health of and provide a safe environment for all
SAC student-athletes.
“It would have been very easy for Brevard
College to sit back and say we hope what
happened in 2009 does not happen again. By
ensuring that the unfortunate situations that
occurred last season do not occur again in 2010,
Brevard College has embraced the priority of
protecting the health and safety of the student-
athletes and the SAC applauds them for it.”
As these speakers demonstrate, the issue is
bigger, really, than just whether Brevard College
plays its home games at BHS. It affects players
on opposing teams—particularly if poor field
conditions would require a last-minute change of
location, as it did last season—as well as all the
other high school and junior high players who
use the BHS field for their athletic events.
Pate, Van Horn, and Britz all say the move
to AHS this season is temporary, a one-year
deal until field conditions can be addressed at
Brevard High School. Let’s hope for the sake
of Tornado football that over the next year,
something will be done to make the Brevard
field safer for all the many student-athletes who
call it “home.”
The Move to AHS: A Timeline of Key Events
Oct. 17,2009: SAC
officials express concern
for player safety after ttie
Mars Hill game at BHS.
Oct. 31,2009: Tornados win
“Mud Bowl" against Catawba,
after a week of heavy rain
turned the BHS field into a
quagmire. SAC officials again
express concern for player
safety.
Winter/Spring: In contract negotiations for the
2010 season, Transylvania School Distnct raises
the pnce from $8,500 to $16,500 for the College
to play home games at Brevard High School. The
Asheville school distnct, meanwhile, requests at
least eight days notice should the College need to
relocate a home game to the AHS stadium.
July 2: A Hendersonville Times-News
editonal lauds the move to Asheville as a
smart decision. “Let’s do the math," the
editonal reads. “Pay $16,000 to play on a
grass field that is overused and basically turns
into a mud pit by the end of the season or
pay $7,500 to play on a state-of-the-art, never
muddy artificial turf surface." According to the
Times-News, “Ifs a no-brainer. In these tough
times, you have to be thnfty."
SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
Sept. 19, 2009: The home game scheduled
against Southern Virginia University is moved
to Asheville High School. Heavy rains earlier
in the week saturate the field at Brevard High
School, leading to a decision on Fnday that the
game scheduled for the next day could not be
played at BHS.
January: SAC Commissioner
Patrick Britz meets with Brevard
College officials, reiterating a
concern for player safety, and
gives the College the green light
to consider moving home games
for the 2010 season.
June 28: Brevard Athletic Director Kim Pate
announces that 2010 home football games
will be played at Asheville High School. The
decision is supported by President Drew
Van Horn and SAC Commissioner Bntz as
a short-term resolution until field conditions
at BHS can be improved.
Aug. 28: Brevard’s home
season opens at AHS with a 53-
27 win against Edward Waters.