DARLINGTON - The Friday afternoon home kickoff times, which have been a tradition for the Darlington football team may come to a halt after this season.
The Southwest Wisconsin Activities Conference voted 6-2 to play Friday night or Saturday afternoon games starting with the 2010 season at a meeting with the conference principals, superintendents and athletic directors in June.
The SWAL Conference first tackled the kickoff time issue at a principal and superintendent meeting in May and voted to prohibit Friday afternoon games this season. Darlington balked at Cuba City superintendent's proposal to nix the Friday afternoon kickoffs at Martens Field. Darlington doesn't have lights so night games aren't an option.
"A superintendent put it on the table out of the blue in May," Darlington Athletic Director Brian Bennett said. "It wasn't on the published agenda. We didn't have any indication that it was going to be discussed. It kind of came out of the blue. That is one of the reasons we wanted to make the case for Friday afternoon games."
However, a stipulation was built into the proposal that was put on the agenda and approved in June that could still allow another kickoff time if both schools agree. That left the door open to Friday afternoon kickoffs if both schools agree. Southwestern was the only other school that voted to maintain the Friday afternoon kickoffs.
Darlington football coach Scott Zywicki at the first practice Tuesday said he isn't thrilled with the conference's decision.
"I don't care to have someone else dictate when we will play," Zywicki said. "You don't dictate when we play. They dictate when we play. You are almost at their mercy."
Zywicki said schools in the conference with golf and track teams often get out of school early for matches and meets.
"I guess they picked and chose who they are going to regulate," Zywicki said. "We will have to make do with what we have."
Darlington football players have taken the decision in stride and they remain focused on performing on the field this year.
"Football is football," Darlington junior running back Tucker Wiegel said. "You can play it whenever."
The 2 p.m. Friday kickoffs bring a school and community together.
"It brings kids who have never watched football down here to enjoy the game I do," Wiegel said.
The conference's decision didn't faze Darlington junior quarterback Alex Erickson.
"I didn't think it was that big of deal," Erickson said. "It's only once every two years they have to come here."
Erickson kept the Friday afternoon games in perspective.
"I don't treat it any different than any other game," he said. "It's a little warmer out. It's still football."
Bennett said Darlington will have one year to consider alternatives. Adding lights to the field is an option, but it's not an option the Darlington School Board has pursued.
"In the day of stretched school budgets, asking the school and community for lights for four or five football games would be tough," Bennett said.
Darlington is in the third year of a five-year operational referendum that gives the district $700,000 a year for the length of the referendum. Darlington Superintendent Denise Wellnitz, who took over the administrative post in July, said the referendum approved was for programs and salaries.
"The public has been very good about keeping us at the operational mode," Wellnitz said. "We are keeping our programs. We want and support football. Talk about lights would be a difficult decision making process."
"At this time they (the school board) have not considered that. It has not been on the board agenda."
Zywicki said he is opposed to playing every home game Saturday afternoon.
"No. 1 it cuts into family time," he said.
Zywicki and the Darlington coaching staff prepare to play their next opponent after a Friday game and coaches are concerned that playing Saturday afternoons will cut into their preparation time.
The contingency that could allow Darlington and another school to play afternoon games if both schools agree to the kickoff times provides some hope.
"It left the door open to some schools still playing Friday afternoon," Bennett said. "If you go back, that is when everyone played football."
The Southwest Wisconsin Activities Conference voted 6-2 to play Friday night or Saturday afternoon games starting with the 2010 season at a meeting with the conference principals, superintendents and athletic directors in June.
The SWAL Conference first tackled the kickoff time issue at a principal and superintendent meeting in May and voted to prohibit Friday afternoon games this season. Darlington balked at Cuba City superintendent's proposal to nix the Friday afternoon kickoffs at Martens Field. Darlington doesn't have lights so night games aren't an option.
"A superintendent put it on the table out of the blue in May," Darlington Athletic Director Brian Bennett said. "It wasn't on the published agenda. We didn't have any indication that it was going to be discussed. It kind of came out of the blue. That is one of the reasons we wanted to make the case for Friday afternoon games."
However, a stipulation was built into the proposal that was put on the agenda and approved in June that could still allow another kickoff time if both schools agree. That left the door open to Friday afternoon kickoffs if both schools agree. Southwestern was the only other school that voted to maintain the Friday afternoon kickoffs.
Darlington football coach Scott Zywicki at the first practice Tuesday said he isn't thrilled with the conference's decision.
"I don't care to have someone else dictate when we will play," Zywicki said. "You don't dictate when we play. They dictate when we play. You are almost at their mercy."
Zywicki said schools in the conference with golf and track teams often get out of school early for matches and meets.
"I guess they picked and chose who they are going to regulate," Zywicki said. "We will have to make do with what we have."
Darlington football players have taken the decision in stride and they remain focused on performing on the field this year.
"Football is football," Darlington junior running back Tucker Wiegel said. "You can play it whenever."
The 2 p.m. Friday kickoffs bring a school and community together.
"It brings kids who have never watched football down here to enjoy the game I do," Wiegel said.
The conference's decision didn't faze Darlington junior quarterback Alex Erickson.
"I didn't think it was that big of deal," Erickson said. "It's only once every two years they have to come here."
Erickson kept the Friday afternoon games in perspective.
"I don't treat it any different than any other game," he said. "It's a little warmer out. It's still football."
Bennett said Darlington will have one year to consider alternatives. Adding lights to the field is an option, but it's not an option the Darlington School Board has pursued.
"In the day of stretched school budgets, asking the school and community for lights for four or five football games would be tough," Bennett said.
Darlington is in the third year of a five-year operational referendum that gives the district $700,000 a year for the length of the referendum. Darlington Superintendent Denise Wellnitz, who took over the administrative post in July, said the referendum approved was for programs and salaries.
"The public has been very good about keeping us at the operational mode," Wellnitz said. "We are keeping our programs. We want and support football. Talk about lights would be a difficult decision making process."
"At this time they (the school board) have not considered that. It has not been on the board agenda."
Zywicki said he is opposed to playing every home game Saturday afternoon.
"No. 1 it cuts into family time," he said.
Zywicki and the Darlington coaching staff prepare to play their next opponent after a Friday game and coaches are concerned that playing Saturday afternoons will cut into their preparation time.
The contingency that could allow Darlington and another school to play afternoon games if both schools agree to the kickoff times provides some hope.
"It left the door open to some schools still playing Friday afternoon," Bennett said. "If you go back, that is when everyone played football."
