Accept invitation from NCC

To the editor:
I am very disappointed with the school and the way they have handled the invitation from the North Central Conference. Some people have come out and talked strongly against the conference and their only worry being for the boys basketball team. We have many other great sports teams of both genders and I do not like the way the only worry is for the boys team. Maybe they should watch other sports teams at the high school.
The school board is saying that joining this conference would mean a lot more travel for the teams. Our girls basketball team plays all but one current NCC member. No one seems to worry about the girls traveling playing games during the week. Through the 1990s and 2000s in boys basketball we played many of the schools in the NCC including Huntington North, New Castle, Harrison and McCutcheon. We still play Muncie Central and Richmond.
There have been people saying that this conference will be bad for Jay County for various reasons. First, that we will not have a strong crowd because we will not be winning as much. I find this false. Many of our fans are older and will be at the game regardless of our record. More people will go to the game if a highly ranked conference foe is coming to town instead of statistically one of the worst teams in the state such as Union City. Some have said these schools do not have a strong following and this will cost us. When was the last time half the teams on our schedule brought a big crowd?  No one from South Adams, Blackford, or Eastbrook wants to come see us beat them by 30.
Another reason is because we have a losing record against (NCC) teams in boys basketball (3-7). These are 4A schools and are the teams that we will face in the postseason. We have a very weak schedule for a 4A team. While we might be beating all of these 2A schools, this means nothing come sectional time. These teams do not prepare us or make us better for what will come during tournament. This season we might set the school record for wins but if we do not win sectional this was a failure. With the NCC we would be playing the best of the best. We might lose some games but they will make us better and prepare us.  During the 1993-94 season we won one regular season game, losing to teams such as New Castle, Huntington North, and both Anderson schools. This team went on to win the sectional title and lost by 3 in the first round of regional.
Think about all of the positives that come about joining one of the most prestigious conferences in the state. Players being able to say they played against the best in the state and maybe saying they received all-conference or saying they won a conference title. That is something they could carry on forever instead of now saying they beat a bunch of 1A schools that really did not stand a chance. I am tired of hearing excuses of why we will not play tough teams or join a conference. All they care about is what the boys basketball record is and how great their defense is. They say that’s why big schools will not come play us, while here is our chance. Why would we join the conference that South Adams is in, so that we can continue to act like a big dog and beat them by 30, never really challenging our true ability?
For the people that say this is bad, how about you come to some girls basketball games, or some soccer games to watch these teams play teams from the NCC?
To be the best you have to play the best. I know that I am not the only upset fan. Many people are disappointed with our school and the way it is handling this. Until people worry about the athletic program as a whole, we will continue to make up excuses to why not join a conference with the big boys.
Aaron Loy
Portland
(Editor’s note: Members of the Jay School Board have not publicly expressed any opinion on the invitation by the NCC. The only comments at a meeting of the school board were made by Rob Weaver, a former school board member and owner of WPGW Radio.)[[In-content Ad]]