July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
In defense of Jay County semi-state fans (03/23/06)
Letter to the editor
To the editor:
Dear members of the IHSAA governing board,
Wow. What a Saturday of basketball you helped to provide at Lafayette Jefferson High School this past weekend. I can’t imagine many other sites, or many other times when both games went into overtime and offered more excitement and fun.
With that said, I want to apologize on behalf of “Jay Country High School” fans. No, not because of poor sportsmanship, as I don’t believe that was an issue at any time. We like to reflect the attitude of our coaches and players.
What I do want to apologize for is the ridiculous and ludicrous number of fans that made the two-hour plus journey to Lafayette Jefferson High School. I also want to apologize for our taking so many seats and spilling over to areas that were not assigned to us. You see, we were of the impression that seating was non-reserved as our tickets showed no section, row or seat number on them. We just felt that since we paid what we assumed everyone paid, we were entitled to the same seats they were entitled to. Please forgive us “Jay Country” folk.
It would help us next time if you only allowed our fan base a certain number of tickets. Oh, sorry I guess you did only send 1,500. Forgive us for other fans and supporters who may have bought a ticket at the door. We are rather rude in that sense. Forgive us, too, for spreading out over the entire gym.
Maybe next time you may want to allow us more space or at least consider a larger gymnasium with more seating. I know you found it necessary to ask us to move from what you considered a section that belonged to one of the schools from the previous game. If there were signs up that marked that area as reserved we are sorry we missed seeing them.
In regards to seating, we are thankful that you didn’t walk the aisles asking those who were seated in them to move as that would have only made more crowded conditions throughout the gym. If you had policed the aisles, as you did, the floor section from which you asked us to move, I don’t know where we might have had to sit. (Sorry, that probably wasn’t your obligation. It probably falls to the fire marshal. That would at least explain why you didn’t ask over the PA for all seated in the aisles to find a seat.)
Oh, and by the way, it is a great idea to have the fans of opposing teams seated shoulder to shoulder. It is a great chance for friendships to build as a parent of a player is seated next to an energized fan of the opposing team.
If we had only thought, we would have taken seats along with the Plymouth fans (at least red-shirted people) in the former Tri-Central section as they were not asked to move, at least not over the PA.
Oh, about the “Jay Country” thing. You are the ones that may owe us an apology there. I do not know, but am guessing that you, the IHSAA, are responsible for the printing of the roster sheet that also contains a history of the IHSAA along with a listing of your committee and staff.
Last time I looked, we were still Jay County, without the “r”. Sure, it’s a slight mistake that would not affect the outcome of the game, but still, it’s a shame that you didn’t notice before printing.
It is okay since the mistake only occurs twice. That is out of two opportunities. Let’s see, that makes you 100 percent in that area and a whole lot less in others.
Again, please accept our most sincere apologies for our backing our team, school, coaches and community as we did. We even believed that you might encourage that. They did before class basketball. Maybe this is another reason for class basketball as it gives you, the IHSAA, more chances to get it right.
Thank you,
Randy Davis
Redkey[[In-content Ad]]
Dear members of the IHSAA governing board,
Wow. What a Saturday of basketball you helped to provide at Lafayette Jefferson High School this past weekend. I can’t imagine many other sites, or many other times when both games went into overtime and offered more excitement and fun.
With that said, I want to apologize on behalf of “Jay Country High School” fans. No, not because of poor sportsmanship, as I don’t believe that was an issue at any time. We like to reflect the attitude of our coaches and players.
What I do want to apologize for is the ridiculous and ludicrous number of fans that made the two-hour plus journey to Lafayette Jefferson High School. I also want to apologize for our taking so many seats and spilling over to areas that were not assigned to us. You see, we were of the impression that seating was non-reserved as our tickets showed no section, row or seat number on them. We just felt that since we paid what we assumed everyone paid, we were entitled to the same seats they were entitled to. Please forgive us “Jay Country” folk.
It would help us next time if you only allowed our fan base a certain number of tickets. Oh, sorry I guess you did only send 1,500. Forgive us for other fans and supporters who may have bought a ticket at the door. We are rather rude in that sense. Forgive us, too, for spreading out over the entire gym.
Maybe next time you may want to allow us more space or at least consider a larger gymnasium with more seating. I know you found it necessary to ask us to move from what you considered a section that belonged to one of the schools from the previous game. If there were signs up that marked that area as reserved we are sorry we missed seeing them.
In regards to seating, we are thankful that you didn’t walk the aisles asking those who were seated in them to move as that would have only made more crowded conditions throughout the gym. If you had policed the aisles, as you did, the floor section from which you asked us to move, I don’t know where we might have had to sit. (Sorry, that probably wasn’t your obligation. It probably falls to the fire marshal. That would at least explain why you didn’t ask over the PA for all seated in the aisles to find a seat.)
Oh, and by the way, it is a great idea to have the fans of opposing teams seated shoulder to shoulder. It is a great chance for friendships to build as a parent of a player is seated next to an energized fan of the opposing team.
If we had only thought, we would have taken seats along with the Plymouth fans (at least red-shirted people) in the former Tri-Central section as they were not asked to move, at least not over the PA.
Oh, about the “Jay Country” thing. You are the ones that may owe us an apology there. I do not know, but am guessing that you, the IHSAA, are responsible for the printing of the roster sheet that also contains a history of the IHSAA along with a listing of your committee and staff.
Last time I looked, we were still Jay County, without the “r”. Sure, it’s a slight mistake that would not affect the outcome of the game, but still, it’s a shame that you didn’t notice before printing.
It is okay since the mistake only occurs twice. That is out of two opportunities. Let’s see, that makes you 100 percent in that area and a whole lot less in others.
Again, please accept our most sincere apologies for our backing our team, school, coaches and community as we did. We even believed that you might encourage that. They did before class basketball. Maybe this is another reason for class basketball as it gives you, the IHSAA, more chances to get it right.
Thank you,
Randy Davis
Redkey[[In-content Ad]]
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