FITCH Speedy Federal vote is likely

One school official said he was both excited and nervous.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- The school board here most likely will vote this week for Fitch High to leave the Steel Valley Conference and join the Federal League.
At a meeting Saturday morning, board member David Ritchie said the move "appears to be what's best for the students."
"We're in favor of what's best for the students," board President Brad Gessner added.
Superintendent Richard Denamen said he will look into holding the board's next regular meeting this week so it can vote on the move well before March 19, the day it must notify the SVC of the change. For now, the next board meeting is set to be held March 18.
Saturday's meeting was held so that school board members could discuss the move with Fitch athletic director Dick Kenney and principal Doug McGlynn. Kenney said he was both excited and nervous about joining the Federal League.
"Any change, I think, has to be met with anxiousness," he said. "You're talking about 50-plus years of tradition and history [in the SVC]. This is all I've ever known."
Yet, Kenney also stressed, "there is going to be an excitement here that we haven't felt in a long time."
Timetable: If the move is approved, Fitch's high school teams would start competing in the Federal League during the 2003-04 school year.
Alliance and Wooster are current members of the Federal League, but will leave prior to 2003-04. Alliance is joining the Metro Athletic Conference.
The remaining league members are Canton GlenOak, North Canton Hoover, Massillon Jackson, Massillon Perry and Uniontown Lake.
Kenney and McGlynn said they feel the move will encourage Fitch athletes and coaches to work at becoming more competitive in the future.
"I think it will really raise our program up because [the Federal League] is competitive from top to bottom," McGlynn said.
Expansion frustration: Kenney also stressed that the move was not meant to be viewed as an attack on the quality of athletics at SVC schools. He did note, however, that Fitch has been frustrated by the SVC's inability to expand in recent years.
The board, Kenney, and McGlynn added that they still had some concerns about the move, such as the effect it will have on fan travel. Kenney said he understands that at first, some Fitch fans will be hesitant to drive 45 miles to watch their teams play Federal League schools.
Over time, however, as rivalries develop, those fans will realize that the league offers a high level of competition that is enjoyable to watch, he said.
McGlynn also said that he feels Federal League officials are willing to discuss the board's other concerns about the move, including the lack of Mahoning Valley officiating crews at events and the low number of football pre-sale tickets given to visiting schools.
Visiting schools in the Federal League receive 250 tickets for pre-sale, while visiting SVC schools are only limited in their pre-sale by the size of the venue.
SVC commissioner Mike Butch said that if Fitch decides to leave the SVC, he expects Boardman will follow. Butch noted that he thought the level of competition in the SVC is very good, particularly in football, baseball, and basketball.
"I'm a little disappointed," he said. "They're leaving a conference that's well respected."
Butch said he expects Warren Harding officials to talk about their future at an athletic conference that will be held at their school in late March.
hill@vindy.com