Boardman, Fitch face a Stark reality

The new members can't reign in football because they don't play a full league slate.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
OK. Bold prediction time.
Ready? Here goes: Boardman will not win the Federal League football title this year.
Neither will Fitch.
The reason is simple -- they can't.
Fitch and Boardman couldn't fit all of the league's other six teams on this year's football schedule. Canton McKinley had the same problem. So they will join in the other sports this fall, then start league football play next fall.
No problem. There's still plenty to play for.
"The Federal League will be as strong as any league in the state," said Massillon Perry athletics director Frank Gamble. "Not just in football, but in all sports."
But you knew that, right? Of course you did. It's been in every Federal League article you've read.
(And boy, has there been a lot of them.)
Since most of those articles have been about the present and the future, let's do a brief overview of the past.
We'll start at the beginning.
History lesson
The Federal League was a descendant of the old Stark County AA League. It began in 1964 with seven teams: Massillon Jackson, Canton South, Canton Glenwood, Magnolia Sandy Valley, Massillon Perry, Navarre Fairless and Marlington.
Four years later, North Canton Hoover and Canton Oakwood joined. In 1975, Glenwood and Oakwood consolidated into GlenOak. Alliance joined in 1983 and Uniontown Lake joined in 1987 and Wooster followed in 1988 as the league continued to shift toward larger schools. (See accompanying box.)
Two years ago, the league's smallest member -- Alliance -- decided it wanted out. Wooster, weary of driving long distances to get pounded, also opted out.
Alliance joined the Metro Athletic Conference (where it will leave for the Northeastern Buckeye Conference in two years) and Wooster joined the newly-formed Ohio Cardinal Conference.
Looking to expand
The Federal League decided it was time to expand.
Boardman and Fitch, which unsuccessfully tried to expand the SVC, voted to join in March, 2002.
Canton McKinley, which had always been independent except for a brief stint in the All-American Football Conference, quickly followed.
"We were interested because we were having so much trouble with scheduling," said McKinley athletics director Lynn Wafler. "The football playoffs have created an animal in regard to league affiliation.
"If we hadn't been in a league, we probably would have been looking for five games. I don't know where we would have got them. We can't keep looking out of state. It was getting crazy."
Valley sports fans -- especially those from the remaining SVC schools -- argued that Boardman and Fitch were making a mistake, citing increased travel time and expenses.
But they weren't the only ones unhappy.
"We've never been in a league and the old-timers would probably prefer to stay with the status quo," Wafler said. "But I think most people have come around."
Or, more likely, people seem willing to keep an open mind.
"A lot of people are probably going to wait and see," said Fitch volleyball coach Tom Case. "They haven't formed an opinion yet.
"But I think after a few road trips you'll find out how they feel."
Better balance
Fitch and Boardman have little to gain in football -- the SVC was always a good football conference -- but the schools' coaches and administrators believe they will benefit in other sports.
"The competition, top to bottom, will certainly be a step up," Case said. "There will be no off nights."
The main reason is balance. Every school in the Federal League competes in Division I except Uniontown Lake, which is Div. I in nearly every sport but football.
Those numbers help translate into success in the non-revenue sports.
"There's no breathers," Gamble said. "The coaches are gonna have to do their homework. You won't see too many undefeated teams, let's put it that way."
Optimism aside, no one is sure how well the new format will work.
Looking ahead
Nearly every school in the league is at least an hour away, which is sure to generate grumbling from both sides.
And Lake, by far the league's smallest school, could be next to leave.
That could leave an opening for Massillon Washington, which tried to join last year. But Massillon has angered many Federal League schools due to recruiting allegations and some critical remarks made by football coach Rick Shepas.
"It could happen, but a healing process needs to take place first," Wafler said of Massillon joining.
Questions aside, most people are willing to give it a chance. And the initial signs have been positive.
"We're glad to have them as part of the group," Wafler said of Boardman and Fitch. "They're a nice group of people to work with.
"When you have that, things can get accomplished."
scalzo@vindy.com