In this week's The Modern News (Harrisburg's local paper), the Letter to the Editor contained the following:

"As an alumnus of Harrisburg High, I would like like to say I have never been embarrassed of Harrisburg as I was a few weeks ago when I returned to watch a Peewee football game. I have to say I was appalled at what I witnessed and how our team was treated. The field was not marked; therefore, you could not tell where the lines were.

The markers were finally brought out after one of the games. The scoreboard was not working; we were told a part was ordered, however, when we were leaving, our boys on the bus noticed the board was on.

How do you explain this to a bus load of children? The announcer was very rude and disrespectful. I later found out he was only a ninth grader and I believe a child should never put down other children as he was.

As a Christian parent, I wanted to take my child and leave. One of our parents went over to ask for him to calm down and someone said that they would tell him. He did say he apologized if he offended us, however, what about the ones that had already left and were offended? It should have never happened in the first place.

Futhermore, in my opinion, the referees should not be school aged kids. There was one adult and two school children. They did disagree a few times and some calls were reversed. The chain gang didn't even know what they were doing and had to be told what to do several times. It was a very bad experience for our children and even the parents.

What has happened to parental involvement and good sportsmanship? I can say where I live we have the best parental involvement I have ever witnessed. Our field is one of the best kept that I have ever seen and our coach takes pride in it. I have never seen a field not painted and ready for a game; whether it be Peewee, Junior High or Senior High playing. Our announcer may get a little boastful, but he dose not disrespect the opposing team or parents. Our referees, line judges, chain gang and announcer are all parents or adult volunteers.

I can say I am very proud of our parents and volunteers. They stand behind our team and we almost always have more fan support at games than our opponent.

I just want to say I hope no one else has to go through what our team and fans went through. It really did affect our team. It was the first time this sort of thing happened and hopeful it will be the last. I just wish it could have been another school besides the one I graduated from...hopefully I will again be able to say I was proud to be a Hornet."

Lisa Hopper Dix
P.O. Box 335
McCrory, AR 72101



Tell me what you think.

Okay, you've heard her side. Now here's the facts:


"As an alumnus of Harrisburg High, I would like like to say I have never been embarrassed of Harrisburg as I was a few weeks ago when I returned to watch a Peewee football game. I have to say I was appalled at what I witnessed and how our team was treated. The field was not marked; therefore, you could not tell where the lines were."

Harrisburg's Peewee football program is not a school supported program. The school simply allows Peewee the use of the field and some of the equipment. The field is painted by the school at a time of their choosing. We have to take what's available. During this one game, the field lines were faded, but present. I have video proof. Also, I have noticed the same issue at other fields. I thought it was just one of those things that happens.



"The markers were finally brought out after one of the games. The scoreboard was not working; we were told a part was ordered, however, when we were leaving, our boys on the bus noticed the board was on."

Simply not true. Markers were in place for the first game. There was a delay of about 5 minutes to get the markers, but they were there and ready to go for the first game. Again, I have video proof. At first there was no electricity for the scoreboard, after that was resolved, it was discovered that a part was ordered for the machine that operates the scoreboard. So turning the scoreboard on does nothing for the game.

"How do you explain this to a bus load of children? The announcer was very rude and disrespectful. I later found out he was only a ninth grader and I believe a child should never put down other children as he was."

Bus load of children. That statement alone say that you have a lot more support from your school than we do from ours. The announcer is actually a very good kid. He tends to get excited and sometimes confuses the job of play by play with the job of being a PA announcer. Yes he is a 9th grader, but I can guarantee you that I've heard plenty of young voices at different fields during the course of this season and last.

"As a Christian parent, I wanted to take my child and leave. One of our parents went over to ask for him to calm down and someone said that they would tell him. He did say he apologized if he offended us, however, what about the ones that had already left and were offended? It should have never happened in the first place."

At no point did I hear anything offensive. If so, I would have put a stop to it myself. And he did offer an apology. He's a young man learning. Do you not believe in forgiveness? What more did you want? A midfield apology while on his knees?

"Furthermore, in my opinion, the referees should not be school aged kids. There was one adult and two school children. They did disagree a few times and some calls were reversed. The chain gang didn't even know what they were doing and had to be told what to do several times. It was a very bad experience for our children and even the parents."

Again, just not true. The fact is that there was two adults and one high school student. At Augusta this year, their was one adult and two students officiating the game. Even younger students were running the chains and the didn't know what to do. Again, I have video proof. Plus, I promise this goes on at other fields.

"What has happened to parental involvement and good sportsmanship? I can say where I live we have the best parental involvement I have ever witnessed. Our field is one of the best kept that I have ever seen and our coach takes pride in it. I have never seen a field not painted and ready for a game; whether it be Peewee, Junior High or Senior High playing. Our announcer may get a little boastful, but he dose not disrespect the opposing team or parents. Our referees, line judges, chain gang and announcer are all parents or adult volunteers."

You just don't get out much do you? Our parents are very involved with lots of thing around Harrisburg. I have seen fields that are not up to par. It happens. If your announcer gets a little boastful, don't you think that this might offend other visiting teams? What you have construed as rude behavior by our announcer is probably the same boastful behavior that you condone by your announcer. I have video proof.

"I can say I am very proud of our parents and volunteers. They stand behind our team and we almost always have more fan support at games than our opponent."

Golly gee whiz, that's great. I can honestly say that our fans probably outnumbered our opposing fans at every game, home or away. Here's your cookie

"I just want to say I hope no one else has to go through what our team and fans went through. It really did affect our team. It was the first time this sort of thing happened and hopeful it will be the last. I just wish it could have been another school besides the one I graduated from...hopefully I will again be able to say I was proud to be a Hornet."

I just hope that our Peewee football program can some day reach the level of perfection that your Peewee program seems to have done. One unusual morning at Harrisburg, and your throwing stones. I'm ashamed that you graduated from Harrisburg.