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Home › News › Changing times: Violence forces many schools to move their Friday night football game times

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Changing times: Violence forces many schools to move their Friday night football game times

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
by Cristina Ledra Jason Lieser

Like a lot of parents, Art Bicknell wanted to watch his son David play football on a Friday night. But getting off at 5 p.m., then getting to Boca Raton's field by the normal starting time of 7 p.m. was out of the question since the game started at 4:30 p.m.

"With my schedule, it was tight," said Art Bicknell, an assistant principal at West Boca Raton High. "… A lot of parents don't get out until after 5 o'clock and you could tell that with the crowd."

The time change for that Oct. 30 game against Atlantic was made because of safety concerns stemming from a shooting among fans outside the rivalry game last year. It's that risk of violence that has forced some area teams to sacrifice the glitz of Friday night lights for earlier starting times–and even Saturday games–in the hopes of creating a safer environment.

At least eight schools have moved up individual game starting times the past two seasons while Glades Central moved up almost all of its games this season and will play its annual Muck Bowl game against Pahokee on Saturday, for the second straight year.

The rash of violence started with the shooting death last year of a Pahokee player in Belle Glade, hours after the team's homecoming game. Other events, such as when a crowd fought outside Atlantic's stadium during its game against Boynton Beach in September, have prompted the changes.

And while school officials and coaches agree that safety for fans and players comes first in their decisions, they are aware that pushing up starting times causes a number of inconveniences. Like Bicknell, many parents and friends of players can't get to the games on time. And host schools lose a chunk of gate-receipt money while athletes are forced to play in hotter temperatures. Players also lose the joy of playing in front of big crowds under the lights.

Atlantic coach Andre Thaddies said the earlier starting time meant players had to deal with the heat and humidity on Boca's Astroturf field.

"And for our fans, people would have to leave their jobs and in this economy you can't really afford to take time off," he said.

Boynton Beach High said it lost $4,000 in gate receipts after moving a starting time to 5 p.m. That change was prompted after a crowd fought outside Atlantic's stadium during its game against Boynton on Sept. 18. Boynton principal Keith Oswald decided to move his school's next game, against Santaluces, to 5 p.m. because Atlantic had a bye that week and Oswald was worried that the same troublemakers would show up.

"Everyone I talked to completely understood and we wanted to make sure that the kids could just play football and not have to worry about safety and the fans," he said.

"It's not something I wanted to do because I'm a Friday night guy," Boynton Beach coach Rick Swain said, "but for the safety of all those concerned, it was an administrative move and it was probably a smart one."

When the Atlantic-Boca Raton game time was moved up, the hope was that because the game started an hour after school got out, more students would attend. Boca principal Geoff McKee said that while the crowd was noticeably younger, it was also smaller by 1,000 to 1,500 people compared to last year's meeting.

Glades Central moved up just about all its home games to 6 p.m. Friday this year while the traditional Muck Bowl will be played on a Saturday for just the second time in the 25-year history of the game.

While some schools don't have lights and normally play all their home games under the sun, for schools used to Friday night football, the earlier starting times are different.

"There's something about playing under the lights. …," Retzsch said. "I think it's just too bad it had to be against our biggest rival and in important game. I wish it had been at night."

User Comments:

ladybluedevils commented on November 10, 2009 at 4:28 p.m.: report abuse

this years Muck Bowl was not moved because of violence.

L@dy 16 !!!!!!!! commented on November 11, 2009 at 5:31 p.m.: report abuse

U know them RAIDERS gonna win that muckbowl hands down with the blue devils.
so yalll devils need to step yall game up cause its going down saturday so be ready.

hank commented on November 11, 2009 at 8:31 p.m.: report abuse

These time changes are a sad, sad reflection on the area-having to play during the days cause the kids will get out their guns and shoot each other.

Sad.

Muckboy 4 Life commented on November 11, 2009 at 8:36 p.m.: report abuse

Yeah Yeah, somebody got to win and who ever does congrats to ya. You know this is our family reunion for da glades each year, iam a die hard blue devil but live in belle glade, so my hat goes off to da winner but u know iam bleeding Red,White,and Blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wdd commented on November 11, 2009 at 10:02 p.m.: report abuse

I am extremely proud of our guys. We have had a lot of success in times past. The Glades is the best place in the world to be not just this Saturday, every day of the week. We are blessed. We are powerful. We are united. Despite what everyone else thinks. This is a year for turnaround. We will be known for something other than football and the other taboo word that we speak. Greatness is here! Greatness has always been here. This is the year that it will manifest itself right in our back and front doors. Although the nation is in a recession. We are coming out on top. Be Blessed. Go Raiders and Blue Devils!!!!

wtf? commented on November 11, 2009 at 10:09 p.m.: report abuse

"Boynton principal Keith Oswald decided to move his school's next game, against Santaluces, to 5 p.m. because Atlantic had a bye that week and Oswald was worried that the same troublemakers would show up."

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but wasn't it BOYNTON students and alumni that started that fight!?

LOVE DEM RAIDERS commented on November 11, 2009 at 10:19 p.m.: report abuse

YEAH SOMEBODY GOT TO WIN AND SOMEBODY GOT TO LOSE HATS OFF TO THE RAIDERS WHO WILL WIN BUT MEANWHILE SCHOOL OFFICIALS DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. TOO MANY OF OUR YOUNG CHILDREN ARE DYING ON THE STREETS FOR BEING STUPID NOT THINKING AT ALL. REMEMBER THE MORTICIANS BURY THE "DEAD NOT THE SCARED" WE NEED TO TURN ALL THOSE GUNS AND EXCHANGE THEM FOR A GOOD BOOK (BIBLE) LOVE PAHOKEE BUT IN LOVE WITH BELLE GLADE

PkPrince commented on November 12, 2009 at 8:19 a.m.: report abuse

I've Always Favored The Traditional Night Games...But,The Muck Bowl Saturday Game The Last Year Have Been Pretty Good. Minus,The Heat Last Year Ofcourse...But,The Atmosphere Was Similar To That Of A College Game!!! I Know With Glades Central As The Host Site This Year With The Huge Park Adjacent To The Stadium The Tail Gating Will Be 3x's As Fun!!! Hopefully We Can Recapture That Muck Bowl Championship This Weekend...Lets Go Devils!!!

Blu Devils #1 Fan commented on November 12, 2009 at 9:03 a.m.: report abuse

Nun bt da Blu Devils winning dis year Raiders bring ya A game cus dem devils coming for dat trophy!!!!!!!!!!!

Jon commented on November 12, 2009 at 10:47 a.m.: report abuse

Part of me feels as if by moving games we let the thugs win. If the School Police were more active instead of just standing around in groups chatting maybe they could actually prevent this from happening. My friend is an assistant AD at a large high school and she told me that those school cops don't do much and they cost $50 an hour. Money which comes from the gate that is supposed to help support the athletic programs. The school board and their police bankrupt programs to make their officers happy with easy overtime pay. Again, it's not about the kids with this superintendent.

NICEVILLE ALUM DAVE commented on December 9, 2009 at 11:54 a.m.: report abuse

tragic a boy getting shot after a highschool game!! IN MY OPINION ONLY
these young kids have no role models! their frigin parents fault mainly!!!!! truth be told they are mostly black, low income kids. no excuse! from other stories i have read it sounds to me that you have thug parents attending these games as well!
i do not know if there is a lack of police or what at those games? the schools coaches should also play a "BIG" role in these young mens attitudes ON and OFF the field. as well as being good members of the community. we have Pensacola, Panama City, & Tallahasee near by without "EVER" having had those types of problems. i hope that maybe one day soon, someone in these communities of yours will stand - -up and take the bull by the horns to turn things around. our prayers are with you!!!!!

ATL Boi commented on May 15, 2010 at 11:41 p.m.: report abuse

I'm a freshman, i used 2 go 2 the ATL games all the time dreaming tht 1 day i 2 will be able to run onto tht field under the lights on a friday nite, but if stupid frigin gangbangers keep fighting at our home games Dr. Wiggles is gonna take my dream away from me. Basically wat im saying is tht i am ticked off at the time changes and ticked off @ the f***ing gangs tht ruin evry1's friday nite

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