SCAA expands, adding numbers and distance into the league

by Justin Fish

Earlier this decade, Pittsford added Climax-Scotts into the SCAA, and again they are expanding with more teams and more players. The football team has started the new journey with Colon, Battle Creek St. Philip, and Bellevue, and Hillsdale Academy (though the Colts have been in our league in one or two sports before; they’re now in our league for all of their sports).

All of this happened for a couple of reasons. Colon, BCSP and Bellevue approached the SCAA and wanted to join the league, according to Pittsford High School athletic director Mr. Hoeft. After that, each league school had to vote to either accept them or decline them. We voted against them joining our league, but every other team in our league (except Camden-Frontier) voted for the new schools to be accepted.

One thing that is on the mind of all superintendents in Hillsdale County is whether or not they have enough money in their school budget. Pittsford is in that predicament. With the new teams in the SCAA that means that they will have to travel to new places, and some adjustments will have to be made. “It is not going to affect the overall budget traveling to new places like BCSP and Bellevue. We have added some here and saved in some there,” said Mr. Hoeft. However softball coach Mr. Irelan begged to differ. “I think it is ridiculous driving that far at $4.00 a gallon. A ridiculous financial decision and fiscally stupid,” said Mr. Irelan. For some of the sports in Pittsford, traveling has decreased, such as baseball, but with most sports they have increased; for example football and track.

With the new teams that means different divisions for different sports. In football (and presumably track) we are in one division, in baseball/softball they have a three-division schedule, and all other sports are in another division. Make sense? Not to anybody here, either. Mr. Hoeft declined comment on the division breakdown.

“In the end, everything is going to be a wash,” commented Mr. Hoeft. With the new challenges and teams there is always something new, we will see what the new school year and the new teams bring.