Friday Night Lights: Booster clubs offer support

High school sport offers tremendous benefit for the participants. Teamwork, leadership, responsibility and commitment are just a few of the skills bestowed upon the players and coaches at the secondary level.  Yet parental fan support is not generally a viable option.  Most games occur during school hours when the majority of parents are otherwise occupied in the work force.  Many parents do not get to watch their children learn these lessons or play sports once they reach the high school field.

Hockey parents take their kids to and from the arena and more often than not are able to attend the games and enjoy watching their children strive, yet during the student athlete’s teenage years having their parents in the stands cheering for them is generally not an option. Two booster groups at secondary schools in Haldimand and Norfolk counties are working to change that, at least a little. Following the lead of our US neighbours, these two schools are hosting Friday Night Light events.  At Delhi District Secondary School and at McKinnon Park Secondary School their booster clubs are putting on events geared to garnering parental support and fan volume.

Bobbi Ann Dwornikiewicz, Fund Raising Chair of the Delhi Friday Night Lights Committee believes that “the high school truly is the focal point in our community, so much of what happens in Delhi is centered on the school and the kids who attend.  It would be wonderful to find a supporter who might be able to capitalize on this great event.“  Friday Night Lights in Delhi happens on Thanksgiving weekend and has become somewhat of a homecoming type event for the community. Former players and students gather to support the Raiders football team and with cross county rivals, Simcoe Composite, providing the 2016 opposition, Dwornikiewicz anticipates a huge crowd.  There will be food vendors, and lots of excitement for this year’s event which takes place on Friday, October 7^th, kick off is set for 8 PM.

Over in Haldimand County, Wilson’s Friends of Football, a booster club that supports McKinnon Park Secondary School football is hosting a Friday Night Lights event on Friday, October 21^st.  “Friday Night Lights, and this is our third event, is a tremendous opportunity for parents and everyone in the Caledonia community to come out, support the kids the school and our football program” said Wilson’s Friends of Football chairman, Matt Richardson.  “We have food trucks, music, PA and support from great sponsors without whom this event would not be possible” Richardson went on.

For at least two nights, parents, fans and the community can get out and enjoy high school football action and catch some great talent on their home fields.