The players have been getting to know each other and the coaching staff for a few weeks now as Caledonia-Mumford and Byron-Bergen merge football programs for the first year.
The Bees were previously partnered with Elba for several seasons, but this marriage will allow the annual game with Leroy to continue since the teams were going to be forced play in separate divisions due to student enrollment differences. Plus there are now enough players to allow for three levels – modified, junior varsity and varsity.
“The move happened in large part due to numbers,” Byron-Bergen Athletic Director Rich Hannan said. “Merged with Elba we were not going to be able to sustain a team in the long run. We (B-B) only average about 10 players per level (JV/V). So, it was getting to a point where we were very concerned that we would not be able to keep things going.”
“I honestly don’t know who approached whom first. My understanding is the superintendent’s struck up the conversation casually and things developed from there.”
“We merged to be able to offer our student athletes three levels of football,” Cal-Mum Athletic Director Mike Reed said. “With declining enrollment at C-M, we would only have been able to offer Varsity and Modified A. We did not feel that offered our students the best opportunity to learn and play football.”
“The addition of players will allow us to have all three levels, Modified 7/8, JV, and Varsity. We believe that with the increase of speed and strength seen at each level, having seventh graders practice and play ninth graders and tenth graders play and practice against 12th graders did not give the kids a chance to really learn the skills needed, practice them, and use them in a game at the correct speed.
“Even if in a game you had ninth graders playing mostly ninth graders because of the format, in practice we only had enough for two squads so our second defense of mostly seventh and some eighth graders was playing against mostly ninth and some eighth graders on first offense. In that competitive situation kids may cheat on the skills in order to survive.
“We would rather have them learn the skill and be able to use it in practice so they can become proficient. This also provides us with depth since there are a lot of injuries in football. Lastly at the higher levels it will provide more competition for playing, which should produce a better product on the field.”
As they were with the Elba partnership, all of the games this season will be played at Caledonia-Mumford.
“I believe the distance from the school will play a very small factor (if any) in attendance of the games,” Hannan said. “Our parents and fans have always done a great job of supporting all student athletes. On a bus it’s the exact same drive time (or very similar, within a minute). I know full well the tradition that our student athletes get to be a part of by playing football and cheering at C-M. We are excited and can’t wait to see the athletes in action this coming fall.”
Now the challenge is to help a new coaching staff, with 1977 alum Bill Donegan named the new head coach in February, and the players from Byron-Bergen mesh with their new teammates and learn the tendencies of new opponents.
“We have already had some meetings and will continue to work with the B-B administration, parents and players to try and make the transition as smooth as possible,” Reed said. “We are also learning of the traditions that B-B has in place. It will help having former C-M player and coach Bill Donegan and Bryan Grattan returning this season since they have been a part of the tradition at many levels.”
The season begins September 2 at Livonia with the home opener one week later versus Hornell. The annual Leroy contest is the final week of the season – October 14.
