ADs Spaulding, Cooper discuss ramifications

The Hancock County high school sports programs traversed their first two-week fall vacation and everything went off without a hitch. There just weren’t as many people in the stands to watch the athletes in action.

As part of the new balanced calendar adopted by Eastern Hancock, Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and New Palestine this school year, students and teachers enjoyed a two-week fall break, which, in its entirety, lasted from Saturday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 19. There will be the normal two-week break over the winter holidays, followed by a two-week spring break March 18-29. The extra vacation time in the fall and spring was accounted for by an earlier back-to-school date; class was in session this summer on Aug. 1.

And while students were out of school the last two weeks, football, volleyball and cross country student-athletes still had practices and competitions. When those players took the fields and courts for their contests, there were often fewer supporters on hand.

Eastern Hancock won its first sectional volleyball championship since 1984 on Saturday, but the historic event didn’t draw historic attendance, even though EH hosted the tourney.

“I was a little disappointed in our crowd for the sectional championship game, and I think that was mostly due to fall break, because we had an excellent crowd for the regional,” EH athletic director Aaron Spaulding said.

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