During the April 8 Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education meeting, community members came to share their thoughts about the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Day football game against Northampton Area School District. Due to the expected size of the crowd, the meeting was moved to the Sheckler Elementary School cafeteria.

There was a special school board meeting held April 2 to discuss the idea of ending the tradition, which is more than 100 years old. Administration and the head football coach, Joseph Henrich, cited the disparity in school sizes and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) levels of classification. These concerns dealt with team depth and player safety, the competitive balance and player size, team resources and physical disparities.

It was reported Catasauqua High School has a total current enrollment of 471 students, with 232 male students. These numbers were compared to NAHS’ enrollment of 1,926 students, with 990 males. The CHS football team consists of 40 athletes in grades 9-12, with 20 on the Catasauqua Middle School roster. NAHS has 125 players in grades 9-12, with 50 on the middle school roster.

These roster numbers mean many of the CHS athletes play both offense and defense and average more field time than the NAHS players, it was reported. This could lead to increased fatigue and risk of injury.

The potential for new homes bringing additional students into the schools was factored in. The presentation noted CHS has limited growth opportunities, and NAHS has “virtually unlimited growth.” The significantly larger land area encompassing NASD was cited.

It was noted the average weight and weight-lifting average highs for a selection of the reported strongest students from both teams leaned in favor of NAHS. This information was shared to demonstrate a disparity in strength and power between the two teams. The data showed the NAHS top players outweighed the CHS top players by about 43 pounds per person.

It was also mentioned NAHS has access to more resources to offer their athletes, including specialized equipment and trainers, funds and protein and muscle-building supplements at no cost to the players.

It was emphasized safety, ethical and legal considerations were weighed. It was noted the school has a fundamental responsibility to look out for and care for the well-being of the students.

The presentation reported PIAA initiated its classification system to ensure fair and equitable competition by “allowing for schools to compete within certain parameters against similar size schools.” The goal is to “promote, protect and conserve the health and physical welfare of all participants.”

High school football teams are separated into six classifications, based on male enrollment numbers in grades 9-11. CHS’ PIAA classification is 2A, with 193 students, and the NAHS’ classification is 6A, with 788.

It was asked if it was fair or safe to ask the CHS players to compete against a team they would normally never see in competition.

Additionally, a couple legal cases were mentioned where schools and the PIAA faced legal challenges because of safety oversights in athletic programs. It was reported the district can be open to liability if a student gets hurt.

Henrich and the administration emphasized they understand and appreciate the district’s traditions and know the importance of the community bonds formed during this time but wanted to be proactive to align with the imbalance they see growing between the two schools.

“While tradition is powerful, it should never outweigh our responsibility to ensure students’ safety,” Henrich said.

Since they have seen the numbers shifting every year, the administration wanted to know, “How far apart is too far apart for the disparity?”

Stressing the importance of the tradition, the administration said they wanted to explore alternatives for the tradition, which will still engage the community and involve NASD.

Assistant Superintendent Eric Dauberman said this effort is intended to help them shift the tradition to a “safe, more sustainable and student-centered experience, aligned with current PIAA trends and practice related to competitive balance and player safety.”

Community members and several students took turns addressing the board to share their thoughts and comments. It was noted several of the football players went out in the community over the weekend, knocking on doors, to garner support from their fellow residents. One student said they received more than 1,300 signatures on a petition to keep the game.

There were several common themes among the entreaties. One of the biggest points was the importance of the tradition and the bonds created between the district and the larger community.

“This event is part of the fabric of our community,” resident Robert Zakos said. “This is part of what Thanksgiving is and how we celebrate.”

“This game is bigger than a game,” student athlete Chris Wellington said.

It was noted many alumni look forward to returning to watch the Turkey Day game. One graduating senior said the tradition is too big to abandon now.

Another major theme was that injuries happen all the time. It was noted football is inherently dangerous, and the students and parents know that injuries can happen during any game or practice. It is a risk they are ready and prepared for.

Wellington thanked the board, saying how much he appreciates the school personnel showing their genuine care and concern for the well-being of the students. However, he reported there has not really been an increase in injuries from that specific game. Other community members asked if there was specific data on injuries from the game against NAHS since much of the administration’s presentation seemed to be speculation, it was said.

Many of the student-athletes and parents noted more players get hurt in season against “better matched” teams.

Additionally, several of the speakers noted that, in life, there will always be someone bigger, stronger or better, but that is no reason not to play the game or carry on. It was reported this is a valuable life lesson about not letting these sorts of challenges stop you.

One of the speakers noted he was a 2014 graduate and football player. He said the district needs to do a better job of preparing students to be the best they can be and shouldn’t question their ability or be telling them they can’t achieve something like this. He cautioned against limiting the students and stunting their potential. He asked the district to help prepare the players better.

Underdogs are inspirational and help bring the community together, he said.

“It boils down to heart for these guys,” football parent Eric DeLong said, adding they know this is an exhibition game.

Football player Miles Melendez noted the importance of the game and the team as an emotional outlet for the players and that “football is not about size.”

One of the student cheerleaders also spoke about how important the game is to the students and commended the players for their passion and heart, no matter the final score.

It was also reported this is one of the biggest football games most of these players will ever see in their football careers. Additionally, doing away with the game could potentially affect future recruitment.

Some of the speakers said they weren’t happy with the idea of canceling the game during the off-season. It was asked that, if the district wants to end the game tradition, they should let one more game happen. This would give the players and community a chance to bid farewell to the tradition.

One of the biggest questions asked was, “How does Northampton feel about it?” It was mentioned the athletics department and administration have been in contact with NASD, but no real answer was shared.

Another question regarded possible alternatives. One of the community members asked what possible suggestions exist to alter or adapt the game for more safety, such as adding a roster cap for NAHS or making it a flag football game, as opposed to just canceling it.

When it came time to vote on the agenda item to end the Thanksgiving Day game between CASD and NASD, the board members decided to table the decision until the next meeting, set for 7 p.m. May 6.

Board members Shawn McGinley and Lauren Cieslak thanked the audience members for sharing their input with the board. They both said they wanted more information before making any decisions. They noted they want to talk to the administration and board from NASD and get more feedback from the community to make a more informed decision.