Fairfield Area School District administrators proposed Monday night that the district allow some athletes to play for another school district.
Athletic Director Keith Bruck told several dozen people gathered in the high school auditorium that he and High School Principal Brian McDowell do not believe the district has enough students to support football, wrestling, or field hockey teams. Alternatively, the district could enter into co-op agreements with nearby Gettysburg or Waynesboro.
“I want to provide opportunities that are sustainable, not just for our student-athletes we have now in our building but for the next five, ten, 12 years and beyond,” Bruck said.
Fairfield Area High School’s current enrollment is 277 students, Bruck said. The district offers 16 sports. Enrollment has decreased annually for 20 years, Bruck said. This fall, Superintendent Thomas Haupt canceled the varsity football season because the team did not have enough players to field a team safely.
Other Options
Bruck told the crowd that co-oping with Gettysburg or Waynesboro is what he and McDowell believe is the best of four options…