CCC STILL DELIBERATING ON CHANGES

The CCC deliberated on Thursday but did not make any official decisions on whether or not to add Rocky Hill and Tolland or how to cut up the soon-to-be 32-school league into divisions.

The decisions are likely to be made at the next meeting in mid-October.

One of the divisions reportedly placed on the table would include the following: Farmington; New Britain; Southington; Newington; Conard; Hall; Northwest Catholic; Simsbury. Another would probably link the two Bristol schools, the two Meriden schools, Plainville, Berlin, Rocky Hill and perhaps Weaver.

One rumor suggests that Windsor and Bloomfield would just as soon be grouped together and with schools east of the Connecticut River. That sounds logical seeing that those schools would use I-291 to cross the river rather than having to muddle through Hartford trafic on I-84.

Another thought was that Middletown could also be grouped with schools to the east since it readily can use the Arregony Bridge to Portland.

The committee will almost surely create one set of divisions for football and another for the other sports in which all 32 schools participate. Sports in which participation isn't total, like field hockey, ice hockey, swimming and gymnastics, will adjust accordingly.

Another rumor floating around is that Avon expressed some late interest but including a 33rd team does not appear to be an option. With the situation in Hartford so tenuous and changeable, perhaps Avon would be put on a waiting list until something happens.

Judging by the way the Sheff v. O'Neill lawsuit has ravaged sports in the city, anything can happen. Sports and Medical Sciences Academy will open a brand new building just south of Dillon Stadium as early as next year. Who knows what change that will bring.

The feeling here is that the committee is on the right track. There is no possible way of pleasing everybody. Commissioner John Tarnuzzer, the league's athletic directors and its policy board (principals) should be given plenty of credit for acting decisively so as not to adversely affect the student-athletes. This is an extremely difficult set of circumstances that will make for some exciting developments in high school sports in this region.

With the exploding cost of attending professional and major college sports and the state of the economy, sports fans can do a lot worse than considering some of the local contests to satisfy their cravings for competition. The schedule is filled with exciting clashes in each and every sport.

In some cases the games are free; in others there is a nominal fee which goes toward the programs, which are in need of financial support. Think about where a dollar spent at a high school games goes as opposed to those spent at the heavy-handed professional and major college games. Do yourself a favor and support your local high school teams.