Superintendent Connors Announces Sub-Committee to Study Turkey Bowl Participation
On Monday, Dec. 9, White Plains Interim Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors outlined a plan to form a subcommittee to study Rule 38 of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Handbook, pertaining to the maximum number of regular season games a high school football team can play, to come to a complete understanding that Rule 38 is being properly interpreted and to possibly seek a waiver to the rule so the traditional Turkey Bowl game between White Plains High School and Stepinac High School can be played each year in the City of White Plains.
Last month was the first time in over 40 years that White Plains Tigers and Stepinac Crusaders did not face off in the traditional Thanksgiving football game causing White Plains residents and fans of both teams to ask if the ruling could be looked at more thoroughly.
The reason for the cancellation was a good one; the Tigers had made it to the championships and had used up their game allotment in the championship games.
During the Superintendent’s Report at the Board of Education meeting, Connors announced that he is requesting Board President Rosemarie Eller to form a subcommittee comprising one or two White Plains School Board Members, Athletic Director, school administrators, representatives of the high school, parents and Connors himself, to study Rule 38 and come to a determination on how to proceed to make certain the Turkey Bowl is played each year.
“The Vice President (Charlie Norris) has expressed interest (to join the sub-committee), so I think it would be great if he sat on that,” stated Board President Eller, after the Board meeting. “Possibly, (I would be the other Board Member), but I also want to give other Board Members, who have an interest to participate as well,” replied Eller.
Connors and the Board of Education subcommittee should target getting a waiver or an amendment to Rule 38 of the NYSPHSAA guidelines, pertaining to the maximum number of regular season high school football games that can be played each year.
The Turkey Bowl between the Tigers and cross-town rivals Crusaders has been a tradition in White Plains. The game is not just a rivalry spectator-sporting event, as the game generates much needed revenue for both Stepinac and White Plains High School each year.
The Turkey Bowl Game also supplies a monetary boost to the economy of many of the businesses in White Plains during the weekend of the rivalry contest.
The subcommittee should address the issue to the NYSPHSAA, so the City of White Plains can have a Turkey Bowl Game each year, before their meal on Thanksgiving Day, despite the success of either team during their respective seasons.
