The most difficult part of the past few months for Midd-West school officials involved in talks with the NFL and others to fund a football program at the school wasn't the negotiations. Rather it was the secrecy.
Superintendent Rick Musselman, board president Victor Abate and athletic director Bree Solomon have been working behind the scenes to secure one of the NFL's new High School Kick Start program grants.
"Keeping it a secret has the hardest thing because you just want to tell your students," high school principal Thor Edmiston said. "You just want to see their excitement, especially those players who weren't sure if they would have a team next year."
Musselman said after he initially learned of the grant from District 4 football administrator Jim Zack last fall he stayed in consistent contact with the NFL. He had to because football players from Midd-West had no place to go once Juniata County School District opted to shutter the co-operative program between Midd-West and East Juniata, a partnership that had been in place since 2001.
"I kept calling and emailing and they said, 'Let's get through the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, then we'll move forward,'" Musselman said. "Once those passed in January and February, the conversations picked up.
"A lot of people have been working behind the scenes," said Solomon. "We've just been waiting for the news to share with everyone."
The team will be on the field this fall, playing at least seven games, Solomon said. They will play home games at West Snyder Elementary, where EJ played its home games.
Mustang football
Jon Lauver, a 2002 Middleburg High graduate — before the merger with West Snyder — was instrumental in jumpstarting the co-op nearly 20 years ago. He played on the first co-op team with East Juniata in 2001 and later coached EJ for three years.
Having a Midd-West program will be something special, he said.
"It's going to be special for these kids," said Lauver, who know lives in Palmyra. "The co-op has worked out great overall and it was something a lot of people got behind for a long time. But I know people have been pulling for this as well. The people of Middleburg will be elated."
Middleburg has had a strong youth program for years, officials said. During a recent early sign-up period, Solomon said 110 kids in grades 7 through 11 signed up.
The draw of playing football for Midd-West, being part of the launch, adds something.
"There have been kids I know that haven't played over the years because it was just too far," said business owner, booster and former assistant coach at East Juniata Vince Inzerillo. "It was never their own program, now that has changed and you have the added legitimacy of the NFL."
"The community has really rallied behind this program," said Abate, who admitted he wasn't sure the idea was financially feasible without the NFL. "Watching these kids faces when they heard about the NFL option, it was like watching kids on Christmas morning."
More than football
Lost in the excitement of the addition of the football program is the overall impact on the district.
Edmiston said the school will now have a marching band and cheerleaders for Fridays, now offering more high profile outlets for those extra-curricular activities as well.
"I feel great for these kids, but it's more than just these football players," he said. "Marching band will be big, students will be able to compete in cheerleading. It's going to involve more than just the boys on the football team, so it's going to make it special for everyone."
"It's going to add another dimension to our school and community," Solomon said. "There has always been pride about our athletics program and this will add to it and the school spirit will grow."
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