Proposed Move To Tri-Valley League Needs Further Study, Some Parents Say

NORWOOD, MA — Norwood parents against and skeptical of the proposal to move the high school athletics program to the Tri-Valley League (TVL) are asking the school committee to take more time to study a move out of the Bay State Conference. Speaking during public forum at Wednesday’s meeting, some parents say that leaving the Bay State Conference for the TVL may not be the solution to the Norwood High School’s athletic woes.

"There were a lot of people who were not in favor of this move and feel like they have not been heard,” Bill Naumann, the president of Norwood Youth Hockey, said. “People want information, they want to be heard and want to make sure the process is followed.”

In June, the committee voted to apply to join the TVL, citing a competition gap and their position as the smallest school in the Bay State Conference due to the recent departure of Dedham to the smaller TVL. Residents who want to stay put, however, want more information.

“The two sports that traditionally drive Norwood are hockey and baseball. Going to the Tri-Valley League eliminates those teams from being in the Super 8. Walpole made the Super 8. If you have a chance to make the Super 8, are you going to schedule Norwood, a Division 2 school?” Naumann said.

Resident Scott Clifford echoed the sentiments and asked for a committee to be formed to study a possible move.

"At the end of the day, it may be a good move but we don’t have all the information necessary to decide that. Where does it say that if we move to a league with schools with smaller enrollment we're going to be competitive again?” Clifford said.

Resident and Norwood High School gymnastics coach Karen Broderick noted that there is only one gymnastics team in the TVL, a combined Medfield-Ashland-Dover-Sherborn team.

“That does affect us, we probably have to try to set up our own dual meets,” Broderick said.

Later in the meeting, the committee agreed to discuss the state of sports in town, including having a larger connection between the high school and youth teams and a possible discussion about the formation of subcommittees.

Image: File Photo