Bronaugh to co-op with Liberal for football

By Jason Peake

Daily Mail Sports Editor

On Friday nights during the fall, many of the boys from Bronaugh High School drove over to Liberal, Nevada or Lamar to watch a high school football game.

"Now they can play themselves," Bronaugh Athletic Director Jim Hillman said.

Yes, they can.

Bronaugh and Liberal High Schools have agreed to co-op for football beginning with the 2012 season. The co-op agreement is for the next two-year cycle.

"I think it's really going to be a real positive thing," Hillman said. "We had a lot of interest and the school board voted for it."

Hillman estimated that Bronaugh will send 10 to 12 boys to Liberal High School for football in the fall. Another 10 to 12 from Bronaugh will join the middle school team in Liberal.

Hillman noted this is the first time Bronaugh has ever participated in football, to his knowledge.

In recent years Bronaugh has fielded a fall baseball team that competes against other area small schools that do not field football teams.

"It's not that competitive," Hillman said. "It makes more sense to play football. It gives the boys something to do on Friday nights and lets them take part in a sport they've never played before."

Band students from Bronaugh will also be able to participate on Friday nights.

Hillman added he'd pushed for a football co-op in the past.

"I'd mentioned it to them (Liberal) in the past," Hillman said. "It didn't happen then. Liberal came to us this time. I think they realized it would be a good situation."

Liberal High School Athletic Director Keith Robertson said the co-op is a win-win situation for both schools.

He added the timing was right.

"It's something that's been approached in the past and never happened for one reason or another," Robertson said. "A few years ago it didn't pass. There was enough support on both sides this time. We saw a need. In order to maintain our football program we have to offer an opportunity for Bronaugh kids to play football."

The numbers have been dwindling for Liberal in recent years. At the end of the 2011 season, Liberal had just 13 players on the football team.

"It was becoming a potential safety risk for our kids," Robertson said. "So we looked at some different options."

Liberal went 1-9 last season.

Now, Liberal and Bronaugh will come together. Excitement is already building, both ADs said.

"I've been told there was a lot of community support in Bronaugh," Robertson said. "They want their kids to have an opportunity. I think they're excited about it. And I'm excited about it."