{"id":37618,"date":"2025-11-18T14:48:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T14:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/37618\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T14:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T14:48:09","slug":"lower-merion-superintendent-recommends-not-merging-football-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/37618\/","title":{"rendered":"Lower Merion superintendent recommends not merging football teams"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lower Merion<\/a>\u2019s two high school football teams won\u2019t be merging, for now. <\/p>\n

At a school board meeting on Monday night, Lower Merion School District Superintendent Frank Ranelli made an official recommendation that the district not merge Lower Merion and Harriton High Schools\u2019 football programs despite a coordinated push by parents to combine the teams<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel it\u2019s [Lower Merion\u2019s] responsibility to give up their team identity \u2026 and playoff chances to merge with Harriton,\u201d Ranelli said. \u201cLower Merion High School would be giving up a great deal for a problem that they do not need to solve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Parents of Lower Merion and Harriton football players in recent months have petitioned the school board<\/a> to allow for a merger. They argue that a lack of youth football infrastructure in Lower Merion Township has contributed to a steep decline in player interest, leaving both high school teams under-rostered and unable to compete with neighboring schools. Neither high school has a freshman or junior varsity team, leaving 14-year-old freshman to play alongside 18-year-old seniors and, the parents argue, increasing the risk of injury. <\/p>\n

Amy Buckman, director of communications for the Lower Merion School District, said any further action or vote on a potential football merger would be the school board\u2019s decision. <\/p>\n

Last fall, Lower Merion went 1-8 in the Central League, the 12-school athletic conference that stretches across parts of Montgomery and Delaware Counties. Harriton went 0-9. <\/p>\n

Ranelli said the issues described by parents were \u201cmore of a Harriton problem than [a Lower Merion] problem.\u201d <\/p>\n

Explaining his recommendation, Ranelli cited a potential loss of age-old traditions, school spirit, and playoff eligibility. He expressed concerns that the district\u2019s two cheerleading teams would not combine, creating potential issues. <\/p>\n

Ranelli also cited a survey sent out to football players and parents. He said 95% of Lower Merion High School football players rated \u201chaving their own school team [as] important\u201d and 74% of Harriton players \u201cwant to maintain the program at their school.\u201d Thirty-nine percent of middle school players were in favor of merging the teams, Ranelli said. <\/p>\n

However parents, students, and alumni called the survey \u201cmisleading\u201d and said Ranelli\u2019s comments ignored the safety concerns at the core of their argument. Many urged the school board to take an official vote on the merger. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo say I am unhappy and a little shocked with the decision is an understatement,\u201d said Michelle Miller, a Lower Merion football parent. <\/p>\n

Miller called the survey questions \u201cconfusing and up for interpretation.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re shorting a lot of students this opportunity to develop,\u201d Tommy Burke, a Lower Merion High School football player, said. \u201cYou\u2019re shorting them development as players and as young men. A lot of them quit because of it. It\u2019s a complete detriment to both programs.\u201d <\/p>\n

Around a dozen football players were in attendance at the meeting, and four addressed the school board, advocating for their teams to merge. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to have a conversation for months,\u201d Rahul Mistry, the parent of a Harriton football player said, speaking to the board. \u201cLet\u2019s talk about it. Let\u2019s open the books and have a conversation.\u201d <\/p>\n

This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer\u2019s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com\/donate<\/a>. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org\/supporters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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