Opinion: Espanola scores in playing game without fans

High school football can build character. There is little doubt the sport teaches young people the value of work ethic, discipline and camaraderie.

And when emotions spiral out of control, there is another lesson the game can convey to its players, and their supporters: perspective on right vs. wrong.

We applaud the decision made this month by Espanola Valley school officials after a brawl broke out between players at the Oct. 5 Homecoming game between Espanola Valley and visiting Bernalillo.

Espanola Valley decided to forfeit the game, and agreed to play its final home game scheduled Friday night without fans.

That’s because Espanola fans also ran onto the field during the melee, where witnesses said they participated in the scuffle.

“We discussed the possibilities of what we could do to send a true message to our fans, our community ... that we’re taking the NMAA’s Compete with Class (initiative) at heart,” Espanola Athletic Director Ruben Salazar told the Albuquerque Journal.

New Mexico Activities Association officials have said they plan to arrange for a vendor to streamline Friday’s game against St. Pius over the internet. But fans won’t be allowed in the stands for either team.

Salazar told the Albuquerque Journal the decision will “put us out financially,” and punishes all fans and athletes for the actions of a few.

But, “(W)e decided that we would have a zero tolerance for fans across the board. Sometimes it takes a few to give everyone a bad name.”

The Rio Grande Sun newspaper in Espanola reported the incident began when a Bernalillo player was flagged for a late hit. That “sent several Sundevil (Espanola Valley) players into a frenzy, responding with violence of their own after the whistle in the form of punches and shoving,” the Sun reported.

In addition, Espanola fans “were seen jumping the gates and running onto the field during the time when referees were still sorting out the ruling and ejections,” the Sun reported.

Emotions were running high in the community prior to kickoff that night.

A recent Española Valley graduate had been shot and killed the day before.

To their credit, Espanola school officials made no attempt to use that tragedy to justify the Friday night fight on the field.

Published reports say as many as eight Espanola Valley players — plus two from Bernalillo — were suspended for one game for their roles in the incident. And Espanola school leaders decided to take the punishment a step further, sending a message to all of its players and fans, by banning fans for a game.

Life is hard. Football is hard. Sometimes neither one is fair.

You cannot respond with mob-mentality violence when things don’t go your way.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Clovis Media Inc. editorial board, which includes Editor David Stevens and Publisher Rob Langrell.