The issue at hand for tonight's contest is crowd control. The District game involving Shaker Heights and Warren G. Harding High Schools could possibly demand some extra crowd control due to the demographics and importance of the game. Both schools possess a racially diverse fan base from different areas of Northeast Ohio. Shaker Heights was at one time on the list of the wealthiest suburbs in the entire country and one of the "whitest". That has all changed through the decades with many black families moving from the poor performing schools in Cleveland, OH to the affluent neighborhoods of Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights. Warren on the other hand is an old industrial town that fell victim to the migration of many manufacturing jobs to the South, Mexico and China and the closure of many factories. They had for a period of thirty years or so two large high schools that produced many collegiate and professional athletes along with many successful business leaders. Warren fans are extremely proud of their hometown athletes and travel very well to watch these young men play in addition to being very vocal in their support.
The game was well attended with the Warren side being almost full and the Shaker side of the gymnasium approximately 70% occupied. We had barriers set up to control the flow of traffic and four Solon patrolmen on duty to exhibit authority. From my observations, only one time did someone needed to talked with. A Harding fan was becoming very boisterous in his displeasure with the officials and was calmed down by the Faculty Manager Cal Washington. After that, everything went smoothly from beginning to end with Shaker being victorious in the contest. This one hurts me..........I'm a Warren G. Harding graduate.
The game was well attended with the Warren side being almost full and the Shaker side of the gymnasium approximately 70% occupied. We had barriers set up to control the flow of traffic and four Solon patrolmen on duty to exhibit authority. From my observations, only one time did someone needed to talked with. A Harding fan was becoming very boisterous in his displeasure with the officials and was calmed down by the Faculty Manager Cal Washington. After that, everything went smoothly from beginning to end with Shaker being victorious in the contest. This one hurts me..........I'm a Warren G. Harding graduate.