| 5 Years Later... Five Years ago, who would have thought that four high school freshman playing football would turn into this, The HSFL? The answer is not too many people. The fact is, this organization should not even exist, but it does. Very few places in the country, if anywhere, could you find a non-profit sandlot sports company of this magnitude, and it's hard to say just how it happened. Way back in 1997, you had the founding fathers start what would later become a legacy. If you were to watch a game tape from the 1997 season, some things would look the same. Four of the same people would be dominating the league as there are today. Mike Arana and Jeff Renn were still plowing through defenders and dishing out punishing hits, while Bob Glover, and Tom Phelps, were still dominating through the air. While Renn and Arana remain the same, Glover and Phelps have seen a reversal of roles. In 1997, it was Glover using his speed to blow past defenders and Phelps who would loft the ball up over their heads into Glover's sure hands for touchdown after touchdown. Now, it's Glover throwing touchdown's to Phelps, but the connection is still there. The 1998 and 1999 seasons were interesting ones in the history of the HSFL. Seemingly every football loving teenager in Hobart wanted to play. To this day, you would have a tough time finding very many males from Hobart who have not went to battle on the Glover Bowl at least once. The league suffered an identity crisis of sorts durning this time period. The league that was once formed for non-football players to shine was now being dominated by football players. So many people would turn out to play that sometimes three, even four games would be played in one day. The 2000 season was different from most in HSFL history. Renn and Phelps, two of the league's founding fathers, played only a few games each during 2000, but the league survived. Glover and Arana remained, and with the help of hall of famers Josh Neace, Jake Ehrhardt, and Aaron Kratochvil, the HSFL kept thriving throughout the 2000 season. The HSFL even allowed women to step on the field for a one time only event in 2000. Angela Grabczak, April Starkey, and Erin Wright made history as the only women to ever play in the HSFL. With the founding fathers graduating, the 2000 season was thought to be the last in HSFL history. Had it not been for the suggestion of Mike Arana, the HSFL probably would have died after the 2000 season. Arana suggested that the league recruit some of its players to come back for one more season. Glover, Phelps, and Renn agreed, and the HSFL returned to play that very week. Renn and Arana are still dishing out punishment, and Glover and Phelps are still taking to the aerial assault. All four of the fathers, in addition to Josh Neace, are having all star caliber seasons, and Arana, Glover, and Renn are each making a push for MVP. In addition to Neace's return to the field, the addition of several rookies such as: John Allendorf, Ryan Geib, and Kyle Gonzales, has allowed the league to continue prospering this season. Clyde Neace, and Matt Lams have showed great dedication in officiating games when they could not play, and the league signed Phil Mulroe as its Senior Official. Nobody can say for certain how long the HSFL will continue playing. There have been several rumors floating around the league for the past few weeks, and it will be interesting to see if they come to pass. If these rumors do take their course, it will be the most difficult test for the HSFL and its founding fathers to date. Several announcements are expected to be made by Commissioner Glover within the coming weeks, so stay tuned. |