Congratulations, Hampden freshman football team. Congratulations and thank you, coaches, for your time and effort in bringing this year’s team to victory. Great job.

The team celebrated with a well-deserved, recognition pizza party on Nov. 12. The coaches wanted to recognize each boy for his successes and progress during the football season. After all, this is the future of the Hampden Academy football team.

There is just one little problem with this whole situation. These boys are supposedly part of the Hampden Academy football team. They did a wonderful job this season. They were there to support their upperclassmen and peers during the home football games.

Just like any town, I would presume, Hampden would like its home team to be a winner. A lot of this could come from support from all of those involved, coaches, parents, students, fans, and the Hampden Boosters Club. When asked to contribute pizza for the freshman team for its well-deserved recognition party, they refused.

I am under the impression that the Boosters Club is there to support the Hampden Academy sports activities. I was also under the impression that the freshman football team was a part of the Hampden Academy team. For some reason, funds were not available to support this little party for the boys. I did notice that the Boosters Club took advantage of the home games played by our freshman football team and opened their food booth in order to raise money for their organization.

Had those games not been played at the Hampden football field, the Boosters Club would not have had this opportunity. Do we call this support for our home team?

At any rate, the pizza party was held. For those of you that would like to, many thanks should be extended to Steve Leighton, father of a freshman football player and supporter of the team, and Perry Boudreau, fan and supporter of the team, for providing the pizzas, chips, and soda in order to make this event happen for these boys.

-Denise LaChance, Hampden