OBSERVER Photo by David Prenatt Parents and other Westfield residents filled the room at the Westfield Academy and Central School Board of Education meeting to express their concerns regarding the district’s football program.

WESTFIELD — It appears FWB will not return next year to the gridiron.

Responding to parents’ concerns and the recommendations of Athletic Director Jake Hitchcock, Westfield’s Board of Education advised District Superintendent David Davison to pursue the option of joining Chautauqua Lake Central School district’s football program.

In the face of declining numbers, Westfield has tried several different options during the past six years to keep its football program viable. Most recently, the district merged its program with that of Brocton and Fredonia.

This merger proved to be unsatisfactory, however. “We need to go in a different direction next year,” Hitchcock said. “Going with just Brocton is not an option because of the numbers.”

Hitchcock listed several problems with the current program. Chief among them were communication and transportation concerns, playing time and coaching issues.

During recent months, the district has also heard from many parents about the football program. Hitchcock said he conducted a meeting on Oct. 25 to hear the concerns of parents.

Approximately 50 parents and students attended the November Board of Education meeting to attempt to hammer out the future of Westfield’s football program.

Along with the issues listed above, many parents voiced concern about the future of the community-based Goldenhawk midget football program, which serves as a feeder for WACS football.Because many districts have gone to a modified football program, seventh and eighth grade students in the midget program have no local teams against which to compete. Merging with Chautauqua Lake would allow these students to continue to play as part of the midget program.

Hitchcock said the district would benefit by merging with Chautauqua Lake or Maple Grove in Bemus Point.

“Chautauqua Lake is my recommendation,” Hitchcock said. “It would mean only 10 minutes on the bus versus 25 minutes to Bemus Point, and we can have a home game,” he said.

Hitchcock added that Westfield has “shared other sports with Chautauqua Lake in the past, and it’s been a good experience.”

Board member Brenda Backus, who attended the Oct. 25 parent meeting, said everyone supported a merger with Chautauqua Lake.

“In terms of the parent meeting, it was pretty unanimous that parents thought Chautauqua Lake would give our kids the opportunities we’re looking for,” Backus said. “There wasn’t a lot of dissension in the group.”

Backus and representatives of those attending the meeting expressed their gratitude for the administration’s prompt response to the issue. Backus said, “I’m glad that we could all come together on this football issue. Mr. Hitchcock and Mr. Davison pursued what we requested, so ‘thank you.'”