Sean Embree: Appreciation for Belmont student-athletes on football team

To The Daily Sun,

I wanted to take a moment to give a shoutout to the Gilford/Belmont football team on a great season and especially want to recognize the student-athletes from Belmont High School who participated on the team.

For those who are unaware, the Gilford School Board dissolved the Memorandum of Understanding between the two school districts, essentially ending the cooperative football program for Belmont High School students. After numerous attempts to petition the NHIAA to move down from Division II to Division III, dropping the Belmont High School participants was their only option. This will open the door for Gilford to appeal to the NHIAA to move down to a lower division providing additional winning opportunities in hopes of adding another banner to their gymnasium.

In conclusion, I appreciate all the work these Belmont High School kids put in. They’ve been aware all season long that this was the likely outcome of their football experience. Belmont High School doesn’t send a lot of football players their way, but to deprive some students/families of their senior season next year is disappointing and a failure. It must be hard to dedicate yourself to competing for a cooperative team and a school district that doesn’t want you. I commend these kids and am proud to have them as part of the Shaker Regional School District.

Sean Embree

Belmont