The end of one year brings talk of the next. Though many changes will be brought about for the 2011-2012 school year, one in particular may have some athletes eager for the fall season on the gridiron.

As reported previously, joint sports were approved at the semi-annual meeting between Walnut and Atlantic school boards. This agreement included sports such as golf, tennis, soccer, and football.

The Walnut high school football team, for the 2010-2011 season, lacked the numbers it needed for a full team, and so the talk began. With talk comes change, and with change comes talk. With the changes for the upcoming season approved, two players had thoughts to share. Derek Stork, a 2011-2012 senior, is looking forward to the new additions to the Trojan team. He said, “I’m actually excited because [Austen Stevens] can run like a semi.”  Tyler Hovey, also a senior-to-be, said, “I think it’s a good opportunity for more athletes.” Though the number of participants is slim, the chance of an improved season is still there.

Coach Tim Duff, who will be returning for a second year as head AHS football coach, said, “I think [the joint team] is a good deal.” He stated that last year, Walnut had low numbers of players, and Atlantic had a hard time competing, along with not a high number of players. He went on the say, “I think it will be good joint season.” With the ending record of 2-7, the hopes for improvement are definite.

Be sure to cheer on your Trojan team to victory at future games!