By Nathan Wise ’21

THE ROUNDUP

Despite the abnormal financial situation brought on by COVID-19, Brophy administrators and faculty are proud of the school and football teams for their response to the unprecedented season.

23 games were played across four different football teams (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman Red and Freshman White) this season––a season in which no games were promised.

Originally, on July 27th, 2020, Brophy principal Mr. Bob Ryan announced that Brophy sports would remain in Phase 1 of the Return to Athletic Activity until September 8th. As a result, Brophy’s football season was postponed, pushing its original schedule more than a month behind.

However, as COVID-19 cases receded in September, the Arizona Interscholastic Association, governing body of Arizona high school sports, rescheduled the football season to begin in October. Brophy’s Varsity football team played its first game on Friday, October 2nd, against the Notre Dame Saints.

Although Brophy had a football season, changes were made to home football games. Varsity home games were played at the Brophy Sports Complex, not at Phoenix College. 

Students were allowed to attend only one home football game this season, where they had to sit on the lawn next to the field and watch the game on a screen to accommodate distancing protocols. The concession stand only sold water bottles during the games.

With these adjustments made to Brophy football games this season, revenue––the total money raised by the football team––was down from previous years.

“Even though we have the same number of students playing, it’s a little more than half of what we made in football last year” Mrs. Jill Zimmerman, CFO of Brophy, stated. 

Mrs. Zimmerman explained that because the team didn’t have a football camp and the limited number of games they played, the costs were also lower, meaning that the team didn’t need to raise as much to overcome those preliminary prices. 

Even though the team didn’t need to raise as much money, the football teams were limited in their capacity to raise money at the football games, which they rely on to support end-of-year banquets and other team-related events off the field.

Mrs. Kay Ayers, who works for the Varsity Shop, said concessions and the “mini-Varsity Shop” that are usually set up at games were limited this year in size. 

As previously mentioned, water bottles were the only item sold at games, meaning parent volunteers were not needed to sell concessions, a crucial loss that Mrs. Ayers noted. 

When asked about the abnormal home games, Mrs. Ayers said, “It was sad. It was really sad. Because [the students] are the ones who make the football games so exciting.”

But in conclusion, when reflecting upon the difficult circumstances the football team had this season, outside of revenue, the faculty were thankful the football team had a season.

In regards to the concern about revenue with decreased ticket sales, “Money certainly is important…but we just did where we can to get the kids on the field,” said Athletic Director Mr. Joshua Garcia ’07.

“I was so happy for the kids and the coaches that they could get out there and play. No matter if we won or lost, I think for [the seniors] it was important,” said Mrs. Ayers.

Mrs. Zimmerman, who is in her first year at Brophy, expanded upon this thought.

“Every sport out there, frankly, is doing extremely well. There are a lot of different rules and restrictions that they have to be meeting right now, and I think they are doing a tremendous job.”