New Philadelphia’s Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium best be prepared for a sea of Orange and Black crashing over its visitors’ section come Saturday night.
That’s the site of the Ohio Division VII regional semifinal between the top-seeded Newark Catholic and the Shadyside Tigers.
The Shadyside faithful will make the trip en masse to support their football team, and they’ve always done so. Support is not in short supply in Tiger Town.
Success breeds success, along with interest in the program, and the Tigers have been perennial playoff contenders the last few decades.
But, where Shadyside differs from most communities, big or small, is how far the support extends. Any school can generate fans come playoff time, and especially for football
But what about the regular season? What about if the team is having a down year? What about girls’ athletics? Jr. High? Youth sports?
For the residents of Shadyside, it matters not. It could be the state championship in football, a varsity girls basketball game with a rival, or a jr. high track meet or volleyball match. The Shadyside faithful show their support and pack the stands.
“It’s very simple. This school is the center of our community, and the community surrounds this school district. It’s the centerpiece, and always has been that way as far back as I remember.”
Those words come from district superintendent John Haswell, but they aren’t just boastful words from an administrator talking about his employer. Haswell has been on the receiving end of that support, starring athletically for the Tigers back in the early 1980s. He’s worked in the school district for all but five years of his career.
Shadyside is his home and runs through his blood. He knows the level of support and how much it means to the athletes.
“The pride and tradition have always been a big part of Shadyside,” Melanie Haswell added, John’s wife and a fellow Shadyside alumnus, longtime educator and cheerleading coach, now recently elected village councilwoman.
Like her husband, Melanie grew up in the school district, both receiving from and giving support to her classmates and later students. She’s coached. She’s been a part of the football moms and boosters’ organizations.
Between the two, the Haswell’s have seen the full gamut of how the town supports the school and its athletes, without fail.
The players feed off that support and also give it back.
“The (elementary) kids would make signs, and when the girls’ basketball team made the final four, our kids would be out with shakers, and signs, dressed in orange and black,” Melanie said. “And the kids would get excited because the players would come up and read with the kids, all the athletes did.”
Keeping the Community Involved
The school district does its best to let the citizens feel like they are still part of the school, long after they’ve picked up their diplomas and begun life.
The parent-teacher organization at the elementary school is packed with adults willing to donate their time and talents to the cause. Participation is never an issue.
PTO-style organizations aren’t as popular at the high school level, but that enthusiasm just transfers over to the sport-specific parent organizations.
“Interest kind of fizzles out for (PTO) once the kids hit high school, but the lower grades, anything we ever needed, the parents were there to help out,” Melanie noted.
John mentioned that Monday night this week, the district invited the Citizens Advisor Committee to the school in an effort to keep the community involved and get ahead of any potential issues that need delving into.
“We’re trying to get the community involved, the kids, the parents, and get ahead of any and all issues that may be out there, from bullying, harassment, any type of concern that is in the community,” John said. “This allows us to streamline communication so people can contact us and know that we are doing things.
“We had four different employees give a report at this meeting, talking about mental health issues.”
City signs detailing landmarks around town. 
Business Support Second to None
A quick stroll through the hallway at SHS and you’ll see a number of different team t-shirts supporting every sport offered. Usually, on the back, you’ll see logos and identification displaying the businesses that gave their support to the fundraising effort.
The list of businesses in town that help out is long, and they consistently donate toward the school and its students.
“Every time you turn around and look on a t-shirt, you’ll see the same names on it,” Melanie said. “I was the president of the football moms two different times, and sometimes you feel bad because you are bombarding these businesses all the time, but they never turn their back on you, whether they are donating food, money for the t-shirts.
“The support is always there.”
You could say the same thing for the village as well, as its identity is tied to the school. Look at the signs in town, directing visitors to different landmarks, such as certain churches, the village administration building, even the high school.
These signs are colored orange and black too. There are flags for the players adorning posts throughout the loop portion of Central Avenue, as well as orange school flags and other signs of support from businesses and townsfolk alike.
People outside the village notice the support too. Hosting Shadyside generally means a great night at the gate for ticket sales, programs, concessions.
But not only that, but the parents and opposing coaches also notice the support. This writer certainly has. I’ve coached against Shadyside teams at both the junior-high age level and for youth sports. I’ve remarked both to my daughter, her teammates, and even some of her teammate’s parents the difference in support, especially for girls’ sports, between Shadyside and other communities.
That’s not signaling out my hometown, or current home community either. It’s across the board. From vocal fan support to behind-the-scenes financial support, Shadyside does it right.
