Tackle school gang problems with football: Ford
September 1, 2007
David Grossman
SPORTS REPORTER
Toronto Councillor Rob Ford has a solution to dealing with gang-related problems linked to some city high schools.
Start up a football team.
Ford is also offering to pick up the $20,000 bill for equipment and solicit corporate sponsors to help out with ongoing costs.
Councillor for Ward 2, Etobicoke North, Ford said Westview Centennial and C.W. Jefferys would be great schools to launch gridiron teams, as early as next month, providing the Toronto District School Board gives the okay.
"It's been proven in the U.S. and also right here in Toronto," said Ford. "Football is the carrot to counter violence and shut down lots of problems. I’ll guarantee that crime will go down when these kids — and many of them are great athletes — have something to do with their time after school."
Westview Centennial principal Randy Palermo likes the idea.
"We spent time thinking of a football team last year and we have interested students," said Palermo, who was an all-star lineman as a student at Martingrove Collegiate.
"I'm open to the idea of meeting with Ford, or other parties, to look at a football team as long as it's within the policies of the board."
Ford was responsible for launching a varsity football team a few years ago at Newtonbrook Secondary, in Toronto’s northeast corridor. Six years ago, he donated $20,000 to purchase equipment to start a team at Don Bosco Catholic high school in Etobicoke.
Ford said officials at two other Toronto schools — Emery Collegiate and West Humber Collegiate — have told him that problems declined after decisions were made to start football teams.