I hear there's a possibility Elyria Catholic's football program is considering the addition of black jerseys, if the players get permission to have fundraisers. This would be nice, and I find opposition from EC traditionalists somewhat amusing.

Change is inevietable. Look at Oberlin. A majority of former students and athletes were 100 percent opposed to changing the school nickname from Indians to anything else. The reason for that change came from pressure from those outside the community -- such as Oberlin College students bringing in activists to stir change for a class project.

Changing a jersey is minor. In fact, I believe the football team uses black practice jerseys. And let's face it. Alternate jerseys have become common in sports, so it's only natural that high schools, which can make it happen, would do the same.

Entering my junior year of high school, a football coach said to me "you guys worry too much about what you look like," when there was talk of changing our home jerseys from blue to red. He was right, but pride does play a key role in high school athletics, and the jersey is a key part. When I see kids wanting to do something like change their jersey, I see school pride.

If they can make it happen by creating funds on their own -- especially at a school that requires tuition -- that is a tremendous amount of school pride. If their request to seek this endeavor is not approved by the school or shunned by alumni, then they don't deserve to have kids with this pride at their institution.