Wauwatosa (Wis.) East High School still plans on having a football season despite historic flooding in southeast Wisconsin over the weekend that left the school's stadium in ruins.
Hart Park is home to both the Wauwatosa East Red Raiders and Marquette University High School football programs, but after the flooding left the turf at the stadium ruined, it's highly unlikely any football will be played there this season.
"I’ve been around a long time. Now I’m back for my second stint and I can definitely say that this has never happened before," Red Raiders head coach Tom Swittel told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We're in untested waters right now, but I like the plan that we have. It’s the very best plan we could have under the circumstances."
Both Wauwatosa and Marquette are now looking for alternative venues for their season.
While most of Wauwatosa's outdoor equipment — padded blocking shield and tackling dummies — were destroyed in the flooding, the team's helmets, shoulder pads, training tables, training supplies and everything else in the home locker room were dry.
"I feel like I won the lottery," Swittel said with a laugh.
Swittel has resolved to move practices to the Wauwatosa East campus where the football team will practice after the boys' soccer team from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.
For games, the school plans to play nearby at a rival school's facility.
“Our plan is to play our home games at Tosa West," Swittel said. "I didn’t look at their schedule, but Andrew did and said that our home dates are when they’re away, so it should work out that way.”
Swittel said that his players were a bit surprised at having to play at a rival's stadium.
“If you could’ve saw our kids’ faces when we said we’re playing our home games at Tosa West … they were like, ‘What!' But I said to them, ‘Do you wanna play a game or don’t you?’ That’s what it comes down to. We got no other choice," Swittel said.
For the time being, Swittel found some perspective in the whole mess.
"One of my really good friends is a firefighter in Tosa and having the first responders go out and help people that are in serious danger — I think I read somewhere there was a woman stuck in her car in the midst of it all. As crazy as Hart Park might seem right now, we'll be all right and we'll figure it out. It's more about how can we work together and help build back a solid football team and a solid athletic department and help the community?"
