Matt Griffin
Staff Writer
Since the birth of the University of La Verne football program in 1921 night games have been almost non existent.
Only a few games were played at night in the early 1950s before Roland Ortmayer Stadium was created.
For the last 60 years it has been somewhat of a tradition to play day football games.
“For me its tradition,” head football coach Don Morel said. “As long as I’ve ever known, football has been a day game at ULV.”
Many teams at the Division I level, such as Norte Dame, have a tradition of playing day games at home. Tradition unfortunately isn’t the only thing holding the La Verne football program from hosting night games.
Looking around Ortmayer stadium one may notice only one set of lights facing the field.
Restrictions on having lights on the opposite side of the field near the Supertents are due to the residents near the ULV stadium.
If La Verne did host night games there would only be a few months out of the entire year residents would have to cope with rays of light bouncing off their shutters or blinds.
La Verne residents underneath the lights agreed there would be more problems from the student body.
With the presence of night games, people would be out late and hang out in the streets, some residents said.
Though most of the student body attends the day games, the largest known violation of the law is against those who park in designated areas without permits.
Many of the residents know of the University’s dry campus policy but were still wary of potential problems from the students.
Many ULV football players believe playing under the lights is much better than playing day games.
“I would much rather play night games than day,” senior safety Jeff Magdaleno said. “The atmosphere and weather is better.”
“There is nothing like playing under the lights,” junior receiver Adrian Del Haro said.
“None of the people who attend our games are going to cause a disturbance to any of the residents,” Del Haro added. “If anything, after we win, many are in a hurry to leave and go hang out with friends.”
La Verne was only able to get the existing lights because of a donation from Board of Trustees members William and Benjamin Harris.
The city was unavailable for comment as of publication to give any sufficient information on ULV’s situation.
Until then, La Verne football is prohibited from playing under the lights.
Though Damien High School and the teams that play at Wheeler Park are more than welcome to participate in night events, La Verne football remains without power and with only high school memories of Friday night lights.
Matt Griffin can be reached at mgriffin@ulv.edu.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.