The Hall-Conard rivalry is dividing the town by mentally and physically challenging the people of West Hartford. The history of Hall and Conard dates back many decades, creating an infamous rivalry enjoyed by local sports fans and visitors alike. The rivalry between Hall and Conard has many benefits and negatives. For example, it tends to bring out conflicts between people, end relationships, and even start fights.

The positives of the games are the mental challenges that it brings the game pushes you to want do better and be the best you can be. The people that take part in this event are the students, parents, and teachers. The teachers and parents take more of a security role because there have been fights in the past, the most recent occurring in 2016

Football captain and senior on the lacrosse team Jack Mchale says that “Kids want to beef just to beef”. Mchale says this because he thinks people want to fight just to earn popularity or fit in. Mchale, along with another member of the football and lacrosse team, Colin Delaney, have been attending Hall vs Conard football games for as long as they can remember.

They talked about how the games are part of a tradition for them. The Hall and Conard games usually bring the best out of the competitive players. Mchale says “The conard games are definitely 10 times more emotional and have a different vibe.” He thinks there is way more at stake in such a game, for example bragging rights over the other side of town.

Delaney believes that he plays harder in Conard and Hall games. The Hall and Conard events tend to bring out the whole town together in a massive gathering. Some people have some complaints about this rivalry believing it starts conflicts and is not good for the town, While other people disagree saying its just all fun in competitive nature.

Sports television producer Matt Vinick says “What makes this rivalry unique is what these two families have taught – how to compete in a fierce yet friendly way,” Vinick said. Basically saying We can be friends any other day but the day we compete against each other we are enemies.  

Another huge part of this rivalry are the fans from both schools they bring so much excitement to these events and just make it much more entertaining which is another reason why the athletes want to play harder. Fans rarely do end up fighting, but this seems to be the only event of the game that gets coverage.. The Hall and Conard events also last a lifetime for the athletes it is really something you can never forget. So how does the Hall and Conard rivalry interest you?