as reported by Larry Rubama of the Virginian-Pilot...
http://pilotonline.com/sports/high-...cle_c2766129-733d-5a58-a533-79c52b503321.html
http://pilotonline.com/sports/high-...cle_c2766129-733d-5a58-a533-79c52b503321.html
News New Coach at Bishop Sullivan
- Thread starter VaPrepsRod
- Start date
I wish Coach Scott the best of luck in building a National Powerhouse Football Program and if anyone can do it he can with the talent he surrounds himself with. As far as the Bishop Sullivan Catholic Leadership is concerned, I think they sold their soul and academics will now suffer. I wish the teachers the best of luck in the future as I know this year has been a tough year most of the teachers know what I am referring too.
Audio interview is pretty funny, especially when he states he doesn't know if any dolphins will be suiting up at Bishop Sullivan next year. Virginian Pilot know his RB is coming with him, but he doesn't?? I guess if he said he was bringing a dozen of his dolphin players with him, who did not have to pay tuition, per his agreement with administration, it would be in violation of VISAA recruiting rules. Should be an interesting year at Sullivan.
To be fair (and 100% accurate), the Pilot got a quote from the mom who says that the running back will follow. It is possible that Coach Scott has not had any conversations with her, at this point. Therefore, it is conceivable that he doesn't know that anyone is coming.
Her saying that her son is going to transfer certainly makes it likely, but doesn't make it absolutely true yet.
A technicality, maybe, but in search of the 100% truth, the coach can't know that anyone is following until they apply and get accepted.
Rod, understand what you are saying but I think it is coming from a very naive point of view. I understand you can only publish the facts and report what has been specifically told to you during an interview but those of us that have been through this painful process with an AD that hasn't even been at the school for a full year understand all to well what has been going on in the background. I am happy that Chris is going to be able to free himself from the public school noose and going to be able to build himself and the school a national program. But what we are forgetting about is what about the small school tradition Catholic has had for years? How are the kids that have been a part of this program going to be able to compete for starting position with 22 Division 1 college prospects coming in from all locations? I fell bad for the current kids and the Catholic families that will have to go through this over the next couple of years but I place that blame solely on the school leadership. The reason that kids come to this school was for academics not athletics........
The NACDA Director's Cup is awarded to the colleges in universities with the best overall athletic programs each year. Last year, the top overall athletic programs in D1 included Stanford, UCLA and Notre Dame which are all excellent academic institutions. Why can't superior athletics and academics go hand in hand at the high school level? I don't think you should assume that just because a school, especially a private school, has an elite football program that academics have to suffer.
Like Chris Carter says, "Come on man!" If you believe he doesn't have his ducks lined in a row before making this move, shame on you. It was talked about in his negotiations with BSCHS administration that he needed funding for about 12 kids every year to bring his players in. Enough of the bull, he doesn't have to cover his actions anymore, he is at Bishop Sullivan.
Big difference between a Division 1 College and a small Catholic High School in Virginia Beach. Trust me it has already begun asks any teacher at the school.....
I can understand, from your point of view, why it might sound naive. However, nothing that I've written is my opinion and the gap between what I have heard and what I know to be true is quite large.
As a ethical journalist, I don't have the luxury of posting anonymously, telling one side of a story or not making sure that I have all of my ducks lined up in a row before I make a post.
Essentially, I have to follow the law of the land which is innocent until proven guilty. Key word: proven.
All that I am saying is that it is plausible that Labron's mom is saying that he is coming before it is an actual reality.
Maybe the financial aid package won't cover enough of the tuition or maybe the bus schedule doesn't work for them and he has no way of getting to the school, or several other maybes between now and August 1st.
At this point, her quote is only an indication of her intentions.
That is all that I am saying.
Nothing that I've posted is a representation of what I believe. It is merely a representation of what can be proven. That's a responsibility that comes with being in my position.
Ethics.
Rod, I understand where you are coming from and the ethics you have to uphold. The problem is some of us are a little closer to this issue than we would like to be at this time. There is another side to this story that I think people are forgetting about which is the story of a small school football program that has done a great job and a lot of alumni, teachers and parents wanted to keep it that way but they had no voice in this process. Norfolk Catholic/ BSCHS was built on the foundation of exceptional academics and the fear now is that football will take away from those "needs based" financial aid packages for kids that do not play sports and come here to better the academics. This decision has become so polarizing to the alumni and teachers that many of them are thinking about not contributing anymore to the financial base of the school and leaving next year to teach at other schools. This will create a huge financial and educational impact as some of the public school kids that come over may not be able to pay the 12K in tuition but a lot won't be able to afford it. In addition we have already seen the degradation of academic standards based on the recruiting that the AD performed this past season, once again people within the school know what I am referring too. I just think the new AD knew nothing about the tradition of the school and is trying to make a name for himself and using his financial status to be able to buy his way into multiple VISAA Div. 1 state titles and eventually becoming a national football power house. Do get me wrong I think it's great that Coack Scott is coming over and going to try and build a national house program but unlike what Bruce reported last night on his SportsWrap session the VISAA does have recruiting guidelines that they must follow. The only problem is that they are very loose and practically unenforceable.
I don't know if people are necessarily forgetting about that aspect right now. It's just being buried by the momentum of a bigger story that plays better.
If the academic standards take a hit (an unknown right now), I could see it becoming a story then but, for now, it's speculation and that's a more difficult story to write and to report upon because a) there are a lot of unknowns and b) almost no one would be willing to go on record to voice those concerns.
I'll not knock Bruce or any TV coverage of high school sports but you can't honestly believe that they are interested in the in-depth part of any story, can you? Those guys are really good at what they do, but what they do is skim a minute's coverage off the top of a story, not any sort of true investigation.
Having spent 34 coaching at a public high school in Tidewater and the past 5 years coaching at a VISAA private school, perhaps I have a unique perspective on this whole matter! The VHSL rules and regs are designed to provide a "level playing field" for all schools in the League. A private school is an independent school and thus can set its own guidelines for how it wants to conduct its athletic program. Contrary to what someone posted, the VISAA has little or no authority to regulate "recruiting" and transfers. That's why the TCIS stepped in last year and legislated for its member schools about reclassification and transferring.
BSC has decided it wants to go "big time." Good for them! That's their choice. I wish them well. I just know that if I were a public school coach in the VB/Norfolk area (heck... even Chesapeake), I'd be very nervous about BCS coming in and recruiting my best players. What most of us around here don't realize is that this is commonplace in the NY/NJ/Penn area as it is in parts of California. The private Catholic schools in those areas (and others around the country) are the "big time" national powerhouses in those states. It's going to take a while before it becomes an "accepted" practice around here.
BSC has decided it wants to go "big time." Good for them! That's their choice. I wish them well. I just know that if I were a public school coach in the VB/Norfolk area (heck... even Chesapeake), I'd be very nervous about BCS coming in and recruiting my best players. What most of us around here don't realize is that this is commonplace in the NY/NJ/Penn area as it is in parts of California. The private Catholic schools in those areas (and others around the country) are the "big time" national powerhouses in those states. It's going to take a while before it becomes an "accepted" practice around here.
I am not saying they are enforced or followed, but this is what it says in VISAA policies and procedures:
ARTICLE I Recruitment or Inducement
Section 1 –General Rule.Coaches, teachers, administrators, other school employees or persons affiliated with a VISAA member school shall not initiate contact with any student athlete for the purpose of encouraging the student to attend their school primarily for athletic purposes. Once a student and his or her guardians have made the initial contact with the school’s admission office and indicated their interest in the school, coaches or other representatives may approach the student about all school programs. This rule should not be interpreted as a restriction of the schools regular student recruitment programs (e.g., the use of newspaper advertisements, direct mail campaigns, media presentations and open houses). VISAA member schools shall not inappropriately induce a student to attend their school.
Section 2 –Specific Examples. Inappropriate contact and inducement include, but is not limited to, the following:
· The student is asked by a member of the school faculty, a coach or member of a “booster club” to transfer from one school to another.
· Special privileges are given to parents and/or students.
· Financial aid is given for transportation, room, board or tuition outside of a regular financial aid package. For the purpose hereof, a regular financial aid package shall mean financial aid pursuant to a financial aid procedure/plan that:
o is in writing and on file in the school’s administrative office;
o has been approved by the school board or governing organization of the school;
o contains details qualifying the financial need criteria for aid;
o includes all students in the grade structure of the school;
o demonstrates through documentation the application and approval process of financial aid requests; and
o shows evidence of including non-athletes in the award process of financial aid.
· Providing any consideration not afforded to all students.
Section 3 –Penalties for Violations. A violation of these rules may result in one or more sanctions, as decided by the Executive Committee in its sole discretion. These sanctions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
· ineligibility of the student to participate in VISAA Events for one year;
· forfeiture of any VISAA team or individual championships of which the student was a member;
· forfeiture of all games played by the school team of which the student was a member against VISAA opponents; and
· ineligibility for VISAA championship competition during the following school year in any sport.
A second incident demonstrating blatant disregard of this rule may result in a VISAA member school’s expulsion from the VISAA.
Section 4 –Interpretations and Appeals. A VISAA member school may request an interpretation or report a violation of these rules or appeal any interpretation or application of these rules in accordance with Section 4 of Article X hereof.
ARTICLE I Recruitment or Inducement
Section 1 –General Rule.Coaches, teachers, administrators, other school employees or persons affiliated with a VISAA member school shall not initiate contact with any student athlete for the purpose of encouraging the student to attend their school primarily for athletic purposes. Once a student and his or her guardians have made the initial contact with the school’s admission office and indicated their interest in the school, coaches or other representatives may approach the student about all school programs. This rule should not be interpreted as a restriction of the schools regular student recruitment programs (e.g., the use of newspaper advertisements, direct mail campaigns, media presentations and open houses). VISAA member schools shall not inappropriately induce a student to attend their school.
Section 2 –Specific Examples. Inappropriate contact and inducement include, but is not limited to, the following:
· The student is asked by a member of the school faculty, a coach or member of a “booster club” to transfer from one school to another.
· Special privileges are given to parents and/or students.
· Financial aid is given for transportation, room, board or tuition outside of a regular financial aid package. For the purpose hereof, a regular financial aid package shall mean financial aid pursuant to a financial aid procedure/plan that:
o is in writing and on file in the school’s administrative office;
o has been approved by the school board or governing organization of the school;
o contains details qualifying the financial need criteria for aid;
o includes all students in the grade structure of the school;
o demonstrates through documentation the application and approval process of financial aid requests; and
o shows evidence of including non-athletes in the award process of financial aid.
· Providing any consideration not afforded to all students.
Section 3 –Penalties for Violations. A violation of these rules may result in one or more sanctions, as decided by the Executive Committee in its sole discretion. These sanctions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
· ineligibility of the student to participate in VISAA Events for one year;
· forfeiture of any VISAA team or individual championships of which the student was a member;
· forfeiture of all games played by the school team of which the student was a member against VISAA opponents; and
· ineligibility for VISAA championship competition during the following school year in any sport.
A second incident demonstrating blatant disregard of this rule may result in a VISAA member school’s expulsion from the VISAA.
Section 4 –Interpretations and Appeals. A VISAA member school may request an interpretation or report a violation of these rules or appeal any interpretation or application of these rules in accordance with Section 4 of Article X hereof.
Thanks for pointing that out, rocketballz. You are also correct in that it isn't enforced. At least not in the 5 years that I've been at a VISAA school.
If Bishop Sullivan follows through with their "national" aspirations, how long will this new Catholic league last? Aren't the Northern Virginia schools opting out of the WCAC in football because they wanted to get away from playing that level of opposition?
There are only a few individuals within leadership positions at BSCHS that want this to happen but that's all it takes to make it happen. I have spoken with many of the current BSCHS parents, alumni and faculty members and they are 100% against this "National Football Program" from coming to BSCHS. The AD has forced this issue upon the school and is using the supposed breakup of the TCIS and going back to Division 1 to promote fear that the current football program wouldn't have been competitive. Last time I checked when BSCHS was in Division 1 we had several seasons that were over .500 and we hadn't recruited any players. We were also having a lot of fun with some great kids.
Agree with you, been coaching in the VISAA for 10 years and nobody ever kept track of who was doing what but I was glad to see when the TCIS stepped up and tried to control it......Maybe it's just time to move on. Also agree that the entire 757 public school cadre should be nervous as now all of your best kids are targets for recruiting. I really feel bad for the Juniors and Sophomores as most them may never see the field again with the competition that is coming over, most of kids are great kids.
Similar threads
