New Coach at Freedom-South Riding

[VaPrepsRod]

Per the Freedom Athletic Department:

The Freedom Athletic Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Sean Curry as the new Varsity Head Football Coach. Coach Curry has spent the past 9 years serving as an assistant coach with the Varsity program at Chantilly High School in Fairfax County. Coach Curry worked as the Defensive Coordinator in 2014 and Co-Coordinated the Defense from 2011-2013. He has also served as Special Teams Coordinator for five years. During his tenure at Chantilly he has coached the following positions: Inside Linebackers, Defensive Line, Offensive Line, Running Backs, Defensive Backs, Returners and Kickers/Punters.

We believe that Coach Curry is the right individual to balance the academic and athletic expectations that come with representing the football program and Freedom High School. Through football, Coach Curry will instill discipline, responsibility and character into our players.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Sure sounds like Coach Curry has put in the time and earned his chance. I wish him well and will follow them this year to see how it goes.

South Riding is a very unique name. I googled it but didn't see anything about the name origin. Can anyone help me out with this?

 

[m.ur]

I may be way off but I believe the community was built on a farm/land and that was the name of the farm. There are a few neighborhoods out here with the name "ridings' in it.

Lots of horse farms and very close to Middleburg, which is known as horse country.

This is nothing more than a guess

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Well, I was kind of assuming that there was a connection to the horse business. Like you say, that is certainly historic horse country up there.

I hope someone will post the details connected to that name.

My humble little community has a somewhat unique name connected to the purpose of the area during times gone by. Poole Siding.

The story goes that in the early days of railroading, a prominent family in this area were the Pooles. Almost everyone is aware that a siding is a short length of tracks off of the main line used for the temporary parking of rail cars for the purpose of loading and unloading freight. There is no siding and there are no Pooles left, but the name endures.

 

[VaPrepsRod]

Trafalgar House, a now defunct British conglomerate that was the original developer of this community, chose the name "South Riding." Yorkshire County in England was historically comprised of three subdivisions, East Riding, North Riding, and West Riding. There was no "South Riding." (Trafalgar House may have been inspired by the classic 1936 novel by Winifred Holtby, set in the fictional South Riding.) Trafalgar House created South Riding in southeastern Loudoun County. South Riding Proprietary Board President Jeff Salmon described an original brochure, before Toll bought the development, that shows the community including commercial areas similar to small, separate groups of buildings found in old English towns.




Origin of name

 

[bceagle47]

What kind of commentary is this? Based on what you know (knowledge of the guy) is this a good hire? Would love to hear from some Chantilly people here.

 

[hamspear]

I am not a Chantilly or a South Riding guy, but I think this is a good hire. looks like he put his time in learning. everyone has to get a start somewhere. South Riding is basically the western side of Chantilly growth out Rt 50.'Loudoun county continues to grow at a remarkable pace. It has to be a tough job to fill these coaching positions with quality people when you are opening up a new school practically every year. he has solid talent around that area, to work with. and the facility's at all these new Loudoun schools are second to none. he should be fine.....

 

[VaPrepsRod]

Originally posted by bceagle47:
What kind of commentary is this? Based on what you know (knowledge of the guy) is this a good hire? Would love to hear from some Chantilly people here.

I've heard good things about Coach Curry and believe that he will also bring in some assistants with him from other winning programs in the NoVa area.

As with any new coach, administrative support will be key. The football culture at Freedom does not appear to be on par with others in the area right now.

First battle that they will fight is keeping the top players in the school.

 

[hamspear]

You are correct Rod, Chantilly , Stonebridge, Briar Woods, and even Westfield are just minutes away. It can be tough going when you have strong established programs for these boys to go to. I was told that if you live in Loudoun County, you can go to any high school you want , regardless of what area or school zone you reside in. Unlike as in Frederick County where I live , you have to go the school in your zone. You have to move to go to the school. please correct me if I am wrong, I was told this as second hand information. I hope he builds a solid program, it will only help spread out the tremendous talent base for the rest of us competing against those Loudoun schools.

 

[m.ur]

Who knew Sir Rod was a master of European History as well??? He is the man.

Yes in Loudoun you can attend a different High school if you can get special permission (which is not hard) and you can provide your own transportation.

Next fall the 15th HS in Loudoun (Riverside) will open up and draw from Tusky and Stone Bridge. Every school in the county has now been 'split' at least once, and sometimes more.

At Freedom the best players have left after their soph year, like clockwork. Curry and the new staff have some things to work with as the freshman class is as talented as any other on their schedule.

 

[hamspear]

So basically , a bunch of blue chippers can get together and say, " Hey lets all go to Briar Woods this year, We will be loaded". Feel sorry for the coaches actually, but if this is the policy for Loudoun, it should be adopted by the state or every School District in the State. Just to keep a fair playing ground.

 

[bceagle47]

The policy in Loudoun is you go to a HS based on where you live. SOME families in Loudoun have enough $ to rent properties in another's schools zone and send their kids to that school. It's not against the rules but it is not necessarily ethical. There is no "open enrollment" but there is some flexibility if a school nearby is under enrolled. Similar things have been going on at places like Millbrook and Handley for years. People will also use a relatives address and claim "childcare" issues as a reason for transfer. I am not going to say that Loudoun doesn't have some ethical issues to explain but the county being "open enrollment" is far from the truth. Athletic Directors and Coaches will not risk forfeiting a season no matter how good the athlete is. There are things going on like this in every district.

 

[hamspear]

So Mr UR is incorrect then? there is no special permission? there is no as long as you have transportation? it's the same policy as in Frederick County, move or have a address in the area of your school zone. thanks.

 

[shauntclair]

Who is right?

Differing opinions here. Only way this will be resolved is with proof. Provide a link to the documentation, please.

 

[phantom]

Originally posted by m.ur:
Who knew Sir Rod was a master of European History as well??? He is the man.

Yes in Loudoun you can attend a different High school if you can get special permission (which is not hard) and you can provide your own transportation.

Next fall the 15th HS in Loudoun (Riverside) will open up and draw from Tusky and Stone Bridge. Every school in the county has now been 'split' at least once, and sometimes more.

At Freedom the best players have left after their soph year, like clockwork. Curry and the new staff have some things to work with as the freshman class is as talented as any other on their schedule.

That can't be true. Transfers only happen in the 757.

 

[otnorot]

Loudoun instituted a school choice policy just recently, either this year or last year.

It is spelled out in the "Special Permission" section starting on the second page here:
http://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/9/Chapter%208/8-20.pdf

 

[numb3rs]

Loudoun County schools FAQs

According to this link from Loudoun County public schools, students who transfer after entering 9th grade have to have residency in the new school's zone to be eligible to compete per VHSL rules. So, the parents of these Freedom players would have to move, or at least comply with the "letter" of the rule, for them to be eligible at another school in Loudoun or elsewhere.

Loudoun link

 

[dringtuoti]

Re: Loudoun County schools FAQs


Simply renting another property in another zone doesn't make you eligible. According to VHSL rules, all family members must physically move out of their previous residence and the property must be sold or rented in order to become a bona fide transfer (rule interpretation 28-7-3). The only problem with this is - are schools really going to check on this? Probably not.

 

[coachmartinrocks]

I hope it works out for this guy. Let us see how many assistants he can get in the building and even if he has a job in the building. Word is the administration there isn't supportive of football.

 

[shauntclair]

Re: Loudoun County schools FAQs

If all the paperwork jives, the schools have fulfilled their obligation with the VHSL. The school is not an arbitrary investigative body. Neither is the VHSL. HOWEVER, if an individual files a formal complaint with the Principal concerning eligibility, that School is then obliged to investigate and notify the VHSL of it's findings.

I always hear about the transfer issue on the boards. It happens every year. If all that's required to investigate is an e-mail, why does it not happen more often? I know kids do transfer for athletic reasons.Various posters have stated they have done this with their own sons. But I only know of a single instance where the rules were actually circumvented and it turned out to be a major reason a State Championship was won. I think most transfers are legal because, if you look at the VHSL rules and penalties, it's pretty difficult to do non-legally.