Mass resignations in Holmdel High School football program ( Over Disruptive Student/Player)

Newsday ^ | 10-27-2005

[Robert A Cook PE]

Realistically, only 1 in perhaps 45 - 80 high school (football) players have a chance at scholarships.

Tragically, sports, (and the performing arts - music, band, drill team, orchestra, plays, chorus) are the ONLY places where the kids' OWN performance and determination and discipline really count.

Here, ONE player (actually, one player's PARENTS) has hurt the rest of the team.

[Amelia]

If you really think it's your calling, you might try looking for another place to teach.

I would add that not all private schools are good, not all public schools are bad, and the right administrators and coworkers can make all the difference in the world.

[You Dirty Rats]

It does seem a bit much for high school, but I've yet to hear the Ohio freepers comment yet.

As an Ohio Freeper who went to HS in the Canton area, lived in Akron and Cleveland and now lives in Cincinnati, all I can say is nine assistant coaches is probably less than average for large schools here. My kids' HS has a weight room equal to that of Notre Dame FB.

Gerry Faust had 17 asst coaches at Moeller HS In Cincinnati before he wrecked the program at Notre Dame.

As for Holmdel, it sounds from the article like the coach was right on the merits but didn't follow proper procedure. In this era of lawsuits, the Board might have had no choice.

"Progressive discipline" in this context means documenting violations and imposing punishments that are stronger w/ repeated violations.

[doug from upland]

I am all for the coaches, but here may be the problem ---

School officials have declined to say why the player was reinstated. The school has a progressive discipline policy in which players are supposed to be given official warnings for disciplinary violations such as skipping class, according to Franceschini. If the violation is extremely serious, the discipline may exceed a warning.

The player who was dismissed from the team and reinstated had also missed classes and practices before the argument, according to O'Connor. However, sources close to situation said that the player never received any official warnings before he was dismissed from the team.

Maybe the coach should have just benched him for the remaining games and made him the water boy during practice.

[Serenissima Venezia]

I would add that not all private schools are good, not all public schools are bad, and the right administrators and coworkers can make all the difference in the world.

This is very true, although I thought I'd have better luck with the teaching environment in a private Christian school. But, with the 2 private schools I've been involved with in my life (one my son went to for 4 years and this one now), the administrators seems more concerned about not losing students (read tuition money) than providing the good students with a real education. I have to say that I think the middle school my son went to last year was more on top of discipline and in following the state standards for academics than this school is (which really surprised me because it is quite expensive for our area).

[Rebelbase]

Holmdel High got whooped Friday night, 35-0.

[Cagey]

I saw that in our local paper. I also read a comment by one of the assistants who resigned saying that unfortunately, money and power were behind the "problem". That didn't surprise me at all.