High School Sports
 

There's a good article in USA Today this morning on the evolution of high school basketball into television programming.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps...el-cover_x.htm

Some personal thoughts:
- A high school can and will set a more rigorous schedule than the NBA.
- The same high school will ignore the fact that there are exams scheduled that week for it's players.
- If a high school is getting $25,000 for a tv game, does anybody really think that high school actually cares if that game is regarded as being more important than exams?
- Len Elmore, as usual, stands out like a beacon in the darkness from the babble of talking heads on ESPN. He is one of the few there that I will actually listen to. The others have <b>MUTE ME</b> printed on their foreheads imo.

Len Elmore has always been one of my favorites...going back to his days at Maryland. He was my councillor at Pete Maravich's Basketball Camp two years in a row.

We watched that phenomonem a few years ago when Akron St Vincent/St Marys did the Look at LeBron National Tour. The school was criticized for exploiting the young man as they were reaping the benefit of having The Chosen One on their team.

My Dad was right when he said television is evil.;)

Yep, big money comes to a select few in the high school ranks now.

speaking of big money, the R in this picture from the article must have just pulled a roll of 20's out of his pocket to get the attention he's getting at that captain's meeting

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/pr...2-08-preps.jpg

It is a pretty sad situation, but one we knew was coming considering the money that is out there. I guess, at the end of the day, the only thing we can do is officiate the game straight down the middle regardless of who the star player is supposed to be on any given night.
I also think Len Elmore says some things that are right on point.
I had the pleasure of officiating one of these matchups, although it wasn't on national TV - it was on local cable. My only regret is one player should have received a technical foul for taunting (I didn't see it during the game, I saw it on the video) and Tywon Lawson was called for a phantom foul that put Kevin Durant at the line for three shots.

Whoaaaaaa......

It's obvious that game wasn't played in North Carolina. The captains don't have their shirts tucked in. :D

This judge should be impeached or removed from office. He has no jurisdiction to enter such an order.

Why doesnt the judge have jurisdiction here?

Most High School Activites Associations are either official or quasi-official bodies.

If I remember right the TRO was issued because there was a question about due process in place to appeal the suspension. The TRO was not to determine if the T's were appropriate-but that suspension should have an appeal process.

Due process issues in this situation are always under the jurisdiction of a court...

Very good article. I have disagreed with high school sports being televised nationally for some time. As an educator, I think its horrible that the students are out of school that much. Are they there for an education or to play hoops. The college problems are just going to trickle down to the high school level.

Even if this were true, the first rule of administrative law is to exhaust all administrative remedies prior to complaining to a court for legal (or equitable) remedies. Can you tell me for sure this was done? Besides, there's no legal requirement of "due process" in athletic suspensions. It may be laid out in the school district's policy, a student code of conduct or (unlikely) state statute, but if it is, I can guarantee you that the administrative relief process is likely quite long.

Further the general requirements for a TRO couldn't possibly have been met. There must be a pending irreparable harm (none here; not playing in a game is not legally harmful), where a legal (i.e. money damages) remedy is inadequate (none here), and the injunction is the least restrictive means for attaining the relief requested.

A TRO is for situations like where your house is going to be sold and demolished if you don't act soon. It isn't for a player to play in a game.

that looks like SoCal - the R in that picture I know him and have worked off season games with him. He has the BEST mechanics I have ever seen and is a very, very good official. But honestly his mechanics are flawless.

What is the purpose of education? To learn how to take tests?

For some of these kids a television appearance may be the highlight of their lives.

Is another paper on some Jane Austen book or a trigonometry test really more important to their education than this?

It's certainly not to play basketball. These are students first and athletes second.

WOW. Are you serious?

What will the vast majority of these kids do when they grow up? It sure won't be playing in the NBA, NFL or MLB.
I thought the purpose of high school as a whole was to get an education. A single book report or test might not matter for the whole, but they are one piece of the puzzle.
There is only a need for so many ditch diggers! :D

Isn't that exactly the problem? If they focus on education, maybe their lives will be more rewarding than a TV appearance. :(

Yes. Basketball is a game. It has got absolutely nothing to do with education.

I must humbly disagree
 

I whole heartedly believe that sports are an important part of education for some students...not all, but some....They do provide an opportunity to learn lessons valuable in life. Teamwork, fair play, that actions have consequences. Sometimes the athletics are the only incentive to get Johnny, or Mary to do the school work. It is a sad commentary on the situation but to deny it is true is sticking our heads in the sand....Athletics are not more important that education to the majority of people, they are to a very small portion of the population....However they do in fact lend a valuable hand to education to the vast majority of participants.

NFHS Mission Statement
 

From Jurassic Referee: "Basketball is a game. It has got absolutely nothing to do with education".

Many Forum members officiate games according to NFHS rules. Here is an edited version of the Mission Statement of The NFHS:
- interscholastic activity programs enrich each student's educational experience.
- participation in education-based activity programs promotes student academic achievement.
- interscholastic participation develops good citizenship and healthy lifestyles.
- interscholastic activity programs foster involvement of a diverse population.
- interscholastic activity programs promote positive school/community relations.
- properly trained administrators/coaches/directors promote the educational mission of the interscholastic experience.

In many school districts here in Connecticut, interscholastic sports are no longer referred to as extra-curricular, but instead, are referred to as co-curricular. Here in Connecticut, we have a noted author of a book on children and sports, who refers to interscholastic sports as "the last class of the day".

the lessons learned in sports are only as good as the ones doing to coaching IMO. So all the rhetoric doesnt mean crap to me. extra-curricular v. co-curricular -- wow who gives a crapola its all the same to me. If you think a title on the activity defines it then well good for you.

but once again you only learn those lessons if you have a coach who will teach and be a positive role model. And I would say from what I have seen that rate is less than 50%.

Yep - I made sure my son took triggernometry in high school because he was the worst shot in the family. :D

Do you believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny too?:D

Let me give you my rebuttal....
From the <b>NFHS Coaches Code Of Ethics</b>:
-The coach.....shall never place the value of winning above the value of instilling the highest ideals of character.
- The coach shall master the contest rules and shall teach them to his or her team members.
- The coach shall not seek an advantage by circumvention of the spirit or letter of the rules.
- The coach shall exert his or her influence to enhance sportsmanship by spectators.
- The coach shall respect and support contest officials.
- The coach will not indulge in conduct which would incite players or spectators against the officials.
- Public criticism of of officials or players is unethical.

I hate to have to be the one to break this to you, Billy, but just because somebody writes something down, it doesn't automatically become true.:)

High Ideals
 

Jurassic Referee:

You're right. Although I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny anymore, I do tend to see the "glass half-full rather than half empty" through my "rose colored glasses". Sorry, that's just me, and my love of interscholastic athletics.

Lets hope that some athletic programs strive to follow the high ideals of both the NFHS Coaches Code Of Ethics and the NFHS Mission Statement.

Billy, I love the high school game too. As well as the NCAA. I must be a glass half-empty, cynical old goof though. I've had my idealism pounded out of me over the years. Just reading some of the posts on this forum from <b>some</b> of the coaches and fans has a tendency to do that.

Note that I did say "some". There still are great coaches and fans out there who do think like you. Unfortunately, imo they are greatly out-numbered anymore.

If it'll make you feel better.....<i>Faith, trust and pixie dust</i>.:)

I'm guessing the mission statements of any high school (or collegiate) athletic department would speak to an affirmative answer to your question.

This may be the most inaccurate thing I've ever read.

Does that include the <b>NFHS Coaches Code Of Ethics</b> too?:D

Do you actually think basketball, youth/scholastic sports for that matter, has nothing to do with education?

The bar for this prize is set unusually high right now due to the recent appearance of a particular "official." It makes your statement one of the most extreme examples of hyperbole I've ever read. ;)

Edited to make the requested change, plus one that the intern didn't catch.

due

You're welcome.

Signed,
Mr. Annoying Spelling Guy's Intern

I've made the change, and you missed one. :)

Missed 2 actually...

(the man/myth/legend Chuck Elias graces us with a post and see what's become of us??!! :eek: )

I'm only the Spelling Guy Intern. I applied for the Grammar Guy position, but got rejected. :)

Someone else mentioned it's like a bad case of jock itch...it spreads quickly. :eek: