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Post by Bish on Feb 8, 2007 10:24:59 GMT -6
anybody that blames the LHSAA must be like this kid who had below a 1.5...there is NO possible way that it is their fault at all. From what I read in our paper, the kid wasn't even an important player which makes it even worse for the other guys, but they have nobody to blame but the kid for lying. End of argument Yeah, but the kid shouldn't have been placed in that position anyway. The ultimate blame lies with the coach and the administration.
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Post by cougarfan on Feb 8, 2007 10:29:52 GMT -6
Rules are rules. The coach absolutely has no fault in this matter. He did what the AD asked him to do. I don't even blame the kid for this result. He was wrong and should be punished but this whole stink resides in the AD and Registrar's office. Folow-up, double check, checks and balances......whatever it is , you don't leave grade reporting up to a 16 year old kid and a non-faculty coach.
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Post by Bish on Feb 8, 2007 10:31:54 GMT -6
Ok then, leave the coach out of it. You still gotta ask questions though sometimes.
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Post by eurosweeper on Feb 8, 2007 10:59:13 GMT -6
BLAME?
The kid is wrong for lying and falsifying. The kid's parents are wrong for not supervising him. The kid's grandparents are wrong for not instilling in their children the proper skills to supervise their grandchildren. The coach is wrong for trusting a 16 year old. The AD is wrong for trusting the 16 year old and the coach. The Registrar is wrong for not foregoing weekends so he/she could peruse all transcripts of each and every student to make sure they are eligible. The LHSAA is wrong for imposing such an unfair rule. The High Schools are wrong for allowing the LHSAA to run their athletics. I'm wrong for voicing my opinion. Hey...it's all George Bush's fault!
This is, of course, sarcastic. This is a disappointing and bad situation. There is plenty enough blame to go around. What is important is that this is a learning experience for ALL FUTURE schools and their athletic programs. So, at this point, what good comes from getting rid of a coach, AD, school registrar or the LHSAA? None. It just makes someone (hurt parents, hurt players, hurt students, hurt boosters) feel better. But not for long. They will all still have other parents, other players and referees to bit** at.
After last year's Lafayette High Boy's Soccer DQ, how many teams have coaches that are not eligible? Very, very few I'm sure. The schools learned. This entire matter is another learning experience. So LEARN.
If you really, really, really need to blame someone...Blame Eurosweeper!
Ok....go ahead and blast me for my opinion.
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Post by suddendeath on Feb 8, 2007 11:56:32 GMT -6
Good one eurosoccer...
Just waiting for someone from the STM admin to "man up" and admit in the media STM had no checks and balances instead of laying it all at the player's feet. Got a feeling there are some parents not giving STM a free pass on this one.
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Post by MOM #1 Fan on Feb 8, 2007 12:25:01 GMT -6
Good one eurosoccer... Just waiting for someone from the STM admin to "man up" and admit in the media STM had no checks and balances instead of laying it all at the player's feet. Got a feeling there are some parents not giving STM a free pass on this one. STM had their Soccer Mass this morning. If front of all of the Student Body players parents etc. it was stated that the Administration Failed the team for not having a follow up. Who is to blame and/or takes the blame in this situation - it changes nothing. Procedures will be put in place to make sure this never happens again. My heart breaks for the Seniors.
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Post by tbone5471 on Feb 8, 2007 12:38:24 GMT -6
hey guys, although we all feel badly for the players who have lost out on this year's potential championship, the rules exist for a reason. do not get caught up in wanting to have committees making special judgements. then it would be like congress-nothing would ever get done.... it is simple- FOLLOW THE RULES--as with the situation with LHS last year, the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the administration of each school to do the right thing. make the time, do the work, just like the players have to.....no excuses, none !
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Post by swlasoccerfan on Feb 8, 2007 13:11:46 GMT -6
BLAME? The LHSAA is wrong for imposing such an unfair rule. How can you even think this??? Our kids go to school to learn and get an education. There is a reason they call high school sports "extra" curricular activities. If you can't get your stuff together in the classroom there is no need for you to even step on the field. The rule is there to force kids to at least try a little to pass in school. Either you have to be extremely stupid, try to fail, or have a learning disability (which I'm pretty sure STM has classes for this type of issue) to get below a D average. An education is what is important in life not high school sports that end that the age of 17. Please stop blaming this on the LHSAA. The rule was there and everyone knew about it. I think the problem lies with a lazy athletic department.
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Post by suddendeath on Feb 8, 2007 13:18:53 GMT -6
soccerfan, you missed my point...
It is noble to take responsibility in front of those most affected by this first, hope the media gets the same. The kid was thrown under the bus yesterday 100%, all his fault.
You are right also, in the overall scheme of life, it changes nothing... look at my tag line at the bottom of my posts, been there before this happened.
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Post by eurosweeper on Feb 8, 2007 14:05:04 GMT -6
BLAME? The LHSAA is wrong for imposing such an unfair rule. How can you even think this??? Our kids go to school to learn and get an education. There is a reason they call high school sports "extra" curricular activities. If you can't get your stuff together in the classroom there is no need for you to even step on the field. The rule is there to force kids to at least try a little to pass in school. Either you have to be extremely stupid, try to fail, or have a learning disability (which I'm pretty sure STM has classes for this type of issue) to get below a D average. An education is what is important in life not high school sports that end that the age of 17. Please stop blaming this on the LHSAA. The rule was there and everyone knew about it. I think the problem lies with a lazy athletic department. WOW! I was not blaming this on the LHSAA. I thought when I wrote that I was being sarcastic the reader would read the word and UNDERSTAND what sarcasm is. ;D So you, swlasoccerfan, BLAME the athletic dept. No problem with your opinion. Others BLAME the coach. Others BLAME the LHSAA. Others BLAME the kid. I was being RIDICULOUS and SARCASTIC by saying why not BLAME the parents, grandparents, George Bush, etc. I would have said BLAME the school mascot but didn't want PETA on this site (sarcasm again) Ok...if it makes you fell better---you're right! It's the lazy athletic departments fault. So now that you're right....What do you want? Firing squad? Lethal injection? Public hanging? Tar and feathers? Ten year suspension from all extra-curricular activities? Excommunication? (sarcasm) I read some post where they, the administration, took responsibility. The school was not malicious, they didn't intend this to happen and apparently they self-reported. What else do YOU WANT? It's a catholic school...how bout a sincere "Mea Culpa"or novena? Lent's coming up. How bout some really nasty penance for the administration? (sarcasm) Better yet....blame a priest (sarcasm). STM is outta the playoffs. The Admin took responsibility. Good luck to ASH. It's over!!!!!!!! Other schools. I suggest you do the Ronald Reagan from now on when you rely on kids to tell you their grades, "Trust but Verify." So after my rambling....here's my point! Stop the BLAME game and LEARN FROM THE MISTAKE!
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Post by cougarfan on Feb 8, 2007 14:13:19 GMT -6
This kid has been thrown under the bus and I feel sorry for him. There is no way he could have known the ramifications of his actions. But he should have never been put in this situation. Had the AD and Registrar's office verified all athlete's grades at the time grades are reported, none of this happens.
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Post by MOM #1 Fan on Feb 8, 2007 14:14:13 GMT -6
soccerfan, you missed my point... It is noble to take responsibility in front of those most affected by this first, hope the media gets the same. The kid was thrown under the bus yesterday 100%, all his fault. You are right also, in the overall scheme of life, it changes nothing... look at my tag line at the bottom of my posts, been there before this happened. Sudden death. I understand what you mean and I know the kid. He is not a bad kid just made a horrible choice (because he wanted to play) which affected 21 others. When all this calms down and the hurt and pain subside we we will view this in a different light. After hearing from the adminstration they will and have acknowledged that the blame stops with them because they should have followed up. Will the media get a hold of this? probally not! STM will keep it in house. Right or wrong that is how it will be done. I know something like this will NOT fall through the cracks again. But as I said before it changes nothing. As a parent, seeing my child destroyed,seeing everything he has worked so hard for go out the window makes me angry at the child for being so irresponsible and selfish never realizing that his actions would destroy so many.
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Post by jang a lang on Feb 8, 2007 14:40:56 GMT -6
This is not the coachs' fault! This is not a 10 year old that we are talking about!!!!! He is a teenager and should know the ramifications of his actions. He took the time out to change his report card. This took a little while. It was NOT an impulse decision. He was only looking out for himself and not worrying about the team. It's not like he was a starter and they needed him. This should have been caught by the administration not the coaches. These coaches have other jobs and do this on the side. The AD is the one that should check the grades out not the coaches! But quit saying that the kid is not to blame. Had he not done the doctoring this would never had happened. Had the AD found it in January, the team would have still suffered just not this bad. So therefore the blame falls on the kid. It is time that children realize that everything they do has an impact on someone at some time. I admire STM for turning themselves in on their own. Most schools would not have done that. My heart goes out to the seniors ans well as the other players could made sure they kept their grades up. A kid with a 1.2 should not be involved in extra curricular activities anyway. They should spend that time getting tutored. Maybe STM needs to look at taking him out of the school. I'm sure their someone who would like to take his place.
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Post by soccerbudds on Feb 8, 2007 15:53:04 GMT -6
The really sad point is that grades only count twice a year-midterm and at the end of the year. You do not have to maintain a 1.5, just have them at the right times. A student can have a 0.0 all fall and if his school does not have rules in place, LHSSA says he/she can play that fall. Then bring up the grades in the spring and everything is fine as long as they have a 1.5 at the end. If grades are sooooooooo important to the LHSSA, then they should be important all year long. Of course that would involve telling some football players to go home and study.
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Post by upper90 on Feb 8, 2007 16:06:13 GMT -6
I think it's pretty sad that the kid didn't have a 1.5 GPA. That's basically writing your name on a paper and turning it in and then guessing on every test. That's absolutely pitiful.
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Post by badge on Feb 8, 2007 16:12:02 GMT -6
The really sad point is that grades only count twice a year-midterm and at the end of the year. You do not have to maintain a 1.5, just have them at the right times. A student can have a 0.0 all fall and if his school does not have rules in place, LHSSA says he/she can play that fall. Then bring up the grades in the spring and everything is fine as long as they have a 1.5 at the end. If grades are sooooooooo important to the LHSSA, then they should be important all year long. Of course that would involve telling some football players to go home and study. I agree. Grades should be monitored each six/nine weeks grading period for the students sake. The sooner they know the GPA is slipping the sooner the parents/sports sponsor can line up some tutoring or whatever the student needs to get his grades up. Waiting till the end of a semester is too long, and I'm not sure it is fair to hold someone back from playing in the fall for grades they made in the spring semester. The first six weeks of the fall season should determine if they are not allowed to continue a fall sport...in my opinion.
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Post by toejobber on Feb 8, 2007 16:25:32 GMT -6
I don't understand the talk about the player being not so good, as if his conduct somehow would have been justified if his contribution to the team had mattered more. Whether he was the best or worst player on the team is irrelevant.
From what I've read, what he did was dishonest. I assume STM has an honor code. God be with him if he were before our honor council.
All symphathy to the other players.
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Post by rocksccrstar on Feb 8, 2007 17:29:21 GMT -6
Eurosweeper you are a freakin' riot! I love your dry wit!!
Anyway I think that some things are being missed here.
1) Rules are in place and all teams should be expected to follow them. No team is an exception to this rule. It doesn't matter if the player is your leading scorer or if he is playing for 30 seconds, if he doesn't have a 1.5, he is inelligible. I think that STM is looking at this from a tainted point of view because they feel like the victims but if Sam Houston had beaten them, and STM found out that they played an inelligible player, would they look at the rule differently?
2) Teenagers can be very self-centered and most of the time they do not understand the ramifications of their actions or consequences, now that doesn't excuse behavior, but the powers that be should have had a different policy for collecting grades. As an administrator, coach or teacher you can NEVER create an environment where a kid could even be tempted, because even good kids can take desperate measures when they want something or are panicked that something may be taken away.
3) It is an unfortunate situation but as they say if it doesn't kill ya, it makes you stronger. So STM try to find something positive in this situation and use that to better your team.
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