Bits and Pieces Worth Sharing

My desk is starting to clutter up and figure it might be wise to list a variety of tidbits that I had wanted to share with you - before it's time for my year-end cleaning and, well, things disappear. You know what I mean.

I see the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ontario Government, is dishing out tax dollars - exactly how much I do not know - to schools so students can be introduced to something new or what they call "traditional or non-traditional sports". The Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations has been given the money and to award it at $800 a pop for something called Try Day.

One of your local schools will be able to apply for money so students can learn about sports like disc golf, tubing, snowshoeing, Aussie rules football, orienteering, frisbee, tchoukball and even boxing. That should go well with the anti-bullying stuff.

Let's see, what else. A few people were upset that we made references to 73-0 football scores. We didn't make it up, the games happened. Think that was bad? Well, how about this high school game: Ridley, from St. Catharines, beat Bishop's College from Lennoxville, Que. 101-0 in what was believed to be the first interscholastic match between Ontario and Quebec prep schools. My friend in Durham sent this to me - along with the date when it happened. Back on Nov. 14, 1938 - and published in the Star.

Oh yes, I believe Toronto's Runnymede Collegiate won four Ontario boys' basketball titles - the last in 1990. John Petrushchak, now retired, was coach of all four. They were called the Redmen back then. But that name was changed because it was politically incorrect. Now, called the Ravens, Runnymede still has a basketball team - but only seven players on the senior squad, which is 0-2 in league play.

On the topic of sports nicknames, West Hill is being forced to get rid of the "Warriors". Students will have to come up with a replacement that has to be approved by the school administration. It'll likely be an animal or bird. I can remember the commotion when Toronto's Nelson A. Boylen high school sports teams were called the Bullets. No more, and I don't have to explain.

Wrestling appears to be coming back slowly in the Toronto Catholic Board. Those who have been around long enough remember how everything seemed to have stopped following a tragic injury in that sport way back in 1987. Back then, a 16-year-old Cardinal Newman High student was attempting an over-the-hip throw during a league competition and fell awkwardly on his head, suffering a broken neck and crushed vertebrae.

And, I can remember when girls wrestled with boys - because there was not enough interest or female teams. One female teenager created a stink with the Ontario Human Rights Commission because she wanted to wrestle. Now, lots of girls wrestling - and against girls.

Why is there very little mention from coaches about high school swimming? A great sport - and involving thousands of students too. Over in Durham Region, just the right sport for teenagers - bowling. Yes, they have a league. Last I heard, no school had a bowling alley.

And back to OFSAA one more time, the organization is running a Women's Sports School in 2010. It seems like it might be to attract more women to coaching since those numbers are sagging. They call it a professional development session for teacher-coaches from across the province to share ideas and get motivated. I'm not joking. That's exactly what it says in the pre-event notice.

 

Comments

[Danny]

If a woman has to be motivated to coach, better off she doesn't. Wonder if OFSAA will run a similar event for men. Likely not.

[The Coach]

Here's an idea for OFSAA. Maybe it should invite Tiger Woods to speak and that'll attract a crowd.

[Mr. Blake]

Too bad about Runnymede. Petrushack wasn't liked by many jealous people but he did a great job.
And when is this country going to end this political correctness stuff.

[York Fan]

They should ban wrestling in schools because they don't have competent coaches. There is another wrestling accident still before the courts in Oshawa too.
What's this stuff about introducing boxing to school kids, is OFSAA going insane and do I not have a say on how my tax dollar is being spent.

[MJ]

Can't believe what I read until I went to the OFSAA website.
Why is OFSAA not focussing on improving what they have before wasting my tax dollar on Aussie Rules football or tubing.
Maybe I am missing something and OFSAA plans to introduce these sports as nedw Ontario championships.
Kids want to learn new sports, fine. But do it through clubs.
It all sounds crazy to me.

[Big John]

The nicknames for teams, I am surprised the Wildlife Federation isn't complaining that birds and animals are being used in sports and should stop immediately.
Can people just chiil about being so sensitive of having Warriors for a high school team?
If they really want to crack down, then here's one about male chauvinism and violence - do something about the Applewood Heights Axemen.

[Eli]

Guess they're feeling a bit better over at Huron Heights high school in Newmarket after you pointed out that 101-0 private school fooball score. Huron Heights was the school that had those ugly 73-0 scores.

[Bill Suddick]

It's just poor sportsmanship to run up a huge score against a weaker team.
I had a very wise and fair minded football coach in high school who would bench the first stringers if we were winning handily. He told us there was no need to humiliate your opponent. We learned a lot from that man and many of us went on to coach and teach.

[Bill Suddick]

Hmmm. How about the Malvern Black Knights? Perhaps they should change their name to: The Malvern African Canadians Who Wear Metallic Protective
gear. Nice ring to that..., AND politically correct.

[Luigi]

tchoukball.
When I saw that I thought it was a typing mistake.
Is that all we have time for and money to waste.
Why aren't people looking at ways to improve what we have rather than ridiculous new headaches.

[On The Sideline]

Mr. Grossman

That 101-0 score is a little misleading.

In 1938, touchdowns were only worth 5 points not 6 as is the case today!

Thanks for all that you do for High School sports and all the best over the holiday season!

OTS

[Big John]

As a coach, I think it's disgusting to have a high school football score as 101-0. What happened to the coaching or lack of it?
Now, to read from On the Sideline that touchdowns were only five and not six, it's apparent that someone really liked running up the score.
I am not sure what OTS means by misleading. The score is bad enough.