Why Have Rules?

Here it is, taken from a dictionary and just in case you know of people who aren't so sure of the definition for the word "rule".

Rule n.

1.

That which is prescribed or laid down as a guide for conduct or action; a governing direction for a specific purpose; an authoritative enactment; a regulation; as, the rules governing a school;

The rule is clear, so why do people - including the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations - have so much difficulty understanding and enforcing a "rule". For OFSAA, I am referring to its rule relating to sanctions when a team fails to follow procedures.

A story in the Star last week, about two schools who had problems with  rules, created quite a bit of a stink and lots of reaction from readers. I'm talking about Toronto's Father Henry Carr and Oakville's St. Ignatius of Loyola's and their different problems encountered with - rules.

Paul Melnik at Carr admitted publicly that he made an error - reading and interpreting rules about eligibility, which were from an older version of the league Constitution. His mistake was costly to the junior boys' basketball team. A 9-0 record went to 1-8 for using an over-age player. I didn't see the Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association bend on rules or issue any warnings or thank Melnik for his honesty. Heck, they handed down a penalty very quickly. Rule was violated, now pay the price, is how many interpreted the swift action.

A different rule affects Loyola. - and the Halton, as well as Golden Horseshoe, athletic associations seem to be hiding under the carpet.

Over at the Oakville-area Catholic school, which has a dominant senior basketball team, coach Gary Laurin was asked by me to explain a few things relating to a recent Florida tournament trip. Nope. Nice guy that he is, people in his Halton athletic association told him to keep quiet. No comment. Likely figuring things would quiet down.

His team attended a tournament in Florida that was sanctioned by the U.S. athletic association. But Loyola, despite clear rules, failed to get prior approval from OFSAA.

No big deal? Some would agree. Many more, apparently, don't - especially those who have been penalized by OFSAA in past. As an example, Pickering basketball coach Mike Gordensky was thrown under a bus with a hefty one year suspension from coaching - and even warned not to show up in a public gym to watch his team play a provincial playoff game. This was after he admitted to using two players at a U.S. tournament. He also had support from his principal.

OFSAA's executive director Doug Gellatly said last week that his organization would investigate Loyola - but only if there was a complaint from a teacher, coach or school. So, that has left some Star readers shaking their heads thinking that rules can be broken. Just don't get caught.

Hold on. Why even have rules? OFSAA should enforce them - especially after it claims to have so much power and authority. Now, OFSAA appears to have rules on paper only and a problem with credibility.

One last thing, OFSAA, on its website, writes: "We also take a proactive role in dealing with issues that affect students, coaches, schools and communities."

Really?

 

Comments

[Sports Junkie]

Bang on!

[J M]

How are the Pickering and Loyola situations the same?? Coach Gordensky knowingly played ineligible players, something that you do not reference above. Loyola played at a tournament without the proper sanction. How are these cases the same?? If anything, the Henry Carr and Pickering situations are the same as ineligible players were allowed to play. David, you have been gunning for OFSAA for several years now, to what purpose?? You figure that OFSAA should be disbanded and that will improve things. It is time for you to tell us all how things would improve without the current governing body in place.

[Kevin]

I read the story and can't believe an OFSAA executive director would say his organization doesn't investigate but waits for others to do the equivalent of tattle tale.
Good grief OFSAA, grow up.

[Curt]

I really don't think OFSAA has no business snooping around like a Sherlock Holmes checking out schools.
Yes, there are rules and should be rules.
When/if someone believes there is a rotten apple in the bush, they should come forth and point the finger.
However, why are the Halton and Golden Horseshoe associations doing nothing about this blatant breaking of rules?
Could it be because their golden team has a chance at winning the OFSAA title?

[Big Al]

Best on who is first to snitch?

[mrbig]

Seems pretty clear it is a similar violation to last year with pickering. Just read the ofsaa website and it says anyone traveling to the u.s. must be sanctioned 30 days prior, the problem is it doesnt say "or else", which leaves it up to the discretion of the "professionals" at ofsaa to hand out punishment. This to me is a grey area.

[Graham]

This OFSAA thing is a joke.
Just as funny are the Halton schools who should be screaming and yelling, especially the basketball teams or do they not want to offend one of their buddies?
I get it, maybe they are waiting to complain just before the playoffs.

[Morris]

Sounds like a conspiracy to nail OFSSAA.
Maybe it needs to happen and flush out the people who just don't understand - the rules.

[Jimmy]

Rules are made to be broken.

[Matt]

I wish someone can please explain why OFSAA doesn't have the balls to hand down sanctions on Loyola for skirting their rule.

[Mr. Blake]

People wonder why there is so much confusion and cheating when there isn't a consistent set of rules and penalties that works for everyone.

[Rocky]

What gurgles my stomach is why someone has to complain to OFFSAA. Are they not big enough boys and girls to follow through on what is now a matter of public record rather than look like kitty litter.

[Mr. J. Dover]

Hey Mr. Grossman, OFSAA must love you for making them look so ridiculous.

[Alan Turner]

You are determined to create lots of noise about this. I would imagine that some people wish you simply went away on vacation, but I kind of like the approach you have taken to keep high school sports talkative.
I can't see any other newspaper giving a rats ass about school sports or possible future Olympians but the Toronto Star does so very well and your blog is very entertaining.

[Watchdog Terry]

I figured it out.
Halton is waiting for the Golden Horseshoe and the Golden Horseshoe is waiting for Halton. And OFSAA is waiting for OFSAA who may also be waiting for Halton and the Golden Horseshoe to take action.
You confused.
That's because no one wants to take a stand because they might be turning on a fellow coach.
My oh my. Give people an opportunity to clean up a mess and they make a bigger mess.

[Trey]

JM, do you know for sure that Loyola didnt use any ineligible players in Florida? What if they didnt apply for sanctioning so they could use some players who are ruled ineligible to play in Ontario? Then they would have knowingly used ineligible player(s) AND broke OFSAA's sanctioning rule. Could this be the case?

[Oak Man]

Loyola's coach should do the wise thing and admit he made an error which could ease the penalty. That's if there is one. He's guilty by staying quiet.

[Jeff Burt]

Folks, welcome to politicsat schools.

[Friend of Sports]

The Toronto Daily Star should do a story on so many violations of school rules. They range from private schools using academic scholarships to recruit students (and good athletes) to publicly-funded schools closing their eyes to blatant violations by teachers and coaches using every trick in the book to go after athletes. I don't coach anymore because the system is broken and corrupt and needs a house-cleaning.

[Peter]

Really now people. Do you not think that it is time to print a special book for all schools and make it necessary for teachers who coach to read what's in it or be forced to donate their next pay cheque.
What a great idea.
I would call it the Book of Rules and it needs to be sent out to every high school and someone should also be picked to read it like a good night story to OFSAA and all the athletic associations on the OFSAA website.
Did you say that people already know about these rules?
If I ever made a mistake or didn't understand rules, I know people would pin my you know what on a post.

[chris starkey]

People love to slam "OFSAA" but in reading David's blog and comments, there seems to be some confusion as to what "OFSAA" is. There are 3 aspects to OFSAA:
1) The paid staff members. These are the people responsible for facilitating/communicating to the people in #3 what the rules laid down by the people in #2 are.
2) The volunteer executive and committee members (educators) who make the high-level decisions. These are the people who make the rules for the people in #3 and ask the people in #1 to facilitate/communicate them.
3) The coaches and athletes across the province. These are the people need to follow the rules laid down by the people in #2 and to pay attention when the people in #1 communicate those rules.

If the people in #3 have a problem with each other, the sanctions committee listens to any complaint that is brought to their attention. There isn't an OFSAA bylaw officer who is hired to look for infractions...it is up to the volunteer coaches to report them to the volunteers on the committee.

If the people in #3 have a problem with the people in #2, they can get rid of their Association reps (2 per region) and replace them with reps who will make the changes they would like to see.

If the people in #3 have a problem with the people in #1, they need to pressure the people in #2 to clean house. Of the 3 groups, the OFSAA office should be the one providing the most consistency and organization...if they aren't, talk to your rep about making changes.

The problem with most of the points that David makes is that David is not in any of the 3 groups. It is not hard to see that he relates best to the group in #3, but being an "outsider", he is unable to affect change (at least directly).

If you are a coach that doesn't like the OFSAA system, don't stop coaching...step up and become an OFSAA rep or volunteer for a decision-making committee. If you are a student-athlete, talk to your coaches, athletic contacts and principal. Write a letter to your Association rep or to OFSAA Executive Director Doug Gellatly (cc David so others can read it!)

If you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

[Donald]

J.M. doesn't get it and appears to be someone who is need of education starting with reading the OFSAA website.
It appears that Mr. Grossman has raised a number of issues that J.M. and OFSAA can't stomach. Well, too bad.
I don't always agree with Mr. Grossman, but on this topic of rules - yes.
I have a suggestion. When an organization has problems, do you al.low the problems to go on. Don't think so. Someone needs to move in and clean it up. That doesn't mean closing down OFSAA. It means getting good people and not friends of friends who all want to look good and, in reality, have made it a huge problem.
This is my tax dollar helping OFSAA and I'm not happy.
So, J.M. call me what you want. I don't see any productive ideas from you or are you part of the clan? Something tells me you are because I know a J.M. who is infatuated with OFSAA.

[Mort]

I have been reading this very closely and checking the story in the Toronto Star and on the OFSAA website.
It's very unfortunate that people who should be resolving a problem appear to be in some form of seclusion rather than accept there are problems and fix them.
Why are the associations involved in this issue not explaining corrective measures and why is OFSAA not investigating? The TDCAA wasted no time.
Whether Grossman is right or not, the folks involved are making him look real good.
Anyone listening or choosing not to listen?

[Colin]

Lighten up people.
This is a discussion and not end of the world.
Rules appear to have been misunderstood, like the case with the Carr team, so now Loyola needs to speak up and not avoid things which only makes them look suspicious.
Simple.
And the other organizations, Halton, Golden Horseshoe and OFSAA, need to check things out and hand down a penalty, if rules are not followed.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
Get on with it.

[J M]

No one has answered the basic question I have asked, how is the playing of ineligible players the same as not having sanction to play in a tournament/event in the U.S.? Is it a case of a rule is a rule and no matter what the issue, it has to be penalized all the same? Further, Pickering had OFSAA sanction for the event they went to last year and played ineligible players. Not sure how the Coach was "thrown under the bus" when he knowingly did it? The OFSAA model has many facets to it in terms of small schools and big schools, urban and rural, immigrant and native etc. etc. that the current model tries to address as best it can. Mr. Starkey's assessment is correct and I am part of #3. Most work within the system that is there, flawed or not, depending on your point of view. The vast majority of #3s are in it as they (educators and volunteers) feel that they can make a difference that betters things for student athletes. At times though, I think too many think it is a case of one solution to all of the issues that face OFSAA.