LOSSA in the spotlight - again

Here we go again, the Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association is back in the spotlight.

This time, it's for preventing a student hockey player from competing for her school — and just months before she graduates. More about her in a minute.

LOSSA, which many people simply know as the Durham Region and just east of Toronto, was the centre of attention last year when it went after one of its own coaches. Remember the Mike Gordensky saga? Yup, he admitted to using two basketball players to showcase them in a U.S. tournament, try to help them get schooling — and his buddies pulled the carpet out on him. They pointed the finger for breaking rules,  resulting in the Pickering coach getting provincial lashes, suspended for a year, put on probation and his school slapped with a penalty. Gosh some of these educators and OFSAA can be harsh.

Well, LOSSA has rules — but they apparently pick and choose how they will administer those rules.

Not too long ago, a private school in York Region was short of female volleyball players and decided to "borrow" two players — from schools in Durham (J. Clarke Richardson in Ajax and Courtice). Let's see, playing for two schools in one year. Seems like a violation. But LOSSA did nothing other than dance around the issue with excuses. I understand there have been several other questionable things happening but, as long as they're out of the media spotlight, things are quiet.

LOSSA is also the organization that likes to talk a good talk about highlighting athletes. Yet, despite frequent attempts to obtain information — even championship results from sports like wrestling, swimming, curling and the list goes on — they don't provide them. Not even a courtesy response. But now that they're hosting a provincial basketball championship in a week or so, and you guessed it, suddenly the expectation for media attention rises. Very interesting.

Well, back to the female hockey player. Kelly Terry attends Sinclair Secondary in Whitby. That's next door to the Durham District School Board administrative offices. She is 17.

Yes, she was a Toronto Star hockey all-star last year. She's accepted a scholarship to the University of Minnesota. Her dad once played in the NHL.

Well, she started the year with Sinclair, but was singled out and ruled ineligible by LOSSA halfway through the season because of her affiliation with the national hockey program. Nice, eh? Play some games for your school and then get the heave-ho. Well, she made the Canadian under-18 team — even though the final roster still hasn't been announced. That happens Friday.

LOSSA, again with its rules, chose to pick on Kelly Terry — and, ultimately, her school, team and friends. Yet, last I looked, other female hockey players in the same boat are still playing for their schools. People are upset. One more thing, there are many high school students at schools across the province who have made various national teams in rugby, volleyball, swimming, etc - and still compete for their schools.

Thought you'd like to meet the LOSSA Executive

Comments

[Mr. Blake]

I keep hearing some people in LOSSA say that all they want is parity. That's fine. Then, they need to be honest with their rules and not come across so inconsistent.

[Dobber]

The people on the executive in Durham attend a few meetings and make some decisions here and there. We all know they are volunteers but they are also doing this to boost their egos. Let's get serious, athletic associations are only as good as their leadership and it doesn't appear as if this group has much credibility. Just talk to some of the people, confidentially, in Durham and you'll see that your comments are very close to the truth.

[Carlo The Coach]

I feel bad for Kelly Terry. If you declare her ineligible, then do it at the start of the season and not halfway. She really doesn't need high school hockey but her school can benefit because she is a role model for new players. LOSSA seems to have a history penalizing teams. At Pickering High, they took it out on the entire team instead of two players. Same situation at Sinclair. That's sending the wrong message.

[Edwards]

When are the Boards of Educations and trustees going to finally get involved and clean up the mess with many of these athletic associations and people who say they mean well but talk out of the other side of their mouth and like to exercise authority the wrong way. No wonder coaches don`t want to get involved and kids get fed up. I am a coach and if they told my player to pack it in halfway through a season then I would hand the job to someone else.

[Donny J. Smith]

Interesting commentary Mr. Grossman.
I find it very un-professional that an athletic organization can't even return your calls and send in championship information.
I would also like to see if anyone from LOSSA responds and what their reasons or excuses might be.

[Jack Simpson]

I'm laughing.
You're saying that players were allowed to compete for two schools in the same season and this Durham athletic association did nothing about it?
That says enough to me about who sits on this decision-making group.

[Morris]

Every athletic association has its own Constitution and rules.
So, what might be good in Halton or Toronto isn't the same in Durham or some other region. That's the way it is.
Maybe it is time to have one Constituion for high school sports in Ontario but that might take years for everyone to agree. I would say turn to OFSSA but from what I have been reading in your other blogs it seems that they wouldn't be much help.

[Pepper]

LOSSA's executive is only happy with what it wants to hear.
Sorry to tell you that you're banging your head against a brick wall.

[No name]

I am a teacher and coach in what you call the Durham Region and I realize that the people making the decisions at LOSSA appear to be hibernating but I think they need to reply - and with facts.
I know some of the people on the Executive and they are excellent in twisting things to their benefit. So when they do take you on, I am not so sure that what they say is accurate. Please forgive me but I can't provide my real name for obvious reasons.

[Parent]

Nice to see you stirring the pot the way only you can and I think it is great. No one else cares about high school sports in the media like you and it's great that there is a forum to read and comment. I know you also have many friends in Durham. My advice to the LOSSA people is to suck it up, be brave and call a meeting to talk with you. They need you more than you need them. I just don't think they are smart enough to realize that is the case.

[Carson]

Don't expect a Christmas card from LOSSA.

[Christopher]

The LOSSA people might want to read their own Consitution. It clearly states that those volleyball players violated the rules. For LOSSA to brush this off is not right.

[chris starkey]

Each Association can make up its own eligibility rules for its own league play (but need to follow OFSAA regulations if they advance to that level). Associations that don't like the transfer rule (for example) can make their own transfer rule and OFSAA won't care as long as that player doesn't appear in one of their championships.
In this case, LOSSA has chosen to use the OFSAA eligibility rules and in those regulations, it says "No competitor is eligible for OFSAA-sanctioned events whose name has appeared on a game sheet, and has dressed, after December 1st for any Senior AAA teams of the CWHL, or who is a member of the National Junior Under 22, National Junior Under 18 or National Senior team." Seems pretty simple to me. I assume that the only reason she played a game at all is because she was named to one of these teams after December 1st. Every hockey player and coach (boys and girls) knows the December 1st rule....you make a conscious decision on November 30th what you are going to do with the rest of your season. If an opportunity comes up after then for you, then you know you are giving up your high school season.
And can we have a statute of limitations on the Gordensky issue, please? This hockey decision is a LOSSA one and the Gordensky decision was an OFSAA one.

[Janet]

Embarassing

[LOSSA fan]

Typical LOSSA. This in the only region in the GTA that can consistenly boast top 5 football, hockey and boys/girls basketball teams, despite the efforts of our association to thwart every thing we do. Rather than be proud of the fact that it an exceptionally strong athletic region, the powers that be are so caught up in their own rules and using them to suit their needs. In fact, they don't even recognize the success of their teams at their AGM or by a simple e-mail saying congratulations good job.... it's much more likely you'll get an e-mail saying 'congrats, but we're investigating a few of your players??????

[Insider]

I guess you don't get it or understand the thousands of voluntary hours we put in to this job. There is no recognition for the hard work we do to keep school sports active. Very little credit from our Principals and the Board of Education. There's lots of bickering within our own group and we still find a way to plan schedules, make decisions and offer sports to students. And we don't get paid anything extra. Yes, there are people in it for the glory, and some ego, but many of us just do it - and we also make mistakes.. The media should be supporting what we do and back us up on our decisions. But I do agree that there is also no excuse for not getting championship scores to you.

[J. Spencer]

Sounds like that LOSSA Executive is quite the group.

[Andy]

I wonder if LOSSA had any of their Executive members hand out awards to the senior basketball champs from Pickering.
That would have been a great picture and then also to see them congratulating coach Mike Gordensky.

[LOSSA Coach]

I am a teacher and coach in LOSSA and could tell you more stories of incompetency, but I am afraid at being black-listed by them.
There's a group out here and it has to be replaced by keen people who are workers and care about student athletes. These people care more about themselves and I believe like their self-imposed power trips.

[Mr. Blake]

To Chris Starkey, I find it interesting how you duck certain things and surface to respond to others. Kind of reminds me of that groundhog.
From what I read, I do believe the Gordensky item is LOSSA, then OFSAA. Check your facts.
And why did you choose to avoid the item about volleyball players competing on two high school teams in one year?
Dah....

[Paul P.]

A question to blogger Starkey, who seems to be an expert on lots of things, why is it that female high school hockey players get penalized but that athletes with similar National accolades in other sports can still play for their schools? Pretty simple question. I can hardly wait for your reply.

[Sean]

I see that Pickering won the senior boys' basketball championship. Does anyone know if the LOSSA Executive has called for urine tests from that team?

[Emily]

As a parent of many high school games, I find the volleyball example that you gave to be very interesting. I also think it's quite tacky that no one in that organization has replied.
Is this a cover-up or did they just determine that they only respond to certain things?

[vic]

starkey get your facts straight, the gordnsky issue was a lossa one first, then an ofsaa one. as for eligibility all athletic associations need to have the same set of rules, plain and simple and it is ofsaa's job to fix this

[no name]

Mr. Starkey, the Gordensky issue put a smear on LOSSA and the LOSSA exectuive for years to come. LOSSA made it an OFSAA issue, and in particular a few LOSSA executives took it upon themselves to do so. Even in light of the fact that another school used inelligible hockey players (just as inelligible as the girl David speaks about here)at a US tournament at the same time and were given a slap on the wrist. Absolute joke and will continue to be until they are held accountable and come off of their high horse!