OFSAA Has Different Rules for Schools

You may recall my blog about the scenario that saw Loyola high school from Oakville attend a sanctioned U.S. basketball tournament during the recent December school break - and without the advance blessings of the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association.

OFSAA says it's a must to get approval in advance.

OFSAA, in clear language on its website, says teams must seek OFSAA approval before going to a sanctioned event.

Well, OFSAA never replied to this scribe when asked why Loyola didn't get sanctioned in the same fashion as Pickering - a school that remains on a three-year probation for using two players in a U.S, tournament? OFSAA also barred the Pickering coach from watching his team in a public facility.

No surprise about OFSAA, which appears to let things slip by assuming they disappear in space.

Not to take anything away from Loyola, a very talented team with good coaching, but an error was made and even Loyola chose to stay gagged. Quiet too was the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association and also the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Association.

Funny, how other schools get hit - and hit hard - when they make a mistake.

Well, it appears that Loyola never did complete the OFSAA sanctioning letter available on the OFSAA website. The school only talked with its athletic association.

Well, the Star obtained a copy of a letter sent to Rocco Dilanni, the acting Principal at Loyola. The letter, dated Feb. 19, 2010 and signed by Brian Poste, the Chairman of the OFSAA Sanctions Committee, lets Loyola off.

Poste is the same person who ruled on the Pickering fiasco last year. I have never met Mr. Poste, but I have spoken to him. He sounds like a nice guy and did return my calls last year too.

Here`s a copy of the letter to Loyola saying Loyola`s error was an honest oversight.

Hmm, Pickering admitted to its error - but still got whipped.

Loyola got off easy.

Fair or not?

Download OFSAA_letter

Comments

[Dobber]

OFSAA clearly goofed letting Loyola get away with no penalty. What's wrong with them?
Do they not understand how bad they look as an sports organization and how people, other than their own cronies, shake their heads in disbelief.
They could have come out of this by issuing some kind of sanction to Loyola even if it ended up being meaningless.
Rules were broken by Loyola.

[Mike]

Time to dump OFSAA or re-shuffle the people in that boys' and girls' club.

[Fox]

Leave it to you Mr. Grossman to find a way of embarrassing OFSAA.
Then again, they deserve it with this faux pas.

[chris starkey]

Post the suspension letter from last year and we can decide better on "fair or not"...

[Big Al]

This doesn't look good for OFSAA.
Yet another boo-boo.

[Big Zee]

Message to Mr. Poste and OFSAA, please review your policies and rules so that you follow them or do the next best thing - step aside and let some competent and un-biased people do the job the right way.

[Mr. Miller]

Not fair. Thumbs down to OFSAA.

[Rocky]

I don't think it is fair at all. Why is the once trusted organization that we call athletic associations failing so badly?

[Retired School Coach]

There is a need for consistency in the school sports system, and I mean rules and communication, or it leaves students and coaches confused and not able to tolerate the nonsense of one association doing things differently from the offer. As for OFSAA,, it's very disappointing that an organization which should be a provincial leader instead ends up coming across like yet another government agency loaded with bureacracy and incompetent people.

[Mr. R.J. Nichols]

Do I sense it`s that time of the season to start bashing teachers, coaches, athletic associations and everyone else.
No, so stop people. I don`t want to hear about the sympathy that includes teachers being over-paid and coaches doing their jobs voluntarily and association representatives are wonderful people.
It`s not the case.
I know of some wonderful people who continue to get tarnished by some hot shot physed people who think they know everything. OFSAA, it`s time to get out of the box.
This is supposed to be a learning experience for student athletes.
As adults, and supposed role models, time to clean up the crap and build reputations that are sound and not loaded with faults.

[Michael]

Schools and students have to play by the rules of their organization and OFSAA. It's a dictatorship, but that's the way it is.

[Roger]

Reading all this, it's deafening with the lack of response from OFSAA.
They don't come across well at all.
Why is their Executive Director Doug Gellatly quiet and the same for Martin Ritsma, the President of the organization?
Kind of reminds me when I was in elementary school and kids who were naughty and did something wrong were sent to the corner of the room and told to be quiet.

[OFSAA Teddy Bear]

Can't change rules.
Kids don't like it, tough luck.
If some people think this is a witch hunt, well maybe it is in their opinion.
OFSAA rules, baby. OFSAA rules.

[Steve]

This is really a sad state when the attention is on something like this taking away stories about students. Not to knock the media, they have to do this. But OFSAA is to blame for it's ridiculous decision-making. I raised this topic for discussion by my class and there was no debate. Concensus was thumbs down to OFSAA. Parents need to go to school boards and trustees to change some of the systematic rules.

[L. Kirkpatrick]

I used to have some respect for OFSAA when Colin Hood was in charge.
But now, after reading the latest fiasco and the letter, the organization is in disarray and the credibility is in the toilet. We don't need that in Ontario.

[Chris]

Reading the letter attached to your blog, it's clear to me that OFSAA shows bias and has no teeth to its rules.

[Insider]

It's only a matter of time until LOSSA gangs up on Pickering again. They just have it out for that school and I can't figure out why the Board of Education and the Pickering Principal just don't say "enough is enough".
Better chance of that happening than winning a lottery.