Those Were The Days

They say times keep changing – but many people believe it’s not always for the better. In some cases, I agree.

I sure wish high schools were as gung-ho about sports as in the past.

Back in the ‘80s, coaches did everything they could to bug me about their schools, athletes and teams.

They took their lumps – win, lose or tie.

I remember when people - like football coach Clarke Pulford at Northern, basketball coach John Petrushchak at Runnymede, track coach Bruce Smith at Central Tech, hockey coach Gary Jobe at Monarch Park, baseball coach Mike Thorpe at Brampton Centennial - and the list goes on and on - would pick up a phone and have a conversation with me about anything in high school sports.

We didn’t always agree, but still spoke.

We spoke about whether it's right to pay coaches, kids attempting to cheat and the consequences, coaches letting students play sports even though grades were border-line and on and on.

Even Chinguacousy wrestling coach George Apostolou wouldn’t hide when I wrote about him tossing a kid against the side of a bus for being mischievous. Yup, he got in trouble. Jack Leitch had some words with me when I asked what game officials did with their earnings – but we still continued talking and are friends. Ian LeMarquand, a Principal, didn't like when I wrote about a hockey team booted out of his Father Goetz tournament because some players spent the afternoon drinking alcohol. But, Ian knew I had a job to do.

People had opinions – and they still do. That’s fair. But they did what they could to get media attention for their students - and took their lumps too.

Things appear to have changed. There are some great coaches out there. Some think they’re that close to the pros. From what I see, some, well, just filling time, too. Lots of folks are sensitive and fidgety. Many are worried about political correctness, not sure whether to tell people that their team lost a high school game. They’re concerned about saying the right thing, liability and what happens if a student is injured while a teacher is coaching.

Event planning is not the same. I remember the days of the Red Feather football game and the huge attraction. Now, at the Rogers Centre, the numbers are disappointing for a football or baseball final. And those all-star basketball games at Jarvis Collegiate put on by Marv Pearl, an icon, along with the Michigan vs Toronto games. Now, they don’t exist.

People don't like to hear about conflicts - just the scores of games and even then only if they look good and not lopsided. I start wondering about education and sport – and is it just a bunch of words.

I am not sure what the future is for high school sports in this province. Seems like each year more and more kids are hooked on electronic toys, part time jobs and boosting grades. Obesity is still a problem. People who want to run intramural sports, like the old days, are running in to resistance from colleagues who are pushing varsity sports. Coaches, well, many of the good ones are retiring too.

Maybe it's time to mandate cheerleading teams at all schools.

Comments

[Pepper]

I read this and must compliment you.
IT IS NOT THE SAME.
It's worse.
There are some duds posing as coaches who are destroying it for the remaining good ones. What bothers me is that these coaches and teachers are dangling the board of education like puppets.
It's time for the administration to get serious and tough. Let's do what is right for students. Lets also try bring back the excitement that was in our schools when I was a teenager.

[Mr. Blake]

You used the word "fidgety".
It's more like "paranoia".
I also agree that far too many teachers think they're the Almighty gift to coaching.
They're fooling themselves and the students are smarter than they think.

[Jonathan]

I remember the incident with Mr. Apostolou, who was my coach, and that got ugly with Unions and the Peel Board and lawyers. I also remember that the school had so much fear about what you would write but you wrote about the story in a fair way.
These people are too sensitive and think they walk on water.
I was a student back then and now work in accountancy and also coach part time. I also get a guilt trip look from some teachers who don't like it because the students listen to me more.

[Jaimie Smith]

Mr. Grossman, you should know very well now that the amateur school sports world - known as athletic associations - only sees things one way.
And that is their way.
No one can offer up any suggestions to these so-called mighty, but weak and useless, people unless it makes them look good and powerful.
Why do you think so many great coaches have chosen to go to the clubs, universities, colleges or just packed it in.

[Patrick Rutledge]

Hi David,

Can't really argue with you position here. Myself, I think the abundance of club based sports especially in the team sports has leeched away a lot of the kids and the better coaches. On the whole it isn't necessarily a bad thing, (though there are many who are self serving) but I think the Boards must rethink how varsity athletics is delivered. Why for instance can we not see a merger between a school and club for the purposes of sport development and competition? Train the community coaches, use the facilities and bring the athletes along and allow those who want to build an intraramural program to partner up with your club/varsity program as a feeder program. You would have to have tight restrictions (much tighter than currently in place) and you will need the provincial governing bodies to stop being narrow in their vision, but it can be done with a little leadership. Quite frankly, Leadership is the key and we must say that Competitive Athletics is an important part of educating the whole child. Until that happens we will continue to flounder.

My 2 cents for what it is worth.

Patrick Rutledge

[Shayne L.]

This is something that should be printed and sent to all school principals and coaches. Sadly, very little will get done because it requires work and sincere efforts.

[Big John]

It's too bad that we can't bring some of those guys back for a forum to educate the younger coaches who likely would be reluctant to attend because they have their own ways of thinking.

[Laura]

Can you tell me if I am missing something or is there some reason why there are no women listed?

[John Cabot Grad]

Welcome to the new world. Some schools have it good and I am sure way many more don't. I am a regular reader of your paper and website and keep noticing the same schools. That tells me something. Some teachers do a marvellous job pumping their players. Lots of others couldn't care less. But that seems to change, I am sure, when they have winning teams. My alma mater is John Cabot. Nothing ever comes out of that school and the school senior administration don't even give a hoot.

[hockey fan]

The 80s were the best: It was teacher coaches who made it all work. Names like : Clarke Pulford at Northern, basketball coach John Petrushchak at Runnymede, track coach Bruce Smith at Central Tech, hockey coach Gary Jobe at Monarch Park, baseball coach Mike Thorpe at Brampton Centennial - Marv Pearl At Jarvis. These people deserve our respect. There should be a GTA high school hall-of-fame so that others can aspire to follow in the footsteps of these legends.

[Jason]

Thanks for taking me back - to the good times.
Now, it's a huge joke with so many lousy coaches and huge egos in athletic associations. Time to flush out the bad and give the good a bigger pat on the back.

[N. Sheahan]

You mention some really good people who faded away with little recognition.
If OFSAA ever got around to doing something worthwhile, and their annual golf day for alumni is more like a day when they let the senior citizens out of the home for the aged, they would take advantage of the opportunity and salute these people - NOW!!!
The thing they call a leadership in sport award is an embarasment and goes to some friend of OFSAA.

[School Teacher]

I can tell you that there is some bitter arguing in our school about who gets the gym at certain times. It has caused some serious problems with teachers. The varsity coaches team up to take control over those who just prefer to have those pick up and intramural games with far many more kids who are not interested in playing for a school team. Students watch and really get an education in the wrong thing.

[John - Toronto Teacher]

Having read your blog several times, I thought it was well done.
I also sense some frrustration on your part with the attitude of some people who coach and teach. Let me assure you that these people are small in numbers and narrow-minded. They are very defensive and only see things in their viewpoint. They think they are teaching to everyone and can't see reality.
If they don't like something, you are the enemy. I see it and hear it all the time. Please don't let the silly response of some so-called "grown-ups" have any effect on the majority of people who value what you do for high school sports and students.
I am a teacher and parent. You have written about my son. Thank you for the excellent work. Maybe one day, likely when you move on to other things or retire and no one replaces you, the "know it all people" at OFSAA and other athletic associations, will understand.
I won't hold my up my hopes but our family will respect what you have done for many people.

[Marcus Rush]

A wonderful look at the past and not so wonderful look at the present. I went to high school prior to the period you are talking about and not only did we field varsity teams in all the major sports but had intra-mural programs in each sport as well. A large percentage of the student body participated and all games were played at lunch time.
Jump to the present and it seems sports are only for the gifted athlete. I attended a playoff football game in the fall and had to ask in several instances as to which were the students and which were the teachers. They all dressed alike and talked in the same manner. Whatever happened to teachers looking like someone you aspired to be--dressed for success. Suits and dresses is this to much to ask?
I also have a grandaughter going to school in Missouri--she recently made the cheerleading team. She is also a gifted soccer player. Soon she will have to make a decision on cheerleading vs soccer. Every person coaching at the school is referred to as "Coach". They all look the part and are respected by the students. The students look like students and the teachers-coaches look like people you would respect down the road when you make your mark in life.

[M.A.]

Without "interested" students.
Without "good" coaches
Without considerate athletic associations.
Without more media coverage like the Star.
With kids who don't care about practices.
With teachers who are terrible coaches.
With a mixed-up OFFSAA.
With declining interest from the media.
The sports programs we once had are doomed.

[Teacher and Coach]

You know what would be very interesting is to see if people like Pulford, Jobe, LeMarquand, Pearl and others have children who also entered teaching as a career and also whether they coach and care as much as their parents.
As a teacher and coach, I do know someone that has a daughter teaching and she thinks she's wonderful. She thinks she's marvellous at what she does. Yet she doesn't come close to what her father achieved and the respect he gained.

[chris starkey]

David is right...things are not the same as the "good old days". In the 80s, the club/rep system was not as advanced as it is nowadays so your school team was in most cases had the best coaching, the best players and ran the facilities. It was the pinnacle of the sports career for most of us.

Today, there are teachers who won't coach at their school but will coach a community team or referee in their chosen sport. There are students who will not play for their school team because their community coach won't let them (sometimes they are even told they can't play ANY school sports because their community coach has them convinced they are going to get an NCAA scholarship or play pro). Schools that used to be able to run tournaments and evening programs now get kicked out of their own gyms at 6:00 because the Board needs the rental money from...yes, a community sports group (often with kids from that same school who now need to pay money to play in their own gym). Even the kids who get part-time jobs are told by their employers that they can't book off for a game or tournament...they are forced to choose between the job and the school team!

I did get a chuckle out of seeing the Michigan/Toronto all-star basketball reference, though...can you imagine the number of OFSAA forms you would need to fill out in 2010 to take kids from 12 different schools to Michigan for a game!

The most interesting reference was to the coaches you listed. I assume that they were passionate about their sport, they were committed to being the best-trained coaches and gave their kids lots of high-calibre competition. There are still lots of these coaches, but they are the ones who get accused of recruiting, are being asked to limit the number of games they play, get no support from their administration and get trashed by bloggers for not (at the end of a 12-hour wrestling tournament, for example) providing scores to the media. No wonder they go to where their efforts are appreciated or just pack it in entirely.

[Parent]

I take exception with Mr. Starkey's comments about bloggers trashing coaches. I am one of those bloggers and expressed my concerns, not trashed, why coaches will take time to submit game results to the media when they win and not when they lose.
My son was on one of those teams and scored his first hockey goal but his team lost 7-1. Was the coach of his team embarrassed?
Big deal. Help students, don't hurt them.

[Coach]

Actually, in most leagues there is a protocol for who reports a score. In some regions it's the winning coach (which is why certain coaches only report when they win). In case of a tie it's usually the host school. If it is a multi-team event (i.e. volleyball) then it is usually the host. Please also keep in mind that with a new 'era' of teacher/coaches who are often young and new to the teaching profession, they are fighting just to keep a float in the classroom.... many are coaching with hopes that in an 'era' of redudancies and few new jobs, that their efforts will be recognized when it the time comes to interview for a permanent position. Please forgive them if reporting a score isn't number one on their priority list when they are walking in their door late at night. Perhaps it's time for the bloggers and reporters to look into the layers of red tape that any coach must go throught to take a team to a tournament, play a game during the school day, arrange transportation for their players. Once you do you will realize why things will never be as they were, but don't think that we're not trying.

[TDCAA Teacher/coach]

I have to laugh reading the comments from the person known as "Coach". No sympathy from me and many more listening to this stuff about walking in late at night. Sob, sob. They're fine when they win. Otherwise, it's late at night. I am a teacher,, have a family and lots to do. In my league, the TDCAA, both teams call their results to the league and the Toronto Star to make sure the scores and names are accurate. Leaving it to one school is an excuse and whoever came up with that idea is missing some marbles. New teachers? Many were former athletes and know the deal because they likely lied getting the job by saying how much they were going to volunteer and help kids. As for the red tape, you find that everywhere. I find the biggest problem is OFSAA and its layers of dumb rules and politics. And all that gets passed along to the OFSAA clones in each association. Many of the bloggers are sharing how they feel and they're right.

[Barry McDermott, Retired Teacher/Coach]

Hello David:

You have heard all the stories/excuses surrounding the issue of reporting high school sports results and stories. Unfortunately, I suspect that the situation will become even more cronic.

The bottom line is likely explained simply in terms of apathy. The deliquent coaches that I meet usually dismiss their behavior as a lack of personal interest in reporting the news.

While we live in an era of information and promotion, many educators seem to be tuning away to today's realities.