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It's time to even playing field between private, public school sports
I was glad to see a letter from Alton Eliason of North Branford in the Feb. 28 New Haven Register. The facts presented in the letter represent the way Catholic and private prep schools have operated for decades. I have sent letters to the editor and to sports departments before concerning this subject but they were never published or acknowledged.
It is not fair or equal for these private schools to be able to entice and “up the ante,” so to speak, equating an education/playing for their institutions as “gateways” to better educational institutions or scholarships at prestigious schools. Public school athletes are convinced that they have a better chance in the future for professional sports, etc.
Sure, we in Connecticut have had our share of students who have gone on to the professional ranks. Every state has had them. I like to think it’s because of their abilities and hard work, rather than the school they went to.
Our public schools often do not have the money, facilities, etc. to really promote sports teams. We tend to put emphasis on teaching our children and preparing them for the future. Of course, sports are important, besides encouraging school spirit, friendship and pride, they teach young people how to get along with others, encourage positive thinking and self-worth and enable the children to usually have a great time playing.
But our public schools, which have both young men and women attending, have to compete with private schools, many of which are not co-ed. The games played count for standings in their leagues and for state championship tournaments.
If public schools want to play private institutions, they can but those games should not be included in their leagues. Private schools, whether they are Catholic or just private prep schools, should have their own leagues - other states do this, why don’t we?
I have questioned the CIAC actions and procedures since I was at West Haven High School over 45 years ago. Look at the headline in today’s sports section of the Register for example. Two private schools vying for the SCC title! What schools are featured in the state all-state selections, a lot from private schools. Will this ever change or will private schools still call the shots in high school sports?
Bonnie Amato
West Haven
It is not fair or equal for these private schools to be able to entice and “up the ante,” so to speak, equating an education/playing for their institutions as “gateways” to better educational institutions or scholarships at prestigious schools. Public school athletes are convinced that they have a better chance in the future for professional sports, etc.
Sure, we in Connecticut have had our share of students who have gone on to the professional ranks. Every state has had them. I like to think it’s because of their abilities and hard work, rather than the school they went to.
Our public schools often do not have the money, facilities, etc. to really promote sports teams. We tend to put emphasis on teaching our children and preparing them for the future. Of course, sports are important, besides encouraging school spirit, friendship and pride, they teach young people how to get along with others, encourage positive thinking and self-worth and enable the children to usually have a great time playing.
But our public schools, which have both young men and women attending, have to compete with private schools, many of which are not co-ed. The games played count for standings in their leagues and for state championship tournaments.
If public schools want to play private institutions, they can but those games should not be included in their leagues. Private schools, whether they are Catholic or just private prep schools, should have their own leagues - other states do this, why don’t we?
I have questioned the CIAC actions and procedures since I was at West Haven High School over 45 years ago. Look at the headline in today’s sports section of the Register for example. Two private schools vying for the SCC title! What schools are featured in the state all-state selections, a lot from private schools. Will this ever change or will private schools still call the shots in high school sports?
Bonnie Amato
West Haven
posted by Matt DeRienzo at
10:08 AM
3 Comments:
Bonnie, you can't be serious. As a counter to your key points, I offer the following.
1) The state's high priced prep schools & boarding schools do have their own league. See Avon, Choate, Taft, etc. And Hopkins, Hamden Hall, etc.
2) Assuming you are not talking about boarding schools, let's look at the other private schools in the area, Notre Dame WH & Fairfield, Fairfield Prep, and Xavier. You say public school lack the facilities and money that private schools have. None of the above 4 schools has a hockey rink on campus, ND-WH plays all football and baseball games off campus as well. Xavier plays all football games and half of their baseball games off campus. Prep, by virtue of being on the FU campus, plays their home baseball and football games on campus as does ND-F.
Now let's look at the public schools. I struggle to think of any public SCC school that plays baseball or football off campus, besides the sort walk across the street that both Hillhouse and Wilbur Cross have to make. Additionally, Hamden and West Haven have hockey rinks on their campus and get 2 hours of practice time per day, as opposed to the one hour most of the private schools can afford.
Your editorial is grounded in your own delusions and nothing more.
Many more people leave private schools for financial reasons and star at public schools than the other way around. You cant say West Haven doesnt do enough for sports, Ken Strong Stadium, Hockey rink, Pool are far more than ND has. So you actually spend far more money than private schools do. It seem to me that rich suburbs such as Cheshire, Hand etc have come from nowhere to take a big piece of the pie compared to 40 yrs ago. I cant speak for hockey which is a specialized sport that eliminates large numbers of public and private schools.
Everyone needs to stop whining and complaining. We are quickly becoming a nation of people where all anyone does is complain about something he or she doesnt like. If your kid isnt winning games, its because he is NOT GOOD ENOUGH to win games, don't blame schools who have good athletes. And what is all this nonsense about "leveling the playing field?" There is no such thing, if there were, then all games would end in a tie. Some people are taller, stronger, faster, and more athletic.
You are contributing to the entitlement menatality that so many Americans are demonstrating. If something doesnt go the way you want, complain. If something isnt the exact way you like it, then cry about it and start a protest. Are you kidding me? If you want to make a difference, tell the teams at your schools to practice harder and become more dedicated to their sport. Set a GOOD example. LIFE ISNT FAIR. GET USED TO IT. WEAR A HELMET.
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