Forgive this story appearing here but I feel the implication

[Mosiah]

could be profound for high school sports and how it transitions into professional sports

Ascot's principal plans to bar Carifta star from Champs

Monday, January 20, 2014


JAMAICA'S defending Carifta Games discus champion Vashon McCarthy might not be participating at this year's ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships based on a disagreement with his school, Ascot High, over the use of an outside coach.

Sixteen-year-old McCarthy, who was born when Ascot was formed in 1997 in Portmore, became a phenom last year when he won the school's first gold medal at Champs, capturing the Class Two shot put title with a throw of 16.25m.

But after his parents solicited the assistance of renowned field events coach Michael Vassell, who coaches at Excelsior High School, prior to the Carifta Games last year, the school apparently decided that he cannot represent them because he doesn't have a coach at the school.

http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/mobile/...hamps_15830871

[Mosiah]

I'm pretty sure some of our best high school sprinters have been using the services of the top coaches in the country, outside of their school's sports staff.

Should this be allowed? I say hell yeah!

[Sir X]

Sprinters look at the ballers ,from pepsi ,colts to manning and dacosta,ow much coach dem under inna different league ?

Kissteeth.

Foolishness.

[Peter R]

Is who run dat school?? Is how dem so fool fool?? Steuups... Does it matter who the coach is? Isn't the young man representing the school at the end of the day? How petty, no, asisnine!

[Karl]

Is who run dat school?? Is how dem so fool fool?? Steuups... Does it matter who the coach is? Isn't the young man representing the school at the end of the day? How petty, no, asisnine!

Who is responsible if the coach inculcates mores outside that the schools find palatable?

Just to take one thing out of the many things I can see a school having reservations on - Oversight - -- 'supplements of which the school does not approve'=perhaps that could lead to adverse analytical findings? ...and implications on fallout?

[Gamma]

he could take supplements even if he was being coached solely by the school's coach with or without that coaches knowledge.

it is an asinine position for the school take unless there is also more in this mortar than the pestle

[Jangle]

This is another manifestation of the character flaw which afflicts Jamaicans. It's called badmindedness. We see it in every walks of Jamaican life.

[Karl]

he could take supplements even if he was being coached solely by the school's coach with or without that coaches knowledge.

it is an asinine position for the school take unless there is also more in this mortar than the pestle

You are on the wrong side of the matter.
If is not a matter of "he could take supplements even if he was being coached solely by the school's coach" it is a matter of where the school's obligations to the student starts and stops. The administration cannot turn a blind eye to granting of approval on activities of its students and within which environment it approves development.

There is also the matter of what 'completeness' of development of the student the school is striving to achieve and all within impact on its other students and its obligation(s) to them and their parents.

Having said all the above; why is it the school, parent and coach cannot with 'cool heads' arrive at a compromise?

I refuse to conclude, as it appears many have, that the school is insensitive to its charge - development of the whole child - or its responsibility to, and obligation for always operating in the 'best interests' of the student. Seems silly to jump to the conclusion that it is 'pure bad mine' or 'fool-fool' reservation the school's administrators currently hold.

This rush to uninformed judgment points to one of the many problems plaguing our wonderful country. Leads to unnecessary conflicts and slowing down of steps towards further progress.

btw - Why did you jump on the only specific possibility of 'drugs/stimulants' and ignore the suggestion of many other vast...yet unnamed...numbers of possibilities alluded? Is it that although I used 'stimulants' as a reference point there were no other reasons you could think of...or you thought my alluding to many other instances where schools have to be cautious was mere 'bad mine' or 'fool-fool' thoughts?

Just asking!

[Me]

That is just silly.

[Peter R]

Karl,

Suppose my parents sign me up for let's say, tennis, with a coach/club that is offering lessons. The school I attend has no tennis court, no tennis programme nor is tennis in the PE curriculum.

ISSA or whoever announces a High School tennis tournament. I approach the administration of my school and inform them that I would like to represent the school in the tournament.

What should the school do?

[Islandman]

There is more to it from what I am hearing but not enough n my view to justify the action that the principal is taking.

Apparently there is something about the school spending money to build a facility specifically for the student to train and taking on some other expenses and it not being used now. So it seems like there is a lot of bad blood that has been developing between school and athletes family and it has come to this unfortunate situation.

The story is getting more national attention so I think at some point the principal will have to give a formal explanation to the public, if he has one.

[Mosiah]

A one man tennis team?!?

[Karl]

Karl,

Suppose my parents sign me up for let's say, tennis, with a coach/club that is offering lessons. The school I attend has no tennis court, no tennis programme nor is tennis in the PE curriculum.

ISSA or whoever announces a High School tennis tournament. I approach the administration of my school and inform them that I would like to represent the school in the tournament.

What should the school do?

In the context of doing best for the students - Make a decision or a set of decisions on what is best for all parties.

--------

Peter may I ask:- What are you getting at?
I just have this feeling your question may be related to this thread...

[Karl]

I do not remember the rules that held for entry into the school's tennis competition...so can a school enter the competition not for the main trophy but for say, U-16 or U-18 singles championship?

I think one of the team trophies was the Alexander Cup (the big boys). Incidentally C. Lloyd Allen won that trophy one.