SPB's High School Sports

Very intriguing/perplexing news out of Lauralton Hall last night where Steve Schuler is out as girls basketball coach … in midseason… with a 13-1 record.

Needless to say, insanity has ensued.

Here’s the story from today’s Post, which only told one side of the story. As of this afternoon — from my seat at least — we haven’t heard anything from Lauralton Hall.

Schuler says he was forced out because, simply put, parents were not satisfied with how he divvied up playing time for their children — particularly seniors. He says it drew to a boil in the summer, that he was briefly let go for awhile, rehired and suddenly fired again with his team humming along at 13-1.

Schuler said that he didn’t have problems with “95 percent” of the parents and that he had nothing but praise for his players, insinuating that this was a problem he believes was confined to an extremely dissatisfied few.

As of Tuesday afternoon, we have no idea Lauralton Hall’s take on this. Our reporters are working on it, but I suspect it’s going to be zipper city over there. The accusations from Schuler — whether they are fair or unfair — seems to be publicity enough for the all-girls school.

Schuler mentioned that some of these parents took issue with his coaching methods. While Shuler specified playing time was their prime complaint, we do not know what other allegations (if any) may be out there from the other side.

Lauralton Hall fired their head coach in the middle of a highly successful season. The Crusaders were 13-1 and a prime contender for league and maybe even a state championship.

For the administration to let their head coach go almost two-thirds of the way through the season (which is typically unheard of in high school athletics), means Lauralton Hall believes it had a good reason; that firing him wasn’t worth the consequences of keeping him on.

What were those consequences? What don’t we know about this curious case? Schuler, who’s known for his fire and intensity, had already been fired before this past summer, was there some bargain he didn’t live up to? Was there something he said or did that finally caused the school to say ‘enough?’

Or is it exactly how Schuler says? That the lack of playing time of a few players cause so much outrage from their parents (perhaps parents with added clout aside from very active vocal chords) that they gave the school no other option but to get rid of Schuler right in the middle of the season.

Whatever the reason, this is an all-out nightmare. For Schuler, for Lauralton Hall, for all of the players who remain.

Now, I’ve been around a long time. And what I’m seeing here at Lauralton Hall is nothing new here or anywhere. Unfortunately, high school coaches are typically caught between a school’s desire to have a successful program and the school’s personal responsibility to their students and parents. We don’t quite have the full story in this case, but clearly there was a violent clash between these concepts.

I will say this, because I personally know many coaches: Far, far, far too many parents believe it is their kid’s right to play, rather than a privilege that must be earned from the coach — be it through hard work and dedication, or just something as simple as raw talent. The goal is to win games while building character and relationships and working through problems in pursuit of that goal.

In most places, coaches can churn out a league’s worth of academic all-Americans, but aren’t long for their job if they don’t win consistently — especially at a private school like Lauralton Hall where image is everything.

If your senior isn’t as good as a phenom freshman, guess what? The chances are they’re not going to play anywhere near your expectations. And, guess what? I don’t care what you think, your coach knows more about who will give his team a better chance to win than you do.

From my experience, parents, while typically well-intentioned, are about as rational as a raging bull when it comes to their children. I’ve seen intelligent and diplomatic human beings turn into vindictive monsters if they believe their kid has been wronged. Why not? There are reputations and, even more important, college placement and scholarships at stake.

Sorry, mom. Hate to break it to you, dad. Sometimes life isn’t fair.

Most times it has nothing to do with “politics,” or “favoritism,” or whatever excuse you want to throw out there to justify what you’re think you’re seeing. Most times the kid playing over yours is just better or, at the very least, gives the team a better chance to win. This isn’t the old days when, it seems, parents made their children accountable as much as their teachers and coaches. Nowadays, it seems like we coddle our children far too much. We think the world owes them a favor. After all, it’s our children.

The worst part is, when parents start bucking like broncos over issues like these (rather than teaching their children to cope with life’s raw deals) their kids inevitably wind up learning to act this way, too. And it cycles over and over again.

Not that this was the case at Lauralton Hall. But, based on the information we have now, not to information Lauralton Hall hasn’t given out yet, it’s looking like the same thing.

We’ll see how this plays out. Schuler, who can be an intense individual, certainly isn’t take this slight lying down. And we’ll see how this team handles the turmoil from here until the end of the season. Regardless, there has already been some irreparable damage done on both sides.

If this turmoil simply is because a few seniors aren’t playing as much as their parents believe they should, then Lauralton Hall’s administration has issues that go far beyond its athletics program.

CSWA poll (first place votes)
1. Bridgeport Central (17) 2. Stratford (4) 3. Hillhouse
(1) 4. Hyde Leadership 5.New Britain 6. New London 7. Holy Cross 8. Bloomfield 9. Sacred Heart 10. Harding
Also: St. Joseph missed with 34 votes and Kolbe was right behind with 33. 4 teams were ahead of SJ and KC, including ND-West Haven.
New Haven Register poll (first place votes)
1. Central (14) 2. Stratford (2) 3. Hillhouse 4. New London 5. Hyde 6. Holy Cross 7. New Britain 8. Sacred Heart 9. Bloomfield 10. East Hartford. Also: Harding recieved 166 votes, the most of any team not in the top 10. St. Joseph recieved 145 and Kolbe got 19.

The CIAC has ruled the Central boys basketball team will forfeit its season-opening victory over Staples for the use of an ineligible player, according to Bridgeport citywide athletic director Jim Denton.

Central, which self-reported the violation, falls to 10-1. Staples, the beneficiary of the forfeit, improves to 6-6. The game also counts toward the FCIAC regular season. Central, the top-ranked team in Connecticut, is now 9-1 in the FCIAC. Staples improves to 4-6.

According to a statement Denton read to the Connecticut Post, the unnamed player is a Bridgeport charter school student who resides in the Harding High School district. He played football for the Presidents this fall.

The student subsequently became a member of the Central boys basketball team in December and played off the bench in the closing minutes of Central’s 83-38 victory over Staples on December 16.

“As soon as the situation became apparent, the individual was released from the team and the violation reported to the CIAC,” Denton said. “Since the player participated in the first game of the season, the CIAC has ruled Central must forfeit the victory.”

There are several charter schools in the Bridgeport school system. According to district and state policy, if a charter school does not offer any sports, its students are allowed to participate at the high school of their home district.

Since the student lived in Harding’s district, he is required to play athletics at Harding. Denton said he found out about the violation after “an individual in the community” informed him about it after seeing the  player’s name in the box score. However, Denton declined to say who told him.

Denton also said that no one from Central knew the player lived in Harding’s district, or that he played football for Harding. However, they did know he was a charter school student.

Denton declined further comment. Central hosts Danbury at 7 p.m. tonight.

–SEAN PATRICK BOWLEY & HENRY CHISHOLM

The Connecticut nominees to the All-American boys and girls basketball teams have been announced. …No big surprise, many of the boys are from prep school teams like Hotchkiss, Kent, Suffield, etc. Nobody really regional on the boys nominations that I’m aware of, except Luke Matarazzo from Shelton.

From the release: Thirty-four Connecticut high school basketball players have been nominated for the 2010 McDonald’s All American Boys and Girls Basketball Teams. As nominees, they will be considered for one of the 48 available positions on the two teams which will compete in March. The following Connecticut high school basketball players were nominated:

Boys’ 2010 Nominees

• Rashad Moore (Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield)
• Jamel Fields (Cheshire Academy, Cheshire)
• Luke Matarazzo (Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford)
• Isiaih Salafia (Cromwell High School, Cromwell)
• Jakarri McCallop (East Hartford High School)
• Tavon Allen (Hillhouse High School, New Haven)
• Jengodgi Gates (Hillhouse High School, New Haven)
• Monty Brown (Hotchkiss School, Lakeville)
• Jason Morris (Hotchkiss School, Lakeville)
• Theodore Boyomo (Ken School, Kent)
• Steven Glowiak (New Britain High School, New Britain)
• Julian Harris (Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford)
• Josh Turner (Sacred Heart High School, Waterbury)
• Phil Gaetano (Sheehan High School, Wallingford)
• Bryon Allen (St. Thomas More Prep School, Oakdale)
• Andrew Douby (St. Thomas More Prep School, Oakdale)
• Allen Harris (Suffield Academy)
• Xavier Pollard (Suffield Academy)
• Nate Vernon (Suffield Academy)
• Tyrus Weaver (Windsor High School, Windsor)

Girls’ 2010 Nominees

• Courtney Schissler (Branford High School, Branford)
• Kerry Wallack (Daniel Hand High School, Madison)
• Kelly Sundberg (EO Smith High School, Storrs)
• Lauren Okafor (Hopkins School, New Haven)
• Casey Dulin (Johnathan Law High School, Milford)
• Uju Nwankwo (Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford)
• Kastine Evans (Norwich Free Academy, West Hartford)
• Kaylantra Langley (Our Lady of Mercy Laurelton Hall, Milford)
• Katie Cizynski (Pomperaug High School, Southbury)
• Casey Dean (Pomperaug High School, Southbury)
• Nicole Welton (Pomperaug High School, Southbury)
• Abigail Corning (Wethersfield High School, Wethersfield)
• Shaniqua Fuller (Wilbur Cross High School, New Haven)
• Kristian Parker (Wilby High School, Waterbury)

From the release: Of the 2,000 boys and girls nominated, 48 principal players (24 boys and 24 girls) will be chosen for each team and will be announced in mid-to-late February at a selection show. These players will compete in the tip-off of the McDonald’s All American Games on March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The girls game (on ESPNU) will be at 5:30; the boys game (on ESPN) will be at 8. For a complete listing of McDonald’s All American nominees, visit www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com.

Boy, word moves fast.

I got word around noon today that Darien defensive coordinator A.J. Albano was about to be named the next coach at McMahon.

But quickly after confirming through sources, I learned it was already out there by our old buddy Matt “Mr. Norwalk Sports” Doran.. Then I talked to our boys at the Advocate, and they were already on the case as well.

Apparently this whole thing was announced this morning. Took until the afternoon to travel to my ears. So I’m the last to hear about these things. Good job me.

Anyway, it’s an interesting hire. Albano, who coaches the Greenwich wrestling team, is pretty young — mid-to-late 20s. So he’s not exactly an experienced hire.

But apparently, the selection committee — which included former basketball coach Bo Kane and lacrosse coach Mike Epstein were impressed with what young Albano (whose father, George, is an assistant sports editor at The Hour) had done for Darien’s defense over the past couple of seasons on Rob Trifone’s staff. Albano played for Trifone at McMahon.

Dave Ruden and The Advocate guys will have more on this story. We’ll post links to their stories/blogs as they’re filed.

-spb

(First Place Votes)
Rank 1.Bridgeport Central (11) 2.New Britain (6) 3. Stratford 4. Hillhouse (1) 5.Hyde Leadership 6. New
London 7. Holy Cross 8. Bloomfield 9. Sacred Heart 10. Harding
Central is No.1 and Harding cracks the top ten for the first time all season. Stratford moves ahead of Hillhouse, who lost last week. So…what do you think of this week’s poll?