New Athletic Policy Under Fire in Ocean
By ANDREW CANGIANO
A new freshman athletic policy at Ocean Township High School may be revised after the policy came under heat from parents and coaches at a recent Board of Education meeting.
The new policy, which was approved by the board, would only allow freshman athletes to be a member of a varsity team provided the student-athlete is a starting player or receives significant playing time in varsity competition.
Freshman may not be moved up to junior varsity teams because to do so excludes opportunities for sophomores and juniors to develop, improve, and compete, the policy states.
Coaches are allowed, however, to petitition the athletic director to move a freshman athlete up to JV if there are not enough players to field a junior varsity squad.
In response to the concerns raised by coaches and residents, the board decided to create an athletic council, made up of coaches from the school district, to re-examine the directive.
Board President Anne Marie Sparaco said the athletic council will work with School Superintendent Thomas Pagano and take a closer look at the recently instituted policy.
Pagano said the policy may be modified in the future and that nothing is set in stone.
After passing the measure, board members explained their reasoning for instating the policy.
Board member William Garafalo, said the policy was not developed overnight or on a whim.
Athletics are 100 percent taxpayer funded programs, he said, adding that school sports should be open to as many children as possible and are an extension of the educational process.
The soul purpose of youth athletics is to build self-esteem and self-confidence in our children, Garafalo said.
Pagano said he had a number of concerns about athletics in the school district.
We think some of our students have been exploited, he said. We think that some of our kids have been treated like paper cups.
The superintendent said that the purpose of athletic programs are not to promote certain students or the professional reputation of coaches and said he is concerned about the pressure being put on young athletes.
We want kids to have good positive experiences, Pagano told the packed audience. Were not convinced that in this climate that there isnt some toxicity going on. This policy is a start. We think its a good one. A lot of people dont agree.
Pagano said the board is willing to look at the policy to discuss or amend it, as he said the policy may be a good starting point to look at our athletics district wide.
Were also concerned about the way some of our kids are being exploited for fund-raising, he said, as teams have asked athletes to raise money for practice gear.
A number of parents of athletes and coaches expressed their concerns with the new guidelines to the board.
Mike Samples, the high schools junior varsity girls basketball coach, said he felt the freshman policy would be putting handcuffs on coaches trying to do their jobs.
He said the majority of the schools athletic programs have been so successful because younger players have been allowed to play at the junior varsity and varsity levels.
Lisa Connover, whose daughter is a freshman athlete at the high school, told the board the policy would be chokeholding the coaches.
Bill Schroeder, who has two children that attend the high school, said he believes freshman should be allowed to play junior varsity, but not participate at the varsity level.
I do not believe that freshman should play varsity at all, he said.
Resident Joe Raggucci wondered how coaches should determine if a freshman is good enough to play on the varsity level if they are not allowed to compete at the junior varsity level.
It doesnt seem like a logical jump to me, Raggucci said about the freshman policy.
Denise DEsposito, a junior varsity coach for a number of the schools girls athletic teams, said the board had good intentions in creating the policy, but said coaches were not made aware that it was going to be initiated.
I think I have a pretty good idea of what youre trying to do, she said.
However, DEsposito added that it should be up to a coaches discretion to determine when to move a player up to the junior varsity or varsity level.
I dont think we should limit the coaches, because were professionals…wed like you to trust us.
The coach said she had called 38 others schools in Monmouth County and none had a similar policy.
I dont think we should limit the kids and limit the coaches.
Freshman field hockey coach and varsity spring track coach Sue Henderson also said what level an athlete plays at should be up to the coaches.
It should be the discretion of the coach to determine what you need that year, Henderson said.
DEsposito said the athletic council will allow for positive communication between coaches and the Board of Education.
This council is going to be great because we dont have any liaison between the coaches and the Board, she said.
Boys varsity basketball coach Jack Miller, who has also agreed to be a member of the athletic council, echoed DEsposito, as he said it opens up the lines of communication between coaches and the board.
Board President Anne Marie Sparaco said any coaches wishing to be involved with the athletic council may contact the board.
Read more about your town by picking up The Coaster at your local newsstand or subscribe today.
Published every Thursday.
