Article in paper GCA the private school powerhouse lose seven starter,three leave school
and two remain unnamed(must have been the coaches son). Whats the story? Who knows the truth?
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What happened at GCA is irrelevant, who the remaining two players that are under investagation does make any differece. (by the way the coaches son pitched yesterday).
The key to this is very simple. GCA is a fundamental Christian Baptist School. There are certain dogma's and beliefs that supercide baseball or academics. If you break these rules you pay the price.
It was a very bold of the school's headmaster to stick to his fundamantal principles and not circum to the pressures of an athletic program.
The key to this is very simple. GCA is a fundamental Christian Baptist School. There are certain dogma's and beliefs that supercide baseball or academics. If you break these rules you pay the price.
It was a very bold of the school's headmaster to stick to his fundamantal principles and not circum to the pressures of an athletic program.
i think what happened at GCA needs to be dropped as soon as possible because i know people who were and still are involved and its really not fair to them what the newspaper and everyone has done to make it such a public matter...let it go
Sports is a public matter.
Once you have reached this level you are open for scrutiny. There have been plenty of situations in all high school sports that become public. Whether it was Marquie Cooke from Nasemond-River High who was kicked out of a NIKE basketball camp, or BJ Upton who had to leave Hickory because of grades it becomes public because sports is an extention of our culture. Unfortunately it is the nature of the game.
I also, know these players and parents and it must be a difficult time for all. I feel for the players as some of their futures are on the line, and I hope that they can all recover. It's not about GCA. It's about rules, religious principle and decision these young adults made.
As Coach Townsend has said. "Baseball is Life". This situation is life, and I hope all involved and all who know what happen will learn from this.
Once you have reached this level you are open for scrutiny. There have been plenty of situations in all high school sports that become public. Whether it was Marquie Cooke from Nasemond-River High who was kicked out of a NIKE basketball camp, or BJ Upton who had to leave Hickory because of grades it becomes public because sports is an extention of our culture. Unfortunately it is the nature of the game.
I also, know these players and parents and it must be a difficult time for all. I feel for the players as some of their futures are on the line, and I hope that they can all recover. It's not about GCA. It's about rules, religious principle and decision these young adults made.
As Coach Townsend has said. "Baseball is Life". This situation is life, and I hope all involved and all who know what happen will learn from this.
What happened ???????????????
off to college,
You are wrong what happens to a high school athlete outside their sport is not open for scrutiny. These young people are not professional athletes who forfeit the right to privacy in exchange for money and celebrity. These are kids who deserve to be left alone.
Too often this type of commentary is about jealousy and grudges not about legitimate sports news. The paper is wrong to print large stories about this and posters should refrain from this subject!!!!
You are wrong what happens to a high school athlete outside their sport is not open for scrutiny. These young people are not professional athletes who forfeit the right to privacy in exchange for money and celebrity. These are kids who deserve to be left alone.
Too often this type of commentary is about jealousy and grudges not about legitimate sports news. The paper is wrong to print large stories about this and posters should refrain from this subject!!!!
This is not about Sports.
This is about a Christian fundamental school that has certain rules of which some are grounds for explusion. These students knew the rules. The school headmaster is not going to let them hide behind their athletic privalage and let them off the hook.
What made it newsworthy is the fact that so many were invovled. Granted, if this happened to a single student,athlete or not, no one would care, if it happen to a large number of non-student athletes it might be newsworthy. But because it was so devastating to the baseball and softball teams, it is newsworthy.
This cannot be ignored. There is a lesson that all student-athletes need to learn. There are certain rules in life you need to obey and as a member of an athletic team you to are held accountable for the same rules.
It seems in recent years our culture has "protected" athletes from the "rules". In this case the headmaster has stuck to his school's and religious principles and has not "protected" them.
This is about a Christian fundamental school that has certain rules of which some are grounds for explusion. These students knew the rules. The school headmaster is not going to let them hide behind their athletic privalage and let them off the hook.
What made it newsworthy is the fact that so many were invovled. Granted, if this happened to a single student,athlete or not, no one would care, if it happen to a large number of non-student athletes it might be newsworthy. But because it was so devastating to the baseball and softball teams, it is newsworthy.
This cannot be ignored. There is a lesson that all student-athletes need to learn. There are certain rules in life you need to obey and as a member of an athletic team you to are held accountable for the same rules.
It seems in recent years our culture has "protected" athletes from the "rules". In this case the headmaster has stuck to his school's and religious principles and has not "protected" them.
If it's been in the newspaper, then it is no longer private...
High school athletes, like any of us, have certain rights to privacy. But when you CHOOSE to participate in anything which rises to a public forum, that part of your life is now public and subject to public scrutiny.
Having been in the newspaper business for a long time, some folks think HS athletes should get a free pass things like suspensions, etc. From where I stand, when you are declared ineligible to participate in the public activity you CHOSE to do, that is news.
It doesn't matter if it's a large or small school, public or private. News is news and sometimes the news is not good.
Having been in the newspaper business for a long time, some folks think HS athletes should get a free pass things like suspensions, etc. From where I stand, when you are declared ineligible to participate in the public activity you CHOSE to do, that is news.
It doesn't matter if it's a large or small school, public or private. News is news and sometimes the news is not good.
va,
I agree that the Virginian Pilot publishes sports news about those schools it likes and the athletes which attend them, sometimes to the exclusion of others. The sports edtor and some of his staff have a very biased view of who should be lauded.
Having said that I do not agree that every detail of a hs athletes shortcomings on and off the field should be considered fair game. These are still unpaid hs players engaging in extracuricular activities not paid or sholarshiped athletes. I also think that to publish the details of every academic od discipline suspension or expulsion in every high school would be wrong. Imagine how the reaction would be if the paper reported all of them!
Old vaman, I must respond to your post of the rights of the press to report all of these public problems by noting that the press has long since left decency behind in the search for a "good" story.
I agree that the Virginian Pilot publishes sports news about those schools it likes and the athletes which attend them, sometimes to the exclusion of others. The sports edtor and some of his staff have a very biased view of who should be lauded.
Having said that I do not agree that every detail of a hs athletes shortcomings on and off the field should be considered fair game. These are still unpaid hs players engaging in extracuricular activities not paid or sholarshiped athletes. I also think that to publish the details of every academic od discipline suspension or expulsion in every high school would be wrong. Imagine how the reaction would be if the paper reported all of them!
Old vaman, I must respond to your post of the rights of the press to report all of these public problems by noting that the press has long since left decency behind in the search for a "good" story.
VaDad:
I agree with your basic analysis of the Virginian Pilot. I think they are always looking for a "good story". In the GCA case, if what they are reporting is correct, there are too many players suspended to just let this go without a story. With 7 players suspended or withdrawn, there would have to be a lot of people asking questions. If it were one or two suspensions, it might go unnoticed, but with this many starters not playing the paper probably felt compelled to acknowledge the problem and write a story. Up to this point, I feel they did a pretty good job of writing a story to answer some of the basic questions and not add any rumor or innuendo to it.
I hope no one will use this forum as a rumor mill. Please allow the parents, students, and administration to deal with these issues in private.
I agree with your basic analysis of the Virginian Pilot. I think they are always looking for a "good story". In the GCA case, if what they are reporting is correct, there are too many players suspended to just let this go without a story. With 7 players suspended or withdrawn, there would have to be a lot of people asking questions. If it were one or two suspensions, it might go unnoticed, but with this many starters not playing the paper probably felt compelled to acknowledge the problem and write a story. Up to this point, I feel they did a pretty good job of writing a story to answer some of the basic questions and not add any rumor or innuendo to it.
I hope no one will use this forum as a rumor mill. Please allow the parents, students, and administration to deal with these issues in private.
Vadad
Without straying too far off the subject, what would your opinion have been of the paper had it NOT published a story?
Would not ignoring the situation smacked of the playing favorites charges some have made here?
I know a lot of high school suspensions go unpublished every day. It is an issue of news. If a part-time starter is bounced for a couple of games for cutting class, on what scale is it news? In the community weekly, it probably is news. In a metropolitan paper, likely not.
But numerous kids, whether they are starters or not, off a team which has a good reputation? A one-game deal probably wouldn't attract too much attention. But the rest of the season (if that is the deal here), well, that is a big thing.
To have known and not published would have been to me a bigger wrong to me.
People want to know. Heck, people on these boards want to know.
Telling folks about what is happening around them is our job. Sometimes, it's not nice and/or fun to do. But we provide a fundamental and important service to a consumer that clearly wants it, otherwise we'd be out of business. That consumer, like it or not, is us. All of us.
If that is in your mind indecent, there is little I can say to change your mind.
Without straying too far off the subject, what would your opinion have been of the paper had it NOT published a story?
Would not ignoring the situation smacked of the playing favorites charges some have made here?
I know a lot of high school suspensions go unpublished every day. It is an issue of news. If a part-time starter is bounced for a couple of games for cutting class, on what scale is it news? In the community weekly, it probably is news. In a metropolitan paper, likely not.
But numerous kids, whether they are starters or not, off a team which has a good reputation? A one-game deal probably wouldn't attract too much attention. But the rest of the season (if that is the deal here), well, that is a big thing.
To have known and not published would have been to me a bigger wrong to me.
People want to know. Heck, people on these boards want to know.
Telling folks about what is happening around them is our job. Sometimes, it's not nice and/or fun to do. But we provide a fundamental and important service to a consumer that clearly wants it, otherwise we'd be out of business. That consumer, like it or not, is us. All of us.
If that is in your mind indecent, there is little I can say to change your mind.
It has nothing to do with the sport editors bias or with other people who are holding grudges. There has not been any rumors spread on what happened, were it happened, etc. That definetly is private business between the school, the players and the parents.
What makes this story newsworthy is the number of players invovled and what effect it can have on their program this year. As OldVAman and Eagle One stated if nothing was written people would be asking questions and that would really be a bias if the paper didnot report the news.
VaDad, I would not think you are of the opinion that Student-athletes should be exempt from following rules. This is a huge story, and I think the paper handled it in a very matter-of-fact manner.
What makes this story newsworthy is the number of players invovled and what effect it can have on their program this year. As OldVAman and Eagle One stated if nothing was written people would be asking questions and that would really be a bias if the paper didnot report the news.
VaDad, I would not think you are of the opinion that Student-athletes should be exempt from following rules. This is a huge story, and I think the paper handled it in a very matter-of-fact manner.
Pirate Fan:
I hear your son signed with Salisbury. Congratulations!!!! Now that he knows where he is going he can relax and e
njoy his senior year.
I hear your son signed with Salisbury. Congratulations!!!! Now that he knows where he is going he can relax and e
njoy his senior year.
I believe if they are a student and under the legal age of 18, they should not allow any negative printing of the any child's/student name. If they did something criminal there names are not published so what is different. So why if some "scandal" occurs , there names are put into newsprint, and the resulting "stigma" follows them around for who knows how long. I was disgusted when I read the article.
Upon entering GCA, you sign a contract regarding your expected behavior both on and off campus. When these rules are broken the consequences of your actions can often be harsh. Unfortunately, even good kids mess up. It's a tough lesson on both sides.
Eagle One,
Thanks.
Not only can he relax, I CAN RELAX!!!!
We appreciate all the support, coaching, guidance and knowledge of the game you have provided over the years.
Thanks.
Not only can he relax, I CAN RELAX!!!!
We appreciate all the support, coaching, guidance and knowledge of the game you have provided over the years.
Pirate fan,
I agree that athletes should obey the rules of the team and or school they are associated with. Being an athlete in no way makes you exempt.
I do not think that the rules and their enforcement need to a matter of public record. I agree completely with OLHS#2dad and his post. Athletes who are minors should not be held to a different standard than non-athletes. Kids who are expelled or suspended for rules infractions do not have their names put in the paper with a large story. This is just the sort of thing which can follow a kid around and cause consequences out of proportion to the offense.
I agree that athletes should obey the rules of the team and or school they are associated with. Being an athlete in no way makes you exempt.
I do not think that the rules and their enforcement need to a matter of public record. I agree completely with OLHS#2dad and his post. Athletes who are minors should not be held to a different standard than non-athletes. Kids who are expelled or suspended for rules infractions do not have their names put in the paper with a large story. This is just the sort of thing which can follow a kid around and cause consequences out of proportion to the offense.
The students and program at GCA will be fine. The players and administration at GCA would appreciate your prayers for the students involved. Hopefully these players will continue their athletic career and be better adults for this experince.
Folks, the remaining players are fine ballplayers and fine young men. This season may present its challenges, but Coach Townsend will rally his players and play out this season... and will realize a significant degree of success. We will continue to support our team.
Folks, the remaining players are fine ballplayers and fine young men. This season may present its challenges, but Coach Townsend will rally his players and play out this season... and will realize a significant degree of success. We will continue to support our team.
PirateFan
Congrats to you and your son.
Congrats to you and your son.