BG

[Eaglealum]

I dont know why we have to talk about recruiting in the middle of a topic about BG having a good season in football. Some people just cant restrain themselves i guess. There is no winning this topic. There is no convincing someone that Catholic schools dont recruit, especially BG. People will believe what they want though. So many people who have no idea or basis for claims that BG recruits. I know for a fact the kids from the past couple state titles in basketball have been in the catholic school system since they were young children. I do not know of a player on any of the state title teams in the past years who have come from another school. I have been over the rosters time and time again.

OK, and on another note. I see teams from the AA,AAA, or even AAAA level taking shots at BG for this. Lets say it did happen. Lets say for some reason someone transferred. (Which has not happened on any teams of signiifcance in the past 15 years). What difference does it really make? You mean to tell me some transfer benchwarmer who couldnt make it at a school of higher classification is really going to make that much of a difference on a single A team when you are a AAA and AA team. i just dont see it sorry. Where is the benefit in transfering? why would i want to go from my AAAA school to a single A program when the higher classifications get all of the attention of college scouts. Where is the benefit in such a move?

If your school is from a higher classification and is having problems with the McCorts and Guilfoyles step your game up. Or amybe it is time to consider dropping in classification if you cant hang. dont place the blame where there is no proof. better yet dont place the blame where it doesnt exsist.

None in the last 15 years? Kayla Bates (Eric Castorinas lil sister) lives on 16 th st. in Tyrone, I believe she has been huge for BG the last couple years. How about Angela Greaser and Sonia Hinish ? I believe they both live/d in Williamsburg the year BG beat W-burg in the Western Final... Do a little more research. I went to a parochial school in elem. and me and another boy (yes 30 years ago but further proof it has been going on for years) were the only two asked to stay after assembly to talk to the BG rep..... all that aside, I am rooting for BG in football. Because they don't put emphasis on football and these kids this year are doing something special and deserve recognition. Basketball season rolls around ..... I may be one of those ranting idiots... don't care.

[UofLGuy]

I agree with the previous sentiment about the BG football team. I cannot speak to what happens at McCort although I'm aware of some of the sentiments expressed by some on this board. However, I had a son recently attend BG and do know that the kids on this year's football team are all kids who have attended BG for several years. They had some key starters (Pugh- the baseball phenom, Madey, and a couple others) who just came out for football this year after not playing previously. Combine that with a really good group of sophomores and you get a nice success story so far. I feel good those kids who are having their moment in the sun.

However, anyone that says BG never has a transfer to come in and be a key player for any of their sports clearly hasn't looked a girls basketball roster over the past few years. Bates (3 year starter from Tyrone), Becker (1 year starter from Altoona), Meck (contributor the last 2 years from Central), Bender (contributor last year from Southern Huntingdon) are players that have played for BG in recent years. Are they recruited? I have no idea, I'd like to think no but the reality is they are/have played and it's given BG an advantage.

I know the boys basketball team has played with only kids who came up through the Parochial system for the past several years and appear to be doing so again this year so it seems that moving around of kids (at least at BG) is limited to certain specific sports.

I think it is possible to discuss these issues in a rational manner and realize that not all situations apply to all sports or schools. I'm not trying to be inflammatory on one side or the other on this issue, just trying to maybe add some fact based perspective to a the subject since I'm a BG alum and I had a son recently go to BG.

[ramfan]

I think if you want to make Catholic schools account for kids that don't go to their school, Public schools should in fact do the same.

Johnstown's enrollment should include any and all kids that live within in their District, whether or not the kids physically attend the school.

Seems fair to me.


And again, people are delusional that think the every day Catholic High School can compete at a AAAA level.

Someone correct me if I am wrong. But, I thought public schools do have to count kids in their district that do not attend the school. For example, a kid that is home schooled. In my opinion, New Jersey and other states like them have it right. There should be a public school playoff and a private school playoff/championship.

[jayjay6218]

I agree with the previous sentiment about the BG football team. I cannot speak to what happens at McCort although I'm aware of some of the sentiments expressed by some on this board. However, I had a son recently attend BG and do know that the kids on this year's football team are all kids who have attended BG for several years. They had some key starters (Pugh- the baseball phenom, Madey, and a couple others) who just came out for football this year after not playing previously. Combine that with a really good group of sophomores and you get a nice success story so far. I feel good those kids who are having their moment in the sun.

However, anyone that says BG never has a transfer to come in and be a key player for any of their sports clearly hasn't looked a girls basketball roster over the past few years. Bates (3 year starter from Tyrone), Becker (1 year starter from Altoona), Meck (contributor the last 2 years from Central), Bender (contributor last year from Southern Huntingdon) are players that have played for BG in recent years. Are they recruited? I have no idea, I'd like to think no but the reality is they are/have played and it's given BG an advantage.

I know the boys basketball team has played with only kids who came up through the Parochial system for the past several years and appear to be doing so again this year so it seems that moving around of kids (at least at BG) is limited to certain specific sports.

I think it is possible to discuss these issues in a rational manner and realize that not all situations apply to all sports or schools. I'm not trying to be inflammatory on one side or the other on this issue, just trying to maybe add some fact based perspective to a the subject since I'm a BG alum and I had a son recently go to BG.

Well said. I do believe there is a lot of truth to this statement.

[WPIAL~Titan]

FYI, some teams DO have the guts to play up in class!

Shouldn't McCort/BG want to play the best to be the best?

Here are some who are playing up this cycle in BOYS' BASKETBALL from around the PIAA...

WPIAL...Springdale and Aliquippa...A enrollment, but choosing to play in AA

District 10...Farrell is A in enrollment, but playing in AAA

PGH City...Obama is AA in enrollment but is playing in AAAA

PHILA Public...MLK and Bartram are AAA, but playing up in AAAA

PHILA Catholic...Neuman-Goretti is AA, but playing up in AAA

District 3...Steel High is A in enrollment, but playing in AAA

[Guru]

Titan... playing up because they have guts or because they have a better chance at winning??? Before you jump all over me think about your reply because I have mine already done and edited and it has direct quotes from 6 coaches that have played up and each one says it was an easier road to the PIAA championship which each of them WON. Hell, CC even did it so they had an easier shot at a D6 Championship...

[WPIAL~Titan]

In a few cases in a few districts, that may be the case, but not nearly always. I know that, for example, PC and CC have played up once or twice in Districts.

BUT, in terms of boys' basketball...

You think Steel High has an easier road in AAA than in A in districts/states???

You think Farrell has an easier road in AAA than in A???

You think Aliquippa has an easier road in AA than in A???

You think Obama has an easier road in AAAA than in AA???

GURU, you know that I respect the heck out of you...but if you believe those statements above, I have some prime beachfront property in Mundy's Corner to sell you. Perfect views of the Stonycreek Ocean. You can have the whole 10 acres for the low price of $100,000, if you throw in your unwanted football helmets.

Deal?

BTW, PM me and let me know how your offspring are doing in swim/football.

[Blue Blood]

IMHO, a reasonable determination of classification for parochial schools would be to make it at least similar to what is done for neighboring public schools with "co-op" agreements. In football for example (as I understand it) even if only one player on the roster is from a neighboring district, the entire male enrollment of BOTH schools is used to determine the classification. Using that particular system, I could see parochial schools moving up 2 or 3 classifications if their rosters included players drawn from several public school districts, not just 1 or 2. It can certainly be argued that that system is not entirely "fair" even to the public schools, and as a result, I don't doubt that there have been "co-op"s that were never formed because of it.

Perhaps what would be even better in both cases (public or private) would be to establish a "base" enrollment (the enrollment for the public school district in which the school is physically located, or some portion thereof) and then add some reasonable percentage of the enrollments of any other districts from which players have been drawn? Determining the "reasonableness" of the percentage could obviously become contentious, but I like to believe it could be done.

I guess what we REALLY need is to get vouchers passed. It would truly be a strange new world at that point, wouldn't it?

[sheldoncooper]

I find it ironic, and downright hypocritical for that matter, that the PIAA is willing to admit that if a public school co-ops with another public school for a particular sport it is an advantage for the public and they must assume a portion of the other public school's enrollment in determining their classification for that particular sport regardless of how many kids the hosting school has come out for that sport, but doesn't feel that it is an advantage or even an issue that needs addressed when the same situation occurs in private schools.

[hornets69]

I thought the co-op rules changed or were in the process of being changed something along the lines of only counting half or a quarter of the population of the co-opting school to the base schools entire population number.