Not every age group is open to out of town boys check the web site
Bill is a great guy. But this is a real conflict of interest. No two ways about it.
How is it a conflict of interest for Cherry but it's ok for the coaches at St Anthony's and Kellenberg with Express. And before somebody drags out the old and tired answer about it's different for public vs private, please don't. How a school is funded with tuition or tax dollars makes absolutely no difference and no sense in the discussion. I'd like to hear a better reason why Express coaches get away with the conflict of interest scrutiny yet other high school coaches don't get the same free pass. Let's hear it.
You dont have to attend St Anthonys, Chaminade, Kellenberg etc. You have to attend your public town high school or move. I'd say there is quite a difference
On one level there is no difference -- if you want to play lax and go to one of those private schools, and you are pressured to pony up for the coach's private summer lax team (or perhaps you won't play for the high school), then that would be a serious conflict of interest since the coach would be using his/her school position to coerce students and their families (not saying this happens, I don't know, but it is certainly possible).
The lack of an alternative when the same thing happens in public schools makes that situation somewhat worse, but the conflict can exist on both the public and private levels.
And frankly, once your kid is at the school he is at, he isn't going to switch to the local public school after year or two because the lacrosse coach wants you to pay him $1000 to play for his summer team. You'd pay the $1000 or not. Just like if this happened with the public school coach.
Chaminade or St. Anthony's (or any private school) does not take kids based on where they play summer lacrosse. Kids are accepted based on how well they do on the Catholic School Entrance Exam. So if a kid was playing on Jesters, Outlaws, or 91 from 3rd grade through 8th grade - those two schools would not have had an impact on where a player plays during that time period.
However, when a HS coach is running a travel program that has a town bias like 32 and Liberty do in Manhasset, or like Yellow Jackets have in Northport, or like Ward Melville, West Islip and Northport on the boys side - then there is a conflict of interest. In many cases these same coaches are also teachers or phys ed teachers in the same schools. When you have current teachers wearing their club gear in school and also make "offhand comments" to kids about where they are playing, then that is a conflict of interest.
If a catholic scholl parent "feels" their kid will have a better chance of playing at Chaminade or St. Anthony's and they have their kid play for Express - well that isa decision to do so. It is not a decision that is forced on them. There are plenty of kids who play on other travel programs and still play at Chaminade of St. A's. However, at the public HS level - it is my opinion that is different and it is more of a conflict because our kids are not going to private school and they are definitely feeling the pressure to play for their coaches travel program.
All of the STARTERS at St Ants play Express because the "have" to - unwritten rule. On the other hand, the kids who have no chance of ever starting are free to play wherever they want although many of their delusional parents will still feel forced to join express hoping that it will make a difference - it won't. The Express directors should step down from St. Ant's or vice versa.
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