Bring Back The Games Position Paper
click here for the BCANYGamesPosPaperOct2009
Every Varsity basketball coach whose school is within the NYSPHSAA needs to take action to help the effort to Bring Back the Games! Do not rely on others. Every coach is effected by the reduction in the number of games and every coach needs to take a stand.
Make your thoughts and concerns known to your Athletic Director and school Administrators. You can use ideas from the BCANY Bring Back the Games position paper. Below are also some “talking points” that might be helpful to you. Please do this as soon as possible as the procedure to get the two game back must come through the Athletic Council of each Section.
Bring Back the Games
These are highlights of the complete Basketball Coaches Association of New York, Inc., position paper.
While we are seeking the restoration of the two basketball games for the
2010-2011 season, we are in support of restoring the number of allowable contests for all sports.
1. With the 18 game schedule New York now plays fewer games than all other states in the United States except for Nebraska. Competing with athletes across America for basketball scholarships, NYSPHSAA member athletes now are at a distinct disadvantage by playing so few games. No other state has cut games state wide.
2. The loss of games now puts members of the NYPHSAA at a disadvantage when compared to the number of games played by other organizations in the state (AIS, CHSAA, and NYC-PSAL). Yet NYSPHSAA teams are expected to compete for the Federation titles in basketball despite the fact that they are now
playing 25% fewer games than the other organizations.
3. Some NYSPHSAA teams are losing players to teams in the AIS and CHSAA which offer them more opportunities to play. 25% more now.
4. Many in season tournaments which have raised money for worthy charities have been adversely affected since those are the games that are usually dropped first. League games take precedence.
5. Booster clubs have lost valuable opportunities to raise funds. Booster clubs which can help an athletic department offset their costs.
6. The reduction in allowable contests decision further diminishes the role that high school sports and their coaches play in the lives of basketball players. Non- school related teams and programs are on the rise. While some non-school programs are credible, many are not, which is not good for the athlete.
7. The cuts have not impacted all sports equally. Many sports do not schedule as many game/contest as they are allowed to. Also because of weather restrictions some sports do not play their full schedule, when others, like basketball, usually schedule all possible games.
8. There are other ways to offset the costs of games including creative scheduling and transportation by individual sections or school districts. BCANY has a great idea for offsetting the costs- an endowment game held by
two rival schools with proceeds going toward the state. Other states such as North Carolina [and Ohio] have raised millions of dollars for athletics with these types of contests.
9. Scholastic athletic contests are a tradition in hundreds of communities across New York State. As coaches and educators we value these traditions and opportunities for our student athletes and the communities they represent and play in. We are now losing two of these opportunities per season and as educators we should be offering more of these positive experiences and opportunities for the athletes, not less.
For additional comments, please comment one of these representatives of the Basketball Coaches Association of New York,Inc.
Dave Powers, President, (Tuxedo HS, Section 9), dpowers@tuxedoschooldistrict.com
Ryan Raftery, 2nd Vice-President (Churchville Chili HS, Section 5), rraftery@cccsd.org
Al Monaco, Past President (Williamsville South HS, Section 6),amonaco@williamsvillek12.org
Bill Merna, Board Member (Ogdensburg Free Academy, Section 10), bmerna30@hotmail.com
Ben Nelson, Board Member (Bainbridge Guilford HS, Section 4), bnsectionIV@stny.rr.com
Dave Archer, Executive Director, DArcher@stny.rr.com
