crothers high school in York Region

How will this high school, one identified for students interested in pursuing a career in sports, and one that encourages the top athletes in the region to attend, fit within the YRAA eligibility requirements?

Is the York Region District School Board participating in a recruiting effort unseen before in high school athletics?

Is it fair that this school be allowed to compete against high schools who cannot recruit from outside of their boundaries while Crothers can encourage and transport kids to this school from the entire region? If it is allowed to do this, why can't other schools?

Should this school be permitted to compete at OFSAA? Should they be in the YRAA?

Coach 89

For those unfamiliar with the new school:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/HighSchool/article/490359

sure they should be able 2 compete
i don't see why not
there are schools out there who could still beat them

We run into the similar issues in the East when it pertains to Birchmount Park. They are identified as a sport school though not nearly on the same level as this new Crothers school. This will make for an interesting arguement especially if they are pummelling the teams in York Region.
They certainly have the best facilities by far. I am amazed at the 32 million dollar price tag.

Don't they have a school like this in Peel? When I was in grade 8, we had a presentation from the school.

There was talk of Mississauga SS possibly going in this direction but I don't think it actually happened. It's a local school, not a regional one though I vaguely remember an article in the Star about placing emphasis on some daily physical activity for 15-20 minutes every day at school. Does anyone know if this was actually implemented?

This school will make no impact on the league. At least not this season.

Nah not Mississauga. I got this handbook in Grade 8 about every high school in Peel and the courses they offer...there was this one school EXACTLY like this or maybe it was just my teacher telling us about it. I'll get back to you on this.

Being a coach within York Region, I feel that Bill Crothers definitely has an unfair advantage and should NOT be able to compete for a YRAA title. Maybe allow them to play in the regular season, but don't count results involving that team and don't allow them to be eligible for the playoffs.

OFSAA has said this in the past about recruiting: "Recruiting, direct or indirect ... is against OFSAA philosophy". Doesn't Bill Crothers have to recruit in order to get kids to attend the school? How else would the kids know about it if recruiting didn't occur? I understand that they don't recruit for that individual sport, but they certainly are recruiting elite athletes. Also, from this, kids will see their results in basketball, realize the potential for exposure, and then attend that school. This is the indirect recruiting OFSAA is talking about above.

I think any school that accepts students that LIVE and TYPICALLY RESIDE OUTSIDE of a 'typical' geographical boundary should be ineligible.

Think of it this way: Why are private schools ineligible for OFSAA? Doesn't a 'sports high school' fall in to a 'similar' category as a private school? I know it's not privately funded, but anyone from anywhere is welcome to attend.

I think it's unfair and that this needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

[quote="CoachImgrund"]Think of it this way: Why are private schools ineligible for OFSAA? [/quote]

Hi Coach. Private schools are eligible for OFSAA. Many in the GTA play in the CISAA region, while others qualify from their local regions.(e.g. Mentor College in ROPSSAA, Ashbury College in NCSSAA, etc.)

http://ofsaa.on.ca/site/index.cfm?DSP=Section&ID=154

However, I do agree with the point that OFSAA needs to come out with a definitive answer on magnet sports schools.

[quote="bonez07"]Nah not Mississauga. I got this handbook in Grade 8 about every high school in Peel and the courses they offer...there was this one school EXACTLY like this or maybe it was just my teacher telling us about it. I'll get back to you on this.[/quote]

I remember talk about Mississauga SS, too. However, there are no sports magnet schools similar to Birchmount or the new one in York.

Honestly, it COULD be Mississauga but I'm very uncertain right now...I gotta find that handbook or talk to my middle school teacher in my old area and then I'll know exactly what the school's name was.

No one says that all the other schools cant run these kinds of programs as well. Stop complaining. Its not like we run away with all these sports. Last years volleyball team didnt even make it to the yraa tournament.

The real effects of the recruiting process will not be seen this season, maybe not even next season.
BUt in about 3 or 4 years this school should be a sports powerhouse. It will take time, but with these kind of facilities and no transfer rules, I can see this school building into a powerhouse at many different sports.

Interesting dilemma for the YRAA school board and for OFSAA, to rule if Crothers should be eligible to compete for League titles. They do have the unfair advantage of recruiting and of having no transfer rules.

While the school might have open boundaries, OFSAA transfer rules still apply for anyone transferring from another high school to Bill Crothers.

OTOH, if you are talking about students entering grade nine then it should be pointed out that OFSAA has no residency rules regarding students entering high school.

why dont they just move to the CISAA league?

I think they should be eligible to play, because the kids that are going to that school are going there because they want an oppertunity to go somewhere in athletics. If they were to go to a different school, they probably wouldn't have that same advantage and recognition as Bill Crothers.

[quote="wetshooter31"]why dont they just move to the CISAA league?[/quote]

Because they are a public school and the CISAA is a league made up of private schools. Crothers is not the first sports magnet school to compete in a public school league. Other examples include West Hill in Toronto Public and Louis Riel in Ottawa.

well they ahve huge facilitees and people can come to the school from all over and not everyone gets in....sounds lieka rpivate skool.

stop crying it's not like you guys are running championship programs anyway

Hello,

Just my thoughts on this topic

What does it matter, if the school competes in its region. Basketball is becoming a very popular sport in the last decade and the increasing numbers of talented players are on the rise. If this school can produce and help Athletes become focus on Sports and their Education, then thats great for the Athlete.

How many Athletes transfers to different schools to get a better basketball experience. York Region, it seems that Vaughan has a great program, winning both Sr and Jr Titles. From my knowledge, Vaughan has been established for a very long time, and they have great coaching staff from Sr to Jr. - and that's what makes a great program -So be it, If this school enters the league, i guess for all Teams to step up their games and coaching, I believe in Competition, is that why you play the game?

[quote="CoachImgrund"]Being a coach within York Region, I feel that Bill Crothers definitely has an unfair advantage and should NOT be able to compete for a YRAA title. Maybe allow them to play in the regular season, but don't count results involving that team and don't allow them to be eligible for the playoffs.

OFSAA has said this in the past about recruiting: "Recruiting, direct or indirect ... is against OFSAA philosophy". Doesn't Bill Crothers have to recruit in order to get kids to attend the school? How else would the kids know about it if recruiting didn't occur? I understand that they don't recruit for that individual sport, but they certainly are recruiting elite athletes. Also, from this, kids will see their results in basketball, realize the potential for exposure, and then attend that school. This is the indirect recruiting OFSAA is talking about above.

I think any school that accepts students that LIVE and TYPICALLY RESIDE OUTSIDE of a 'typical' geographical boundary should be ineligible.

Think of it this way: Why are private schools ineligible for OFSAA? Doesn't a 'sports high school' fall in to a 'similar' category as a private school? I know it's not privately funded, but anyone from anywhere is welcome to attend.

I think it's unfair and that this needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.[/quote]


Coach Imgrund, if this were to hold true the top 20 teams in the GTA would not be able to attend OFSAA lol...
I would take an educated guess and say that Eastern Commerce, Pickering, Henry Carr, Vaughan, Campion, Oakwood, etc all have at least one (if not several) players who attend that school, yet do not live in the schools 'boundaries'

I agree with coach 89. Initially I think the reason York Region decided to have a "sports" school was to provide elite athletes with a less structured school system that would allow for their training and their time away from school competing in national and international athletics. This would be a year round system where if the kids were training and competing during the winter months they could attend classes in the summer...However as we can see that is not the case. Of course we don't have enough elite athletes competing at that level to rationalize having such a huge school with incredible facilities.

Does this school have an undue advantage over other schools? Of course they do. Just look at the gym facilities - no competing for gym time like other high schools who only have 1 gym. Don't these guys have 3 gyms? Are they drawing in the most athletic kids? According to them they are otherwise why have such a program?

Should they be competing against "regular schools"? Isn't that a stupid question? Of course not.... OFSAA has to look into this and make some decision....