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Mike White's high school sports chat: 01.23.24
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Mike White
11:04
Well, can you believe the WPIAL regular season for basketball has only about three weeks left. Wow. How time flies when you're having fun. So let's let an hour fly by with this chat. Fire away with questions.
Pops
11:05
This is just a hypothetical scenario I would like to get your insight on. If a WPIAL player has a history of bad behavior over the past couple years including aggressive and intrusive behavior from family members, threatening physical violence against a coach, and physically assaulting a player by spitting into their face; shouldn’t the school district be held responsible knowing there is a dangerous course of conduct? Can the WPIAL levy punishment if they don’t believe the district didn’t take enough action? What role should the WPIAL play in hypothetical situations such as this? Wouldn’t they need to protect the other players and teammates to ensure a safe environment for all? All of this is hypothetical of course.
Mike White
11:07
I might have an idea what you are getting at, without saying it. As far as discipline for a player for actions in a game, the school generally handles that. Of course, an ejection from a game, depending on reason, is automatic one- or two-game suspension, under PIAA rules. But as far as behavior maybe with a player-coach, the WPIAL doesn't get involved with that.
Jeff
11:07
Mike High School Hockey gets very little support from the schools and very little publicity. Schools rarely recognize athletes and teams and coaches even though they reach NCAA Division 1 and some to the NHL. There is a Pennsylvania High School Hall of Fame being launched in 2024 from a pretty good source. Thoughts ? Nominees ? I know its not your specialty but would like some perspective......from a sport that has thrived for 54 years since 1970
Mike White
11:10
Rightly or wrongly, hockey doesn't get recognized a lot by some schools because it is not sponsored by the school. It is a club sport. On other hand, I see school web sites that promote what their hockey team does. As for this new Pennsylvania High School Hall of Fame, I know nothing about it. And you're talking to the wrong person about nominees for Hall of Fame. One of the things I think that hurts high school hockey publicity around here is that the really, really good players don't play for their high school usually.
Pops
11:10
What if every team ties in section play?  Do they all a section championship and make the playoffs?
Mike White
11:11
If they all split against each other and have the same section records, yes. Any ties for section titles, all tied teams receive a championship plaque, regardless of head to head competition.
Slick Rick
11:11
I had a chance to watch a middle school girls basketball game last week.  It was surprising to me that they still had a 7th grade and an 8th grade team.  I don't know if any high schools have a 9th grade team any longer.  Why such a drop off from 8th grade?
Mike White
11:16
Yes, many schools still have 7th and 8th grade teams - boys and girls. 9th grade girls basketball I believe doesn't exist at all today in WPIAL. I did a story on it a while back. Yes, some girls drop out after 8th grade. One reason is they decide to specialize in another sport. I think coaches are responsible also for the demise of 9th grade. They brought up a number of 9th graders to JV/varsity because they thought they would be better off with them. That left maybe 5 9th grade girls to play. Hard to have a team with only 5. But 9th grade boys is still going. I know. I coach a 9th grade team and there are still plenty of ninth grade teams. Many of the 4A, 5A, 6A schools have 9th grade. Some smaller schools. But honestly, I think the talent level overall of 9th grade has gone down some because many schools move up a number of 9th graders to JV/Varsity.
TW
11:16
if a player is tossed out of a game by officials, does he have to sit out the following game?
Mike White
11:26
Yes. Depending on the reasons for the ejection, it is a one- or two-game suspension. Improper conduct or contact to an official, opponent or coach is two games. But there are also one-game suspensions. PIAA also has in its rules about suspensions for punching, biting or kicking an opponent. Also, PIAA says a two-game suspension can be levied for "directing foul or vulgar language/gestures toward and official, coach, contestant or spectator." So read into that what you want. District committee can also request an investigation for "egregious disqualifications of contestants."
Mr. - "Not my child"
11:26
mike, What is up with Jayden Davis from CV? I heard he spit on a kid at the Trinity game on Saturday & Board members and AD are saying he is being targeted. This is what's wrong with our society, school districts are afraid of parents which enables kids to continue to acted this way. It will only get worse. I saw an email that was sent to the CV parents by the AD Zach Hayward and it said " Any further violations from spectators or players will result in exclusion for the remainder of the season" Let's see if the Administration means what they say? Doubt it.
Mike White
11:32
Well, I was waiting for a question about Char Valley situation. Not everything people say on this chat is true, but ... Kids get ejected from games and we at the P-G don’t always write about them. But this is a little different. Because you asked, and because Davis is a high-profile player (one of WPIAL’s leading scorers) and because of the situation lately with Chartiers Valley, I will answer you. I will tell you what I know – and wonder what happens in the future? Yes, Davis was ejected from Saturday’s game against Trinity for ALLEGEDLY spitting on a player. That’s what I’ve been told. Plus, I saw the video myself and you can hear the official explain to the scorers table that there is an ejection for spitting in the face of an opponent. Under PIAA rules, an ejection is an automatic one-game suspension. I don’t know if Davis will be out one or two games. He recently sat out two other games for unknown reasons. (More on this in the next post)
11:34
But the most interesting part of this situation is what will Chartiers Valley administration do? Will they stick to their word or go back on it? Last week I wrote about how in recent years, I hear more and more about administrators not backing coaches and backing down to parents. Not just at Char Valley but other places. No one at Char Valley will talk on the record, but I have heard plenty. From the outside, you had to wonder about the administration’s support of coach Brandon Sensor when they put him on administrative leave because of issues with a player and parents, not saying who. The Post-Gazette received a copy of a letter from Chartiers Valley AD Zack Hayward sent to basketball player parents. In it, Hayward talked about Sensor being placed on administrative leave and also Chartiers Valley’s “athletic philosophy” and how “participation in athletics should promote health and happiness, development of physical skills, emotional maturity, social competence, moral values,” and so forth.
11:35
He went on to say this: “Moving forward, the expectation will be to follow the philosophy and support our culture. Any further violations from spectators or players will result in exclusion for the remainder of the season.” Considering the AD’s words, what does Char Valley do now? I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Pinky
11:35
As a grandparent I feel obligated to go to my grandchildren's games.  I very much enjoy watching them play but not in person.  I have a hard time sitting in the stands listening to the "fans" and parents yell at the coaches, refs and players.  Why do administrators an schools ignore these people?  Shouldn't they be made an example of and be removed from the gym?
Mike White
11:39
Not all administrators "ignore" this stuff. They try to keep control and often do. First off, it's OK for fans to sometimes question a call. Hey, they're fans. They're allowed to make some noise. And officials should expect that. Same with coaches making a little noise. That's OK. But of course, some parents go way over board. The verbal attacks on officials I would bet are worse at youth sports games from what I see. Games that are not school sponsored. But yes, the verbal abuse of officials has gotten out of hand. It's been going that way for years. I love how a sportsmanship message is read before the game and then it's ignored. But don't say all administrators are bad. That's not true. Many do try to control things.
11:42
The parents who really get me are the ones who constantly sit in the front row of the bleachers, not even with their own fans, and say things to the officials and even players. I just shake my head. Can you just be a mom or dad and let the game be played? And more and more these days, NO ONE ever commits a foul. NO ONE. But that comes from the NBA. Watch and NBA game. A player who commits a foul in an NBA game, I'd say at least 50 percent of the time they throw their hands up as if to say, "What did I do." Well, you crushed him.
Joe
11:42
As someone who has been involved with basketball on the high school and college level for over 30 years I have noticed an inverse relationship between skill and game play iq.  These kids can do so much more individually than when I played but have no idea how to practically use it within a game setting.  Have you noticed this change as well?  I think the value of a high school coach is so under appreciated.  They actually teach the game as opposed to "trainers" and aau "roll the ball out" coaches. Thoughts?
Mike White
11:48
There are good AAU programs and coaches. Seriously, there are. Just not a ton of them. But I think sometimes we forget that not everything was great in the olden days, either. I know plenty of players who did idiotic things on the court with decisions 40 years ago. However, I will say the AAU is good to get kids seen by colleges. You'll never get rid of it. Cat's out of the bag. But AAU, in my opinion, doesn't do a whole lot in the growth of players fundamental abilities. How can it if you hardly ever practice? And what do you do at any of those practices? Not all AAU is bad. Heck, I used to coach it. Some good out there. But I will tell you first hand when I coached. Because of so little practice time, you don't work on player skills. A good high school coach shouldn't be undervalued today. A high school coach can have a great effect on a kid. Unfortunately, many parents and players don't realize that.
TM
11:49
Good morning Mike--I believe Uniontown is only boys undefeated team remaining. I don't remember a year when so few unbeatens remain at this point. What are your thoughts to as why? No dominate teams, players? Teams playing tougher out of section/WPIAL schedules? Thanks and have a good day!
Mike White
11:49
It goes in cycles. It's been recently when a handful of teams went into WPIAL playoffs with undefeated records.
Joe
11:49
Speaking of AAU coaches.  Over the holidays I watched a single A Catholic school play.  There wasn't much talent on the floor but the game play seemed like a typical bad AAU game.  First available shot, bad shot selection, very little defense, etc.  Not surprisingly, I found out the coach was in his first year coaching HS and only had AAU experience.  It showed.  Have you found that private schools are hiring AAU coaches to help with enrollment by bringing kids in from their aau organizations?
Mike White
11:51
Ahhhh, I don't know backgrounds of all private school coaches. But remember, some of those small schools need to get students and players. Plus, there aren't exactly a ton of applicants for coaching jobs nowadays.
Jack Nicholson
11:51
Aliquippa football needs to change the narrative around their promotion to 5A. The PIAA created a “competitive balance” rule based on success points and transfers. Aliquippa has been to three straight 4A state finals and had 5 transfers over the past two seasons. They clearly are good enough to compete at the next level. If they do not believe transfers should be a factor, and the rule was changed to only include success points, they still would be moved up! Please stop complaining about potentially not being in the state championship anymore. They are one of the premiere programs in the state!
Mike White
11:51
We shall see.
Trinity Dad
11:52
Mike,
Is Jayden Davis done for the season??? Shortly after the Chartiers Valley vs. South Fayette game in which there were issues with a player and parents, head coach Brandon Sensor was placed on Administrative Leave.  In your article about Sensors dismissal, Zack Hayward (CV athletic Director) was quoted as saying that “moving forward, the expectation will be to follow the philosophy and support our culture.  Any future violations from spectators or players will result in exclusion for the remainder of the season”.   Davis was ejected this past Saturday from the Trinity game for spitting on a Trinity player. Will Chartiers Valley stand by its word and remove Davis from the team??
Mike White
11:52
Trinity Dad, this was addressed earlier in chat. Look above.
JP
11:52
If Aliquippa plays in 5A the next two years and doesn't earn any competitive balance points, will they get moved back down and where would they put them 2A,3A,4A?
Mike White
11:52
4A.
FarmerRick
11:52
Mike I saw Uniontown play a good Southmoreland  team last night. Yes the Raiders can shoot the three, rebound and play a fast game but it’s their defensive pressure that makes them outstanding. The upcoming tournament should be fun.
Mike White
11:52
I plan to see Uniontown Saturday in a pretty good game against Baldwin. Looking foward to it.
Coach O
11:53
Sorry but I don’t buy WPIAL reasoning that travel costs were main impediment to approving Farrell’s reinstatement. Beaver County and Lawrence County teams travel back and forth to each other playing in same conference but a New Brighton or Beaver Falls adding 30 extra round trip miles a handful of times a year to Farrell is going to break their travel budgets? Cmon. Meanwhile Farrell in an economically strained area is willing to do it? Shame, would have been nice to add that school’s tradition and good teams back into lower classifications of WPIAL again.
Mike White
11:55
Coach O, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Look at some of the non-conference games in WPIAL football and how far teams travel. It's long. And like you said, you only would have to go to Farrell once a season? My thing is also this. Teams are leaving the WPIAL for football. If one wants to come in, I'd have a hard time turning them down.
BobG
11:55
I saw the Wpial Sanctioned Mohawk for the Racial Incident in their game vs Burrell...Didnt See anything about the Burrell Coach suspension though?, Did that Get lifted or changed? He should not have to sit out games next year because of that situation.
Mike White
11:55
No, he still has to sit out the games next season.
CV Issue
11:55
any update on the CV situation? Rumors are that Davis was ejected for spitting in a players face this weekend. Has the school board lived up to their word and remove him from the team?
Mike White
11:55
Again, this has already been discussed in chat. Look above.
D9 Dave
11:55
What are your thoughts on the new FT rule of 2 shots after 5 fouls in a quarter & no 1 on 1 & how it affects end of game strategy?  Should the 1 on 1 be brought back into the game somehow?
Mike White
11:57
I'm not sure yet. I don't know if it has that big of an effect. It does take away some pressure from a player shooting free throws late in the game. Instead of 1-and-1, he has two. Truthfully, I don't mind it so far. Now, a shot clock. That's a different story. More and more it bothers me that Pa. doesn't have it. I've addressed this on this chat a number of times.
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