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One of the things I enjoyed when I was a theatre arts major in high school and college was being on stage. When you are on stage you know immediately how you are doing. Unlike writing this column every week, you know how it’s going every second you are under the lights. With this column there is always a lag time, if there’s any response at all.
Many a week goes by when I wonder if anybody is even reading my little musings. This wasn’t one of those weeks, which was cool. Good or bad, I want to hear it. I was fortunate that this week’s responses were all good. Although being the masochist that I am, I actually enjoy the bad ones as well. Every year, my mom, who is my biggest fan of course, puts together a book of all of my columns. In these books are all of the negative letters along with the ones of praise.
This week I got feedback for my last two columns and it was gratifying to get so much positive input. The first was via a letter to the editor by a Mrs. Dattola. Thank you so much for your kind words of support pertaining to the
continuing problem relating to our schools. The system is being over taxed by cheaters and interlopers whose children benefit while we pay for it. It is reaffirming to know that I was not off the mark in my once again pointing out this problem; hopefully together we can put an end to this abomination.
In her letter, Ms. Dattola raised a couple of questions pertaining to TCHS’ softball and sports programs. I had numerous parents ask me to respond because they were quite upset by a couple of her statements. I reassured them that she was merely misinformed and that anyone who so whole heartedly agreed with me on a topic as serious as our school system must have gotten some bad info or been a little confused by what I was saying. I knew once I explained it again she would understand.
As to me using the high school’s softball program as an example for the type of program that suffers from the funds lost to our school district by the aforementioned interlopers, you seem to have missed the point. When I mentioned that we had the opportunity, but could not afford a professional coach who had applied for the job, I was in no way suggesting that all of the sports’ coaches should be replaced with professionals. I was only pointing out a lost opportunity. I mean think about it, wouldn’t it have been a hoot and a boon for our girls to have been able to learn under his tutelage? I think for the girls it would have been fantastic, don’t you?
When I say that the program suffered it was only because it didn’t reach what I can only assume could have been its ultimate potential. You mentioned Coach Hitchcock, a true legend in our community. His abilities are without question and he was truly deserving of the honor of having the high school’s football field named after him. Mike Mooney, Lyle Takashita, and Barry Bacon are all good coaches as well, and just like Coach Hitchcock are teachers. Which to be honest, as I said in my column, is how it is supposed to work.
The other thing these three coaches share with Coach Hitchcock is they don’t have a child or sibling on the team that they are coaching. To me, this is the major problem with having a parent coaching a team because whether it exists or not, it always brings up the “N” word, nepotism. Maybe when your husband was coaching he had one of your kids on the team, which may be why you don’t see the problem inherent in this situation. But it is like a sword hanging over the collective head of the team and it is never far from everybody’s minds, parents and players alike.
Sure the money they make isn’t why they do it, but that is the point I was trying to make. If we had more money to offer we could increase the chances of, if not getting the professional coach, maybe we could have enticed somebody on staff to take the position and stick to how the program is supposed to work.
As far as a lack of parental support goes, I think you would have had to have been there last year to appreciate the support that was displayed this year. I don’t know if you happened to look behind you during the games, but our stands, small as they are, were packed, standing room only, the majority of which were families of the players. Not just at home games either. Almost every player had family members attend all of the away games as well. This may account for why, when you came to the games, you always brought your own chair with you.
Yes, the coach did raise funds for the program, but just to set the record straight, so did I for the last two years. This year alone I raised $1,000 but the coach and I were not alone. Many parents also showed their support by purchasing signs that were displayed at the field. They were placed kind of high near the entrance to the field so you may have missed them when you came to the games, but if you look at them you will see that most are from families. Considering that each one of those signs represent $100 from family members showing their support for the program I would say that there wasn’t a lack of support. So, thank you again, Mrs. Dattola for your support and the opportunity to clarify any misconceptions you may have had about what I had written.
The second good feedback that I received this week pertained to last week’s article and that was on two fronts. Content and well, hidden content. Last week I decided to have a little fun with my column and I put in hidden references to Elvis Costello song titles. I had no idea at its inception, but I have some hardcore Costello fans nearby.
Intermingled in the column I placed 9 song titles, or so I thought. When I arrived at my son Alex’s game on Saturday morning I was greeted by “Super” Dave Stransky and his friend John Vigil in the parking lot. Both obviously big Costello fans, they had a copy of the paper in hand with the song titles circled. They were very excited and anxious to know if they had gotten all of the songs I had listed. “I think we got them all” said Dave, “All ten!”
“Uh Dave, I only listed nine songs” I said.
Dave and John then proceeded to go down their list rattling off ten songs. Unfortunately I should have picked an artist with a discography a little less extensive because Costello has hundreds of titles. So, if like Dave and John you guessed the titles “She” and “Still” and got all 11, you get extra points and are officially in “Oliver’s Army.” Over and above those two titles, here are the ones I intended you to find: Accidents Will Happen, Pump It Up, Beyond Belief, Man Out Of Time, Almost Blue, Watch Your Step, Sunday’s Best, Veronica, and This Town.
I also made a promise to Dave and John to do this type of article again because they both really enjoyed this little challenge. It is a bit more time consuming but I will give it a shot. Maybe next time I’ll pick somebody with a smaller song catalogue.
How do you guys feel about Vanilla Ice?
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