USA: School fires basketball coach – his team wins the most

Connecticut, USA
The school suspended the coach of the girls’ basketball team – because they were so successful

From Yannick Schuller
January 8, 2022, 12:04 p.m.

At the end of a clash between two girls’ school basketball teams from the state of Connecticut in the United States, the scoreboard announced a catastrophic result: Sacred Heart Academy Sharks beat their opponents by 92 to four points from Wallingford.

For some it was a cause for celebration and for some a cause for brushing teeth. The school administration suspended the coach for a year because such a demonstration by an athletic opponent did not match the “values ​​and philosophies” of a successful high school. This has been reported by many American media.

“This is a warning sign”

The “New York Times” writes that the Sharks put intense pressure across the field, defending them efficiently and throwing three points in a row. The women’s basketball team of the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Academy was already leading 56-0 at half time. In the final quarter of the game, Lyman Hall High School’s opponents would not have scored a single point. “They showed no mercy throughout the game,” the defeated coach later told local media.

On Monday evening, the school administration of the winners officially apologized for “the way the game ended.” As a result, the team’s coach must vacate his position – at least for a year. This was confirmed by Al Carbon, President of the Southern Connecticut Conference, according to the New York Times. The 47-year-old coach made his team one of the top ranked teams in the state and led them to last year’s Division 2 Championship.

“This is a warning sign,” Carbon said of Thursday’s results. It’s not about the 88 point gap, but about how such failure affects students. However, the school is responsible for the suspension – there is no “rule of grace” in the league.

Success alone should not be everything

Sister Sheila O’Neill, president of Sacred Heart Academy, said in a statement on Thursday: “Sacred Heart Academy values ​​lessons that are taught and nurtured through participation in sports, including ethics and responsible behavior, leadership, character and respect. Not philosophical. “

According to the New York Times, this is not the first time a debate has erupted over the boundaries between performance and playfulness over a clear outcome in school sports. The newspaper “The Hartford Courant” reportedly praised the school administration’s decision. The skills of the players are “undeniable”. But in the end, “This game should be a role model for adults and students. Success is not everything.”

The two teams meet again on January 28th. And then maybe with a tighter end.

proof’s: “New York Times“;”Washington selector“;”CT Insider“