Kick Drum Heart

So, things in Gowanda have been ridiculously dramatic lately. There was a huge conniption about the lacrosse team’s season being terminated.

Can we take a minute to think about why?

Someone filmed a locker boxing match and posted it on Youtube, tagged it with Gowanda’s name. From what I’ve heard (and this is all from fairly reliable sources, but bear in mind they could be wrong), various varsity players jumped into the match, some tried to break it up. Fifteen players weren’t even present.

Superintendent Rinaldi called a meeting this past Monday, with apparent intent to discuss the potential termination of the season.

No one thought that members of the team and their families would be “discussing” for twenty-some minutes, then shut down completely. There would be No Season. The decision had already been made, prior to the meeting.

So today, the majority of the lacrosse players and zealous supporters left school twelfth period to carry signs outside the school. Excessive bashing of Rinaldi has gone on all week. Not undeserved, but I think people have forgotten the reason the season was shut down in the first place.

The team’s actions reflect back on the sport and the school system itself. They were fighting. Personally, I don’t believe it belongs in any sport, especially within our own freaking team. It’s one thing to get riled up during a game– I get it, I’m a sports fan. I like it when people play with passion for their sport and their teammates. It’s quite another to make one’s school and team look really stupid. If it’s a ritualistic thing, a guy thing, then they should have done it off school grounds.

The team’s actions reflect back on the sport and the school system itself. They were fighting. I’m definitely not condoning it. But there have been other instances of similarly dumb ass behavior, and no seasons have been taken away from other sports. No one has been suspended for refusing to break up a fight. That does not reflect consistent behavior from the administration.

Why use helmets when there are such hard heads around?

To keep it consistent, it only makes sense to punish the kids who were involved. Certainly take them off the team. But on the other hand, there are fights that occur in school, real ones (not just friendly boy-like scuffles), with intent to injure. And students stand around jeering and laughing. Those students who do nothing, just stand and watch, aren’t suspended, are they? Inconsistencies.

Why disband an entire team because they did what most students would do? In one much more violent debacle earlier this school year, only three students rushed to break up the fight. The altercation took place in the cafeteria, with adults and many other students present. The participants were punished, not the students observing or the adults panicking.

And yeah, I’ll admit, coaches should have taken more responsibility for their team being foolish, and the team should have acted like grown ups about it. Their teammates, their friends, acted like idiots. Own up to it. Be men, okay?

But again, here’s what I think. It should be the same for any other sport. Football, baseball, whatever. Even musicals. There are kids on ineligibility that perform every year and nothing is done. It’s pathetic that the system can pick and choose which rules to enforce. And then come down hard when they want to. That’s irregular and unjust. But back to sports.

Rinaldi asked me during my interview yesterday, what would I say to those people who suggest cutting the arts and sports and focusing strictly on academics? What would I have to say to anyone who suggested removing a sports program or a music or art class?

I said that’s probably one of the most awful things a district can do. Kids have a passion for a sport. It brings them together, unifies them and heightens their social skills, physical health, and (should) make them better, more responsible, and more worthwhile people to have in a community. To have in society.

It comes down to the fact that because a few stupid kids screwed up, the entire team has to pay. And the entire team didn’t screw up as a whole. Some members are being disrespectful now, after the fact, and that’s going to make them look like belligerent children. That’s not cool.

But there’s a time to distinguish between the actions of a team and the actions of a few individuals, and deliver consequences to the ones who deserve it. The majority of the team is made up of really good guys who love the sport, love to play lacrosse for this school, and would do just about anything to see it reinstated. And that might mean taking responsibility for what their teammates did, owning up to it, and maybe apologizing for unteamlike and unprofessional behavior. They didn’t act like lacrosse players by throwing a fit and marching out in the rain. Playing catch and skipping school. They acted like little kids. It comes down to the fact that because a few stupid kids seriously messed up, the entire team has to pay. And the entire team didn’t mess up as a whole. Some members are being disrespectful now, after the fact, and that’s going to make them look like belligerent children. That’s not decent.

But, that said, I feel like the complete termination of the 2010 Varsity and JV lacrosse seasons is a punishment that’s too extreme to fit the crime. It demonstrates administrative actions that mirror a lack of consistency. There was an offense committed, duh. Locker boxing and the filming of said activity is embarrassing and makes Gowanda look foolish. The participants should certainly be punished accordingly. However, the members of the team that did not participate in the activity or were not present shouldn’t be held accountable. Let ’em play.