A commission to study the state of secondary school sports is needed
Mother ship rule - Public schools are getting the worst of it when it comes to movement and recruitment of athletes. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean recruitment; I meat enticement. Actually, I don’t know what I mean because I have little idea how the system is currently working. Salesianum is knocking down championships in boys' sports with few minorities. Its athletes come from where, I have no idea. These stars could be Ukrainian or Iranian, come from Jersey or Coatesville, Pa. - I have no idea. There’s even a chance a percentage come from Delaware. Lay on top of that the preponderance of private schools upstate and a countywide vo-tech system, and the regular comprehensive public school seems constrained by a different set of rules regarding movement of athletes. I am for Delaware kids being designated as living within a certain school district, and if they elect to go to school at a private or vo-tech school, they can always transfer back to the mother ship without any transfer penalty. But the entire system needs to be analyzed by the state Legislature, because it is skewed in favor of the privates and vo-tech schools and charter and military academies.
No relax for girls' lax - I stopped by Cape girls' lacrosse practice March 8, their first outside-on-turf opportunity of the spring season. The Vikings have won the last five Delaware state titles, and they are stacked with good players again, but Zen Master PJ Kesmodel is pushing them hard right out of the gate, just in case anyone is resting on the glories of past victories. The reality is anyone who throttles back will lose playing time; there are just that many good players hungry for a chance to be a champion. Cape will scrimmage at home at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 12, against Stephen Decatur, Bennett and Parkside before hosting the Delmar/Mid Atlantic Play Day Saturday, March 15. The Mid Atlantic Play Day features some of the best teams in the country for high school girls' lacrosse.
Re-centering talents - I went through the road running period in my athletic life. I remember running a 6:05 mile on the Cape track and Wes Stack, who had just run 5:45, turned and said, “That is amazing for a guy your size.” A few years later I ran the Rehoboth Mile in 7:05, and people were impressed, but I thought it was terrible. Fast forward a few more years, I ran a timed mile at Cape Henlopen State Park in just over 9 minutes. Now I was getting depressed. Last Sunday I was taking photos at the Lazy Leprechaun 5K - I know, it’s Lucky, not Lazy - and afterward, checking results of 300 runners, I noticed that half ran over 10 minutes a mile for their 5K, which I can’t do. I’ve fallen into the abyss of negative momentum.
Making the cut - There are some harsh cuts for spring sports. In many cases it appears that two or three days is not enough time to assess an athlete's potential. I often miss the cut for social situations, and I must admit I kind of like it. In recent history I’ve been missing the cut for sports banquets of the teams I cover. I think because I’ve made too many jokes and won’t come anyway. My older brother Tom and I have a banquet rule: If we’re not getting to the microphone, we’re probably not showing up.
Snippets - The Cape girls' Delmar/Mid Atlantic Play Day Saturday, March 15, will see the Vikings scrimmage Marriot's Ridge at 9 a.m., Good Counsel at noon and Georgetown Visitation at 2 p.m. Other teams at the scrimmage include Moorestown, Queen Anne’s County, Broadneck and McDonough.
I watched a lot of college women's basketball tournaments over last weekend. The game has evolved so most times it's just as reckless and nonsensical as the men’s game. Yes, I saw Diamond DeShields play twice for North Carolina, and I know her dad is Delino and her mom Tisha is a former Tennessee all-American in track. Diamond is a great talent but no Delle Donne.
Jack Redefer had the winning goal for Wesley College in a 10-9 lacrosse victory over Richard Stockton State.
Cape alumnus Trent Batson scored 7 points along with 6 rebounds and 7 blocks for Virginia Wesleyan in an NCAA tournament win over Wesley. The Marlins are now 25-6 and in the Division III Sweet 16. Go on now, git!
