Senate League football coaches object to CMSD CEO Eric Gordon’s no-sports decision with letter
Eric Gordon #EricGordon
CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the rest of Cuyahoga County and Ohio get to play high school football, so should teams in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
That is what Senate Athletic League coaches are asking CMSD CEO Eric Gordon to consider in a letter written to him Sunday. The two-page letter addresses multiple points of concern and is signed by several coaches, not just in football, and is in response to Friday’s district-wide plan for remote learning this fall.
It does not allow for sports to be played during remote learning, Gordon said.
Fall practices are scheduled to begin Saturday around the state, as school districts and county boards of health weigh decisions to go ahead with activity during the coronavirus pandemic. So far, around Northeast Ohio, Summit County Public Health and the Portage County Board of Health have recommended no sports be played until Oct. 1 at the earliest. The Senate League will be unable to play for at least the first nine weeks of school, based on its remote-learning plan for this fall.
Senate League schools are permitted to maintain summer workouts this week, but CMSD chief communications officer Roseann Canfora confirmed last week a memo from district athletic director Desiree Powell instructs those workouts must stop by Friday.
Coaches have objected to the decisions. Glenville’s Ted Ginn, John Marshall’s Terrance Cleggett, John Hay’s Rodney Decipeda, Rhodes’ Robert Andrews, East Tech’s Daryl Forrest, JFK’s Christopher Hubbard and Collinwood’s Greg Wheeler are among the football coaches to sign the letter to Gordon.
They thanked him for his efforts during an unprecedented situation, but address concerns about equality within the city compared to other parts of the county. Relationships between the Senate League and other school districts, such as opponents that had their teams on the schedule this year, and enrollment within Cleveland schools also are cited by the coaches.
Their full list includes:
? “We are concerned about the lack of equality we would be giving our students if they do not have fall athletics. Surrounding school districts and private schools currently have plans to safely play sports. In the city of Cleveland, four other high schools have not yet cancelled fall sports. Additionally, in Cuyahoga County, no other high school has announced plans to cancel fall athletics, except for possibly the CMSD. Governor DeWine has not yet cancelled fall sports and OHSAA has released guidelines for all fall sports to safely occur. Additionally, we have been conditioning our student athletes safely since July 1st. We have been careful to follow all the guidelines laid out by the state and CMSD, and have had zero incidents. We feel that not having a season would be inequitable and unjust for our student athletes and their families, and we feel there is no need to cancel fall sports at this time if the rest of the city, county, and state decide to compete in varsity athletics this season.”
? “We are concerned about the relationship between CMSD schools and other school districts and the future of the Senate Athletic League. It is common perception that CMSD athletics are viewed, statewide, as inferior. We are doing our best to fight that perception and make our league well respected throughout the state. The immediate consequences of possibly canceling Senate Athletic League competition will include disputes with our out of conference opponents, who at this time still have varsity seasons. Some schools have already threatened legal action against our district. In the future, it may be possible that out of conference opponents will not favorably consider scheduling games against Senate Athletic League teams, depriving our students of independent contests. From a participation, talent, and competitive perspective, the high school varsity athletics programs in the CMSD were already weak before the pandemic and outside schools did not take our teams seriously, often scheduling their junior varsity or freshman teams to play our varsity for a variety of sports. Cancelling the fall season would devastate the Senate Athletic League in ways from which we may never be able to recover.”
? “We are concerned about CMSD enrollment. Just as studies have shown that strong and successful athletics programs boost enrollment, unhealthy and failing athletics programs hurt enrollment. A large number of parents are upset with the possible decision to cancel CMSD fall sports and they are seriously considering transferring their children to schools that will provide sports this fall. These families will not return to the CMSD. Future parents will likely not enroll their children into our district as Senate Athletic League offerings will not provide opportunities and experiences given by other schools in our city and surrounding area.”
? “We are concerned most importantly about our children who participate in CMSD athletics. Without sports, the holistic development of the students on our teams will be adversely affected. The research is clear about the importance of athletics in the healthy mental, social, emotional, and physical development of adolescents. In addition, many students have expressed that sports are the primary motivator for them staying in school. If we cancel fall sports, we may lose these students forever; not to mention that if sports do not occur, the positive impact coaches and teammates have on students would be lost. Furthermore, without a season our seniors will be hindered in terms of recruiting for college scholarships. If fall sports are cancelled, our district would negatively impact the growth and opportunities for our young women and men.”
An official with the Ohio High School Athletic Association said Monday the organization is not considering altering its transfer bylaws at the moment to address schools that do not participate in fall sports during the coronavirus pandemic.
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com).
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