Because his team had completely overrun the opposing team with a gap of 88 points, a Catholic school in the USA dismissed the coach. Such a victory is inconsistent with their values.
At the end of the encounter between two girls’ school basketball teams from the US state of Connecticut, the scoreboard announced a devastating result: the Sacred Heart Academy Sharks from Hamden overran their opponents from Wallingford with 92 to four points.
What could be a cause for celebration for some and a reason to grind teeth for others, had serious consequences. Because such a demonstration by the athletic opponent did not match the “values and philosophies” of the victorious high school, the school management suspended the coach for a year. This was reported by several US media.
“This is a warning sign”
The Sharks put extreme pressure all over the field, defended them skillfully, and landed one three-point throw after the other, writes the “New York Times”. The girls’ basketball team of the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Academy had already led 56-0 at halftime. By the last quarter of the game, their opponents from Lyman Hall High School 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 winners’ school management officially apologized for the way in which “the result of the game was achieved”. As a final consequence, the team coach has to vacate his post – at least for a year. This was confirmed by the chairman of the Southern Connecticut Conference, Al Carbone, according to the “New York Times”. The 47-year-old coach had made his team one of the top-ranked teams in the state and led to the division 2 championship last year.
“This is a warning sign,” Carbone said about the result on Thursday. It’s not about the 88-point gap, but how such a defeat affects the students. However, the school is responsible for the suspension – there is no “grace rule” in the league.
Winning shouldn’t be everything
Sister Sheila O’Neill, president of the Sacred Heart Academy, in a statement Thursday: “The Sacred Heart Academy values the lessons taught and cultivated through participation in sports, including ethical and responsible behavior, leadership, and strength of character and respect for the opponents. Yesterday’s girls’ basketball game against Lyman Hall High School is not in line with our values and philosophies. “
According to the New York Times, this is not the first time that a debate about the boundaries between performance and sportsmanship has broken out over a clear result in school sport. The newspaper “The Hartford Courant” is said to have praised the decision of the school management. The skills of the players are “undeniable”. But in the end, “the game must serve as an example for adults and students alike that winning is not everything.”
The two teams will meet again on January 28th. Then probably with a tighter result.
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Source From: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
