Brian Heyman just reported this story. It could have huge ramifications for teams in Section 1 — and Section 9…
The Rockland schools all picked up and moved their entire athletic programs from Section 9 to Section 1 for regular-season competition in 1983.
Now, 30 years later, the Rockland athletic directors are having preliminary informal discussions and doing fact-finding about the possibility of picking up and moving back to Section 9 for the 2014-15 school year.
“Obviously, we want to make sure that we’re efficient with any decisions that we make,” said Tappan Zee athletic director Liam Frawley, the president of the Conference IV Rockland PSAL and the person who was the force behind getting these discussions going last month. “No one wants to add to any budgets. But, yes, we’re discussing the possibilities.
“We’re looking how it would affect each of the 11 schools, how it would affect us financially, travel, competitive, the whole nine yards. … We want to see where we fit. Is (Section) 9 a fit or not?”
There’s a Nov. 30 deadline to apply to Section 9 for the following school year, and then Section 9 would have to vote whether to accept the Rockland schools. Frawley said the main reasons behind this investigative process have been scheduling issues and the coming construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
“With the realignment (within Section 1) five years ago, it’s worked out very well,” Frawley said. “But there have been some problems that have come up that many of us have faced in Rockland with regard to the bridge. The upcoming construction makes it even more of a potential deterrent for getting opponents. … Right now, Friday games are problematic, but we know that. We live with that. If it’s going to be a 24/7 thing for five years, it could be a little more of an issue, and for other teams wanting to come play us.
“Filling our schedules and getting crossovers has been an issue in recent years, so we’ve had discussions amongst ourselves with Section 1. … Is doing another realignment a possibility? Is mixing up the conferences another possibility? That becomes a little (problematic) because the original realignment was based on superintendent concerns regarding traveling and saving money. So why would we go back to that?”
Nanuet was the first to make a move from Section 9 to Section 1 back in the 1970s, but it only came over in football at that time. After the Rockland schools came over in all sports for that 1983-84 regular season, they jumped into the Section 1 postseason pool as well the following school year.
Section 9 encompasses Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, and some of Dutchess County. But the Ulster-Sullivan teams and the Orange teams mostly play in their own leagues during the regular season.
“It’s really postseason when they see each other,” Frawley said. “ … It would kind of defeat the purpose if we were going up to FDR or Kingston or Saugerties for a league game.”
Frawley said keeping the Rockland leagues intact would be the aim, second only in priority to fiscal responsibility.
“Theoretically if we’re able to stay in our own league, that helps, because right now, the majority of our schedule is played in county,” Frawley said. “We would hope that wouldn’t change. … Then your crossovers become your crossovers whether your crossovers are with Section 9 teams or Section 1 teams.”
Joe Casarella, the AD at North Rockland since 1983 and its former longtime football coach, said he couldn’t say if he approved of moving until he looks at what’s best for all his school’s athletic programs. He thinks it would be about the same financially.
“The other thing is, if I don’t want to go or Nanuet doesn’t want to go or some other school doesn’t want to go, are we going to split?” Casarella said. “I don’t know. I’d like to keep our Rockland County geography big school. I think playing (Clarkstown) North, South, Suffern, East Ramapo is fun.”
Hamilton athletic director Rob Pollok, who’s a former South athlete, can see the view from both sides of the Hudson.
“We’d hate to see the Rockland schools leave us,” Pollok said, “but at the same time, I understand better than anybody that that bridge is going to be a nightmare when the construction time comes. I think it’s worth tossing around.”
Chuck Scarpulla, the Sleepy Hollow athletic director and former longtime athletic director for the East Ramapo schools, said: “If it’s beneficial for them for educational purposes, then it’s fine with me. We’ll still have 50-plus teams over here, so we’ll have plenty. I’m sure we could still get some games with people over there.”
Frawley said that the ADs “want to watch our bottom line, but we also want to ensure the interscholastic program is strong for our kids and our community.” He said the superintendents would have the final say on any move.
“At the end of the day, maybe it’s nothing; maybe we’re right back in Section 1 and all is well,” Frawley said. “Maybe we’re in 9 and all is well. It’s more of at least asking the questions now.”
71 Comments
Why would the Rockland teams want to stay in Section 1??? No leadership…Old Boy Network in full effect!!!!! Get out while the getting is good!!!
Maybe our work is starting to bear some fruit…
Interesting take by TZ AD, of course he likes the new system. He was the one who lead the charge to get it put in place.
Now he can’t admit that he fostered an avalanche of bad decisions and most of his fellow AD’s in Rockland are looking for alternatives to Section 1 athletic nightmares. He is trying to maintain some semblance of leadership.
Bad ideas and decisions coming back to haunt or what???
I hope we pull out or at least create change.
Maybe we should invest in those T shirts.
Quote from MSG Varsity:
“This is not a knock on Section 1,” Frawley said. “This is just a discussion about what is best for us. I think Rockland County as a whole has fared well in Section 1 and we’ve been very comfortable. But I’ve spoken with some coaches and they seemed intrigued with the idea as well.
“It has big potential and it is new, but we need to be responsible to our program and our communities. I like what I’m seeing so far. We just want to investigate instead of speculate.”
Maybe they should interview some of the coaches and kids who have been effected by the Section 1 decision making. They might have a different view.
Really dosen’t matter what the schools, AD’s and coaches want to do, it will come down to what the parents want.. If they don’t want the extra drive time of a section 9 merge they will let the schools know.
Remember folks, the Rockland Schools were part of Section 9 back in 1983. North Rockland and Suffern travel time (up to and returning) to Monroe Woodbury, Pine Bush and NFA would be far less than a trip across the Tappan Zee Bridge (both ways) going to New Rochelle or up to Dutchess County.
I feel that schools like Pearl River, Tappan Zee, Albertus Magnus, Nanuet, and Nyack would rather go up and play schools like Cornwall, Port Jervis, etc, etc, than to travel to Brewster, Hen Hud, and Putnam Valley, ellminating the “Bumper to Bumper” traffic on the Tappan Zee Bridge.
PS – Outside of Football (New Rochelle), Boys Basketball (Mount Vernon) and say Baseball (Mamaroneck), the Rockland Schools have been dominant in other sports such as Girls Basketball (Pearl River, Albertus Magnus), Softball, and other sports in comparision to the WESTCHESTER County Schools (Not in comparison to the Dutchess County Schools).
So, if I was the AD at say one of the Clarkstown High Schools (North or South), Suffern, North Rockland, Tappan Zee, Pearl River, or say Nanuet, I would rather play the overall competition in Section 9 than the OVERALL competition in WESTCHESTER COUNTY (ex: The Yonkers City Schools are a JOKE now “Athletically”)
I LIKE ROCKLAND COUNTY, COMMITMENT TO THERE PLAYERS AND FAMILIES OF ROCKLAND!!.. THEY ARE PISSED OFF WITH JENN/JOHN SIMMONS CUTTING THERE KIDS SHORT OF THERE LAST GAME AND THEY ARE SERIOUSLY WEIGHING THERE OPTION!!.. IT HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION…AND MORE TO DO WITH THE TOTAL DISRESPECT SEC1 BIG HEADS DISPLAYED. SHOWING NO REGARDS TO THERE PLAYERS AND COMMUNITIES!!... THERE SAYING WESTCHESTER YOU CAN KEEP ACCEPTING THIS 3 RING CIRCUS OF LEADERSHIP!!.. BUT WE WILL NOT!!..... #GOOD LUCK ROCKLAND!!....
PS….. I WISH WESTCHESTER WOULD TAKE A STANCE AGAINST JIMMY…(HOFFER).... SIMMONS!!.... B/C THINGS ARE ONLY GETTING WORSE… AND THE QUALITY OF SPORTS IS DECLINING EACH YEAR!... SMH!!!.....
This isn’t a power play. It’s more about $ than Section 1 incompetence. Take a look at East Ramapo, $ 9 million in the hole looking to the state when the state has no money. No other district in Rockland wants to absorb it because their tax payers would revolt, not pass their budgets and it would result in cuts at those respective schools. It’s an absolute mess. If the schools stay in Section 1 they couldn’t save $ which will result in “pay for play” programs.
Prince!!!! That last post is the TRUEST post ever written on this blog!!!’
Not saying that because we drink the same purple cool aid… But it does sound like people refuse to take these lumps and say…..
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
Westchester parents need to get in board!!’
They got the most money and power!!!!!
Wing, I was waiting for you to lay into this guy at TZ because I was thinking he has some fault here too!!!! But only Jenn is responsible for Jenn!!!
And best part ” dutchessfbfan” predicted she would f up section 1 in 2009!!!
That is why Rockland county leaving section1 is a must.
It Will be the shot heard across her World!
She won’t learn from it but it must be done.
Prince, I have met casarella the great before!!!!
He will not let some B… Fill in the bla nk… Dictate to him how football should be run!!!
Casarella was already a legend… What would be his title should he bring down Simmons??????
We should all Thank the good lord he made Casarella!
Just,
There is not one reason why this is being discussed at this point. If you look at the make up of the Section 1 committee there are some Rockland leaders on it that were not happy when we started putting pressure on them about the canceling of games.
It is dishonest but politically savvy to say this is only about the TZ Bridge construction or about money.
If the Bridge was the issue they would have been thinking about this for a few years and been prepared to make a move before construction started. The politics of East Ramapo and their inability or unwillingness to pay their BOCES assessment is not the tipping point in budgeting issues either.
Do they play a part?, Yes. Do they help build a coalition to make the decision to leave?, Yes. Do they give political cover for some?, Yes.
But in my view and from several pointed discussions I have had, the tipping point is the incompetent and sometimes downright arrogant administration. The rest of the issues help to convince others to come along.
This is not just the cancellation of the seniors last game. This is a series of decisions that are not in the best interest of kids in our Section.
They have been documented on this blog for years. I understand that mistakes are made, that Monday Morning quarterbacking can make them worse, but it is the consistency and dismissive attitude that has created this.
It is too bad it has come to this, but maybe as others have said here it is the best for both Sections. It is not done yet, but it does raise the issues to be discussed in rooms that you and I will not have access to.
I remember dutchessfb making that statement.
Just a fact January 17th, 2013 at 12:23 am
Prince!!!! That last post is the TRUEST post ever written on this blog!!!’
Not saying that because we drink the same purple cool aid… But it does sound like people refuse to take these lumps and say…..
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
“thank you Jenn, may I have another…
Westchester parents need to get in board!!’
They got the most money and power!!!!!
JUST… GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!!!
WING-T
I TOTALLY AGREE AND DUTCHESS SEEN THE WRITING ON THE WALL IN 2009!!!...
JUST/WING
JENN SIMMONS IS NOT DONE!.... YOU CAN EXPECT MORE DAMAGE IN THE FUTURE!... THIS JOB IS A EGO MASSAGE FOR HER… SHE DOES WRONG AND KNOW IT’S WRONG….. IT’S A SIGN OF PERSONAL ISSUES THAT ARE NOT WORK RELATED….AND SECTION1 IS CATCHING THE BACKLASH….
Does anyone know when the B.E.D.S numbers come out?, last year nanuet was 1 student shy of being in class A, fox lane was 9 students shy of AA. If one more team comes up to AA the bylaws say we get a 8 team playoff instead of 4.
Unofficially they are out, so what that means, north Rockland, New rochlle and Carmel would know this info.
AA Yorktown, Spring Valley & Fox Lane
How come section 1 in football does not decide their leagues by
1. Beds / Enrollment, like Section 9
2. Power Rankings with Power Points, Like Cath. schools
3. Geographics / like many areas.
?????????????????
Westchester/ Putnam…............get a few more schools, meaning all the putnam schools, get a few upper westchester schools, Form a ne Section Section 13 or19
you only need 24/28 i believe
Wing t, excellent post!!!
Prince!!!!!!!!!
I have an idea for j Simmons deep issues…
Can of skoal….
6 pack of bud…
And 6 pack of tighty whities…..
Will that make her feel more secure?????
Just a fact January 17th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Wing t, excellent post!!!
Prince!!!!!!!!!
I have an idea for j Simmons deep issues…
Can of skoal….
6 pack of bud…
And 6 pack of tighty whities…..
Will that make her feel more secure?????
JUST…... LOL!!... OLD ENGLISH 800 AND COLT 45 40 OUNCE!! WILL DO THE JOB!!...LOL!!... #G.I. JENN!!... LOL
LEAVING THE STATE PLAYOFF SYSTEM!
Here’s why!
*Many section 1 coaches would rather play a weekly game with someone who the kids get fires up for rather than someone 1hr away.
*Whats going to draw a bigger crowd? Nyack vs Brewster or Nyack vs Soring Valley, TZ, or pearl?
*start date is no longer an issue. And section 1 can increase its level of competition if it plays more games and makes them more competitive.
Section 1 football is only 2 months of games. section 1 basketball is 3.5 months of ball