Cons against student athlete recruitment: Don't sacrifice principles for glory

Lascelve Graham, Guest columnist

As I read the article titled 'Another side to schoolboy recruiting' by Peter Brooks of St George's College (StGC) (Sunday Gleaner, December 2, 2012) supporting, generally, the business of student athlete recruiting (buying, in Jamaican parlance), I was not surprised but still distressed, appalled and yet relieved that an insider has finally publicly admitted that StGC recruits for sports.

Recruiting for athletic purposes, by high schools, should be forbidden. Athletic recruitment is a gross violation of the spirit and philosophy of educational athletics. Our high schools do not exist to promote free player movement and are not primarily designed to promote athletic development of the individual or to provide a showcase for the athletic talents of those individuals.

Our schools should provide a unique type of competition where competitors qualify for a team based on their academic performance and preference and whether they are already good enough or can be groomed to become good enough technically and otherwise, given this pool of contenders, to make that school team. This should be maintained, except in rare, hardship cases.

Mr Brooks states, "The practice of recruiting for sports in the Jamaican school system is far from flawless. There have been many cases of kids being recruited into high-school sports programmes and have been exploited for their athletic prowess and discarded when they have outlived their usefulness, some leaving school almost functionally illiterate ... . The fact is the structure at St George's does not encourage exploitation."

For many of us who have bled, sweated and shed tears for StGC, it is devastating to see an insider at our alma mater admitting publicly that the school recruits for sports. However, this does represent something of a cleansing, an ablution, which allows us to do away with the hypocrisy which has existed publicly up to this time.

This great school, founded by Jesuit priests, which traditionally eschewed, rejected and stood as the bulwark against this practice, based on the principle, spirit and philosophy of educational sports, has fallen, has succumbed and now wallows in the quagmire that is high-school sport recruitment.

Why? For glory? For money? This reminds me of the theme of my valedictory address, 'For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his soul." I suppose that I will be told that times have changed and there are things now that a man can give in exchange for his soul.

ALL FOR GLORY

The persons who recruit for high-school sports, and not the persons who are exposing the practice, are bringing the importing school into disrepute. Schools import to win. The win-at-all-cost mentality, the ends-justify-the-means approach in sports has overtaken even this (once?) noble institution, at a time when, nationally, 50,000 youngsters sit external exams at grade 11 and only 6,000 graduate with five subjects, including English and mathematics.

This is happening at a time when our families are under tremendous stress, coming up short in the socialisation of our children and, hence, need all the help they can get from sports to inculcate in all our youngsters the proper principles, values and attitudes.

This is happening at a time when we say we want to give all our children quality education, knowing that the only way that will happen is if we give the 'little' schools a chance. Instead, we take away their stars and the benefits of success which they need even more than the high-profile schools.

This is happening at a time when the overwhelming majority of the children in our high schools, high-profile or not, are from poor backgrounds (many times at tremendous sacrifice) and need all the help they can get from sports in the form of scholarships, etc. Instead, their suffering is compounded by their being excluded from their teams by recruited stars, many of whom would not have legitimately qualified for entry into such schools.

This is happening at a time when all our young citizens need to be exposed to the great confidence builder that sports is. At a time when our students, teachers, coaches, schools, communities need to be inspired by their stars, high-profile schools rob them of the little they have and frustrate them even further.

When the 'little' schools are more in need of some glory and funding, the high-profile schools make it more difficult for them by taking away their stars, even when those stars academically don't qualify to be at the school, some needing remedial work from the time they enter and until they leave.

YOUNGSTERS AS PAWNS

Peter Brooks wrote last week: "… Minister Ronald Thwaites (a Rhodes Scholar and graduate of the school), who described the practice of recruiting as 'vulgar' and resolved to stamp it out … it's a little surprising that the minister was a keynote speaker praising the efforts of the boys … ." Not surprising at all, since the vulgarity has to do with the leadership and its actions, not with the students. Also, the youngsters and their parents really are pawns, who are used by others and are not to blame.

Brooks said further: "The overwhelming majority of student football transferees into the school have actually recruited the school, and not the other way around." Mr Brooks obviously believes that StGC became a football dynasty a few years ago. Myriads have always wanted to attend StGC. The difference is that, formerly, students had to meet certain academic standards with consistency. StGC would not admit a student into the school who needed remedial classes from he entered until ... ! Only the school can recruit - not the alumni, not the parents, not the students. Recruiting from your door is still recruiting.

"This is not unlike children who get very good grades in the [CSEC] examinations at non-traditional, or 'non-brand-name', high schools and seek to transfer to Campion, Immaculate, or St George's, because they think they have a better CAPE science or law programme, or they have a better chance of picking up an academic scholarship."

High schools are specialised academic/technical institutions - not sports academies. Their core function is the academic/technical enhancement of their students with an important but secondary socialising role. Jamaica has a declared competitive academic basis for allocation of space in our high schools. Hence, movement between schools should be determined by academic proficiency, not sports ability.

StGC, during the period I attended, had six consecutive Jamaica Scholars and two Rhodes Scholars. Meanwhile, we were winning Manning Cup, Olivier Shield and Walker Cup. When last has StGC produced a Jamaica Scholar? Have we produced a Rhodes Scholar recently? I suppose it is easier to recruit sports stars and assemble winning Manning Cup teams laced with such stars. I am told that our current Manning Cup squad has at least 10 transferees.

Dr Lascelve 'Muggy' Graham is an engineer and former StGC, All-Manning, All-Schools and Jamaica football captain. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and long1@flowja.com.