Leading off today: The list at the end of a guest column in the Democrat and Chronicle on Friday absolutely floored me. I knew there were many school-age boys basketball players from the Rochester area enrolled in prep schools to hone their craft, but the paper found 21 such athletes.
Certainly one of the most recognizable names on the list is that of Cam Blankenberg, who is attending The Winchendon School in Massachusetts. Had he remained at Wayne, Blankenberg would have been a leading contender for state Class A player of the year this season.
His decision to go the prep school route is one that's made regularly by top players across the state, and the fact that what used to be considered a growing trend is now standard operating procedure was the subject of the guest column. It was written by Chris Fox, who helped McQuaid to a 1997 state championship and is himself the father of a player who has moved away from home to pursue a dream of eventually playing major-college basketball and perhaps reach the NBA.
Fox's essay delivered a message that I'm not sure all parents and players have grasped: Players reclassifying upon enrolling in prep school and those taking advantage of NCAA eligibility rules that have seen careers span five and sometimes six years have combined to redefine what "college age" now means. Wrote Fox: "22- to 24+ year-old athletes competing at what is essentially a professional level."
Players taking the more conventional route are 17 to 19 years old when they graduate from high school. Making an immediate impact against a lineup of players five to seven years older is a challenge in itself, but we're at a point where factors like the transfer portal have changed both the recruiting calendar and the number of available scholarships.
"In many cases, players in the Class of 2026 might not fully understand their college options until after the NCAA transfer portal closes in April," Fox wrote. "That's a significant shift from the past when most prospects had clarity on their future well before the new year. This waiting period can be mentally challenging for young athletes, adding pressure and uncertainty during what is already a critical developmental stage."
St. John's coach Rick Pitino created a stir last year when he admitted that there was greater urgency in recruiting from the portal and junior colleges than from the high school ranks. More recently, John Calipari has been among the big names calling out unchecked transfers and the volatility created by Name, Image and Likeness money.
In short, the obvious path to a college basketball career that existed as recently as 10 years ago may not be extinct but it is on the endangered species list.
A nice moment in Section 1 basketball
The video from the opening tap in Westlake's 59-19 girls basketball victory over Valhalla on Friday is pretty self-explanatory. IN it, senior captain Brooke Pfeiffer, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL for the second consecutive year, took the court for the winners' opening bucket.
Much respect for the coaches who coordinated this.
Following up
I blogged
earlier this month about the Bishop Kearney Selects landing five former players from their elite level girls hockey team on the U.S. women's ice hockey roster for next month's Winter Olympics in Italy.
It turns out the program's reach is even greater than first noted as three others will be representing other countries: Nina Christof and Jule Schiefer will be playing for Germany, and Michaela Hesova is representing the Czech Republic.
Coaching news
Albertus Magnus boys soccer coach
Brian Fitzpatrick, 53, has stepped down after 273 victories, four Section 1 championships and a 2006 NYSPHSAA crown in 29 seasons.
"It feels right, but it's definitely difficult," Fitzpatrick told LoHud.com. "There are (players) coming back who I'd love to keep coaching, but I know that would always be the case. There would never be a time when it's easy to walk away."
Mascot issue resurfaces
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights concluded an investigation into a complaint from Connetquot and determined the agreement the district accepted to change its sports teams' name from Thunderbirds to T-Birds
violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
The OCR previously ruled the 2022 ban by the New York State Education Department on mascots or logos based on Native Americans also violated Title VI because New York allows names derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as Dutchmen and Huguenots.
Realistically, the effect of the new rulings could be negligible. At least 70 schools have rebranded from names such as Indians, Chiefs, and Warriors since the NYSED directive, and converting uniforms, field and gym branding and printed materials once again would be costly. And that's without considering additional legal challenges and the possibility that the U.S. Department of Education could disappear entirely some day if the current administration has its way, raising questions about enforcement.
