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DEL.ICIO.US6 stories that shook Gwinnett in 06’: No. 5 — No scholarships for Brookwood’s best
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After leading the 2005 Brookwood Broncos to the 5A title game, quarterback David Pittman was expected to be playing major college football this fall. But on last February’s signing day, Pittman didn’t have anything to sign. Neither did his backfield mate, running back Cameron Smith. A blue chip recruit, Smith wound up at Butler Community College and eventually left the team, citing personal reasons. Pittman landed at Pasadena Community College and had a record-breaking freshman season. He said in November that he expects to be playing at a Division I program next year.
It’s hard to understand why blatantly talented athletes like Smith and Pittman don’t receive the opportunity to play on the next level. Parents and fans immediately point the finger of blame at the high school coach. Often, though, it’s the individual player’s performance in the classroom or at scouting camps that cost them their opportunity.
Still, some coaches do more than others. North Gwinnett’s Bob Sphire sent out rosters and game tapes of the Bulldogs first two games this season to every Division I school. Meadowcreeks’s Reggie Perry loaded up his possible recruits in his car and drove them all the way down through the Gulf Coast.
How big of a priority do you believe recruiting should be for high school coaches? Do you want them to spend more time making their players better or helping them get recruited?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: David Purdum
Comments
By catlady
December 28, 2006 04:03 PM | Link to this
High school coaches can act as private citizens in any way they want. In NO WAY unavailable to other students should they use ANY school resources/time to promote the atheletes!
By Ernest
December 28, 2006 05:22 PM | Link to this
Dang catlady, you are all over the place! :)
I like what DeKalb does in collecting information on all seniors then inviting colleges for a ‘review’ day. I understand the participation rate is constantly going up on this and several young men have gotten scholarships through this service.
By A Few Things...
December 28, 2006 05:58 PM | Link to this
I don’t think it’s all that shocking. Smith didn’t get a scholarship because he did not meet NCAA requirements in academics. Pittman didn’t get a scholarship he wanted (playing as QB rather than WR at a decent college), so he ended up having to settle for PCC and managed to have a pretty good season there.
There were many other athletes at Brookwood who could have gotten scholarships to smaller schools, but the fact is, they didn’t want them. I knew a lot of the kids on the team, and they talked to some college coaches, but they weren’t getting recruited to schools they wanted to go to. So they simply denied the offers and went to a school of their choice.
This option to refuse a scholarship is not an option that less fortunate kids at some other schools have. For example, for a lot of the kids in the Meadowcreek football program, if they don’t get a football scholarship, they aren’t going to college, whether it’s because of academics or price. That’s one of the reasons why they send so many kids off to small DII schools on scholarships.
In other words, just because no one got scholarships at Brookwood doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with the system. The only sad story here is Cameron Smith, but that is not the coaches fault. It is his own fault for nearly failing out of high school and continuing to make poor choices in his life.
By steven
December 28, 2006 09:52 PM | Link to this
Somebody please check the record and see how many of those players from meadowcreek went to school last year, because coach perry is trying to use that as if he is doing something at meadowcreek and he is not, one player from the last year team went to school, but the newpaper is making it look lack he is doing a great job helping players get into school and the other coaches in gwinnett is not. Its bad enough the he is 0-22 and sending players to school, thats funny. Coach Perry please stop acting as if u are doing something. The Wakeforest kid parents help him get there because u didnt want to send them a tape and somebody tell me how can a super 11 player not get anything at the sport banquent. People please stop giving coach perry this type of credit, because he is not doing nothing to help the players at meadowcreek.
By ajc
December 28, 2006 10:03 PM | Link to this
steven, i agree with you. I was over taking team picture and coach perry was no where to be found and the player was fighting each other. He is a poor head coach and i see why he cant win a game. i set there for one hour waiting until one of the coach finally show up.
By Bleed Blue
December 29, 2006 09:41 PM | Link to this
I think the coach should have some responsibility in helping their boys get into college. Its just part of the coaching. I think too many coaches focus on the field but just leave the guys hanging when college coaches respect their opinion more than any other.
At Stephenson, that has been Coach Gartrell’s forte’. That is why so many players flock to Stephenson. He is not the best game coach but he works hard in the off season to get his boys in school. He has a great relationship with college coaches and they know he is going to produce talent.
Generally if a player even plays a few downs and gets average grades, Coach Gartrell will get them in school.
I think the trade off is most coaches are only great at one or the other. Either they are great game coaches or great college recruiters.
By Steve
December 30, 2006 05:40 PM | Link to this
Theoretically, a high school head coach serves as a leyaer’s best advocate, assuming everything is done by the book.
Players who turn up their noses at small schools or choices the feel are beneath them deserve whatever happens (or doen’t happen, as the case may be). These kids forget that they are getting an opportunity for a free education, whereas their classmates will be paying off student loans for years to come. If a HS coach is worth his whistle, he’ll counsel these kids to take the best offer that they get.
As for Smith and other great athletes who go wanting, they finally learn a hard lesson - grades DO matter. Classrooms are there for something other than a place to catch a nap or pick up girls. If they don’t have the self-discipline to make thegrade that the high school level, then their chancesof making at college where they aren’t superstars are SLIM and NONE.
I’ve seen many a great athlete fritter away his or her opportunity in high school, only to realize too late that they have blown a golden opportunity that can have life-long effects. Sorry, no sympathy for non-qualifiers here.