Coach and staff will hold an end-of-the-year meeting with the players to identify areas of growth
By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
School officials have responded to strong criticism of the Central High boys basketball program and boys varsity basketball coach, Tony Mormile, with an offer to meet with concerned parents.
”In addition, Coach Mormile and his coaching staff will hold an end-of-the-year meeting with the players to identify areas of growth for the program,” school district spokeswoman JoAnn Meyer said Tuesday afternoon.
”We pride ourselves in our academic successes as well as athletic,” she added. “It goes without saying that everyone wants a strong program and a good experience for the players,” Ms. Meyer added.
Ms. Meyer said Central High School Principal Mike Daher and school district Athletic Director Kiki Enderle “have met with a few parents about the program and have offered to meet with a representative group of other parents to hear their thoughts.”
The team’s record was 11-13, as of Wednesday, according to Mr. Daher.
The Feb. 17 school board meeting drew about 10 parents who are upset about the boys basketball program. Several of the parents addressed the board about the matter. All the speakers drew applause from the gallery after criticizing the program and Coach Mormile.
”A lot of the kids” in the basketball program “are miserable. It’s a self-esteem issue,” parent Mike Ryan told the board. He said the program seems to have “no continuity” and seems to be “helter-skelter” and that he “doesn’t know what the agenda is.”
Mr. Ryan suggested that the school board and administration “review the program and see if you can come up with a better product.”
Dave Sherman, chairman of the 40-plus-member Concerned Parents for Hopewell Valley Central High Basketball Players, was scathingly critical of Mr. Mormile.
”I’d like to see him replaced with someone who communicates with the players better,” Mr. Sherman said. “He’s one of the worst coaches I’ve ever seen.”
Mr. Mormile should be “more of a mentor to the kids,” another parent said.
Board President Mel Myers responded that school officials are “looking into the matter.”
Other parents, who asked that their names not be published, criticized school officials for being too strict in controlling the cheering of students in the grandstand. This has cut the attendance at home games drastically, they said.
”Home games are like a funeral,” one said.
Cheering should not, said Principal Daher Wednesday, include the use of improper language.
The Hopewell Valley boys varsity’s first game after the school board meeting was played Saturday afternoon at Princeton Day School. The Hopewell Valley section of the grandstand was packed solid, mostly with students, who cheered the team, which appeared to be playing with much intensity, very strongly. No objectionable language was heard during these cheers.
Also at the game were Mr. Daher and Ms. Enderle, who were asked how they would feel about that kind of cheering at a home game.
”We’d welcome it,” Mr. Daher said.
He and Ms. Enderle added, however, that the district does admonish students who use inappropriate language while cheering for the team.
Mr. Daher said Wednesday that both home and visiting fans (whether young people or adults) are expected to exhibit proper behavior at athletic contests.
A call to Mr. Mormile for comment was not returned.