Wethersfield - Newington Rivalry

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

WFSB TV broadcasted (12/15/2006) a (naturally) short clip about the recent violence and damaging of property (Cottone Field's expensive synthetic turf!) which clip included a cameo interview with Russ Morin.

Since that clip and differing short article on its website will not be available much longer, you might want to access it:

wfsb.com - Eyewitness News - Hartford

Video: (Wethersfield - Newington) "Rivalry Costing Towns Big Bucks " currently found on page:
www.wfsb.com/video/10549437/index.html?taf=hart
provides more information than the related article below.

High School Rivalry Turning Violent currently available at:
www.wfsb.com/print/10549018/detail.html which read:

:NEWINGTON, Conn. -- Team spirit between Wethersfield and Newington has become violent, dangerous and costly, according to town officials.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Susan Raff reported Friday night from the Connecticut Skating Center, where a fight broke out last week at a hockey jamboree and 16-year-old stabbed a 17-year-old.

"It's always been a long history between Newington and Wethersfield. Last year, they vandalized our school," said Andrew Holzhauer said.

"When I was back at school, we were very bitter rivals with Newington," Wethersfield Mayor Russ Morin said.

Morin, a graduate of Wethersfield High School, said times now are different.

Last year, students put something on the football field that damaged the grass, and the entire field had to be replaced, costing the town thousands of dollars.[?]

"It's not just money; it's also the expense of our town crews that are taking away from other things they need to do. The bottom line? It goes to the taxpayers," Morin said.[?]

Raff reported the schools have hired extra security during football games. Town managers and mayors plan to meet next week to determine how to get parents involved to resolve the issue."

POSTED: 6:56 pm EST December 15, 2006
UPDATED: 8:41 pm EST December 15, 2006
Copyright 2006 by WFSB.com. All rights reserved.

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The Hartford Courant reported aspects of the cross-town rivalry this way:

Rabid Rivalries Concern Officials

By ANN MARIE SOMMA
Courant Staff Writer
December 15 2006

The once-healthy athletic rivalry among students from Newington, Wethersfield and Rocky Hill high schools has escalated to vandalism and violence, and it needs to stop, the mayors of those towns said Thursday.

"It's gone too far," Wethersfield Mayor Russ Morin said. "We need to put out the message to kids and their families that we will prosecute to the full extent."

Last week, a 16-year-old Wethersfield High School student was charged with stabbing an 18-year-old Newington High School graduate in the chest during a hockey jamboree in Newington.

And mayors report that in the last year, the rival high school students have defaced town-owned property from welcome signs to athletic fields by painting their high school's letters.

The mayors are banding together to combat the vandalism and violence.

They've asked their town managers to organize a meeting among school officials, police chiefs and social and youth services directors to work out a strategy.

"It's developed into a bitter rivalry," Rocky Hill Mayor Tony LaRosa said. "The culmination was the stabbing at the hockey game. We have to try to nip this in the bud. We don't want this to escalate any further."

Berlin Mayor Adam Salina, whose town has not been hit hard, is also joining the group. Salina said he wants to be proactive in making sure violence and vandalism don't occur at sports events or other intercommunity programs. He's encouraging parents to become involved in teaching their children about healthy sportsmanship.

At last week's jamboree, which drew fans from Newington, Wethersfield, Farmington and Glastonbury, three Wethersfield High students taunted people in the Newington fan section, using profanity and obscene gestures. A small group of Newington fans confronted the Wethersfield students and a fight broke out, according to Newington police.

Newington Mayor Rodney Mortensen wants local school boards to become part of the solution. Many of the events where problems have occurred were school-sponsored, he said.

The mayors hope to schedule a meeting before the end of the year.

"Healthy school rivalries are a great part of every community through sports, academics and achievements, but it should not reach the level of destruction, vandalism and injury that each town has been experiencing," Morin said.

Contact Ann Marie Somma at [e-mail]. www.courant.com

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It's about time that an open and honest discussion takes place among the youths, parents, administrators (of both Councils and Boards of Educations), politicians and police about the extent of the needless rivalry between Wethersfield and Newington and what should and can be done about it.

What do all of you out there have to offer which is creative and constructive?

[ThinkingMama]

I agree. I suggest that the discussion includes youth sports league representatives. I have seen some appalling behaviors observing youth sports over the years. That is the training ground for some of the problematic behaviors that occur in high school. It is one of the best places to inculcate good sportsmanship in our children.

One problem area within the control of youth leagues includes regulating the conduct of youth coaches. I appreciate the volunteer efforts of our coaches, but a few are simply not worthy of working with our children. I have seen far too much disrespect for fellow coaches, referees and umpires by coaches. For example, recently I observed a travel basketball coach (who also happens to be a high school coach!) who really "lost it" at a game. His face was angry and contorted, his posture was threatening towards the referee, and he was shouting. He deserved, but did not get, a technical foul. Not surprisingly, some of his players were also not exemplary sportsmen. They were quick to adopt that innocent shrug of the shoulder and hands up questioning stance when the whistle was directed at them. They need to learn more respect and their coach should be leading them towards that goal by his demeanor. I wonder how this individual acts at high school games?

I suggest youth leagues end each season with an evaluation of coaches. The coach should be rated by league officials, fellow coaches, parents and players. The evaluation should include rating technical knowledge, ability to work with children, and sportsmanship.

Sometimes leagues seem desperate to find any adult who is willing to coach in order to field a team. I suggest that if enough good coaches are not available, the season should be restructured so that there are no teams. It should be run with clinic-like practices and scrimmages. The kids learn and play, just no "team" identification if no one qualified to coach a team can be found.

It is my experience that absent such a formal structure of evaluation, parents will simply complain to each other, not the coach or league officials. After all, these coaches may be back as your child's coach next year, may coach your younger children, may be the parent of your child's friend, or may be your neighbor.

I would be interested to hear from any of you youth coaches out there with your opinions. I do not suggest that this is the only problem area because obviously parental behavior can also be appalling. It is simply one within the control of youth leagues.

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

ThinkingMama,
These are some great observations and suggestions!

[phuffs]

Last evening, at the High School, our athletic director Jay Cottone, hosted a meeting which was mandatory for all student athletes participating in winter sports (I attended with my son, who is on the swim team). The meeting consisted of several guest speakers, with a central theme of conduct among student athletes. They spoke of alcohol & drug abuse and the consequences involved in using bad judgment. One speaker told of an experience he had where students had been injured and 1 had died (in the vein of "scared straight"). Our high school Youth Officer also spoke from the perspective of being both a coach & a police officer. Mr. Cottone spoke of how youth leagues are a stepping stone, in preparation for athletics at the next level, and that when you reach the high school level, it ultimately comes down to winning.
As a parent and a coach in the youth leagues in town, I agreed with almost everything that was discussed last evening. In my opinion, it is the parents who are ultimately responsible for the behavior of their children. I have been a youth coach in basketball & soccer for many years in town, and I stress competitive play, learning fundamentals, and above all else, good sportsmanship. As much as I try to stress these aspects of sports, occasionally you get players who will exhibit poor judgment both on and off the playing field. I have had to, in recent years, discipline certain players, by making them sit out games, for their behavior during a game.
I know for a fact that it is harder now to become a coach than it used to be - the basketball league conducts background checks, and to coach Travel Soccer, you must be a certified coach. This being said, it still comes down to the ethics children are taught at home - parents need to be involved! If anyone has read the postings from Js1 on this site, you will have an appreciation for what involved parents go through (Joe is a well meaning individual, who deserves to be treated better). Being part of a team as a youth is an excellent way for children to build strength, confidence & character, but these characteristics should ultimately begin at home.
I believe the mandatory meeting last evening was a step in the right direction for opening lines of communication (I discussed with my son afterwards, all of the topics of the evening). I know that similar meetings are to be held for each season of athletics.
I agree with thinkingmama in regards to evaluating coaches, and to a certain degree, in regards to clinics, and state that informal evaluation does exist, and could easily be expanded upon - however I would point out that there are varying degree's of skill level among athletes which is why there are different leagues available (Rec, CYO, Travel, AAU, etc...) and that at the most competitive levels, it does come down to winning - that is what sports is all about - but it is my belief that you should win with grace and lose with dignity, and ultimately you will be a better person for your experience.
I, personally, have only been involved with the town leagues (informally known as Rec), so am not at liberty to comment on any of the other leagues in town.

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

Paul,
You are right on the mark too. Though there may be some correctable problems with coaching, I believe a larger problem really starts at home.

Dedicated and devoted soccer enthusiast, volunteer, organizer and coach Joe Slepski, who has written frequently here, wrote in another thread:

re: Recreational Soccer [and some parents]
« Thread Started on Aug 31, 2006, 2:20pm »

• This past season, George D. Ritchie Recreational Soccer started on-line registration. This lasted the entire month of May. From June 1st until August 18th,
• parents also had the opportunity to sign their children up at the Parks and Rec office. This was all done to make it easier for the parents. Keep in mind that
• in-person registration runs for two evenings and takes about ten minutes to accomplish. We still offer this option too. Everything this year was done to make it easier for parents.
• Every child in school receives a registration form along with instructions. This is
• in addition to forms being mailed to every household in town who had a child playing soccer.
• Notices were also posted in the Wethersfield Post, Wethersfield Life and our website www.wethersfieldsoccer.org.

Why is it then, that I have received over 200 phone calls during the last week from parents wanting to register their child?.
Rosters have been set, uniforms and equipment have been ordered, fields have been reserved and schedules have been finalized. When I try to explain this to [these] parents, what I usually get is a string of profanities.
...Why can't parents do their part? All I ask is that they follow procedures....
The really sad thing is that it usually the same parents all the time who are late.
Many parents just take their children onto the soccer fields and explain their situation to a coach, who will usually let them play. These parents then do not even pay the $40.00 registration fee. There are usually 50-75 families who do this every year.

• What message are parents sending to their children?
• Is it that rules do not apply, dishonesty is acceptable, and volunteerism is something to be laughed at?
• Are parents so self-centered that the rules are something to be totally disregarded?

I have been involved in Wethersfield Soccer for 12 years and the behavior of parents seem to be getting worse....

[standish]

Sports build character. Guidance determines which kind.