After the West Geauga boys lacrosse team decided to end its season before playing its last two scheduled games, the school reversed course May 8 following a backlash from some parents, scheduling a final game for May 10 against Orange.
After the West Geauga boys lacrosse team decided to end its season before playing its last two scheduled games, the school reversed course May 8 following a backlash from some parents, scheduling a final game for May 10 against Orange.
The Wolverines were winless at 0-10 this season.
“There have been a lot of frustrations this season for a lot of different reasons and none of that solely falls on any one person on the team or coaches on the staff,” Stewart wrote in an email to parents and players. “Coach (James) Weir and his staff were focused on making this the best possible experience of these student-athletes as possible and I truly believe they have given their best effort to do that.”
Stewart based his decision on meetings with several players, and several other emails. Based on that feedback, Stewart said the team would not play its May 12 scheduled game with Cleveland Heights and the first-round playoff game.
“Our seeding would have put us against one of the top teams in Division and I did not think that was going to be fair to anyone involved,” Stewart wrote.
The team previously played Orange April 28 and lost 14-8 at West Geauga High School.
“Based on the overall feedback from the players, a majority of the kids I have spoken with, it wasn’t my decision in the end,” Stewart said. “It’s what the kids asked for.”
Stewart said the team’s coaches were frustrated with the decision, and wanted more input, but ultimately did not have the final say.
But an email from High School Principal Ryan Patti said the school wanted to end the season on a better note.
After communicating with parents, Patti said finishing the season was in the best interest of the student-athletes.
“Many factors influenced Mr. Stewart’s recommendation to end the season earlier,” Patti wrote. “While I understand his rationale, it is my decision to complete the season.”
Some parents of players — who were mostly kept out of the decision until it was made — were not happy with the original decision.
One mother emailed administrators the morning of May 8: “I also want answers to what is actually happening? If there was a concern or safety issue why were the parents not informed? How is it that there was no communication or meeting for athletes, parents and coaches?”
She continued: “I am upset that I pay for my child to play, pay for additional equipment to play, and I pay to watch, but this decision was not ours to discuss or make about ending the season early. I want my money back! We DON’T QUIT!”
Stewart wrote in his email it wasn’t his job to worry about wins or losses. But rather his job to “make sure they have a positive experience and come away from this with memories that will last a lifetime with their friends.”
Mindy Denamen, parent of a WGHS lacrosse player, spoke during the May 8 Board of Education about the cancellation of the season. Denamen said the move set a precedent that any sport can now be canceled — including football, basketball and baseball.
Denamen asked the school board to consider reviewing the policy addressing the cancelation of a sports season without input from parents or players.
“When it comes to this decision, we felt left out. We have watched a group of kids, many who have never played lacrosse before, grow tremendously over the season. To hear that there (were) kids that were unhappy and that’s why we’re canceling the season, which is literally about as much information as I received, It was very disheartening,” Denamen said. “All I want is for you to review how this happened, how the communication was rolled out and how we can keep it from happening again.”
Senior Lacrosse player Berkeley Makuch said he wanted to stand before the board and defend the coaching staff.
“A lot of our coaching staff is fairly new, as well as a lot of the players are fairly new. I think that this season we’ve done nothing but improve,” he said.
Makuch said he wants the lacrosse program to survive and continue to live and the sport to continue being played by WGHS students.
“This was the first time that I’ve come out in a long time to play a season and I had a blast,” he said. “I think that all the coaches, their hard work, their dedication, they really want the lacrosse team to succeed. When you have a perfect losing season, it’s easy to blame it on the coaches or the players or the work that’s put in and I think that they’ve done nothing but improve. It had gotten so much better. It would be really sad to see them not come back next year and not continue to be able to grow with the team that they developed.”
Brian Doering contributed to this story.
