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Got your attention.

We’ve been receiving a fair number of e-mails and voice mail messages, even got pulled aside three times at a track meet, and asked by people: why aren’t you covering the OFSAA soccer playoffs…why aren’t you covering the OFSAA rugby playoffs…why aren’t you covering the OFSAA track and field final and on and on.

Poeple asking the questions are teachers, coaches, athletes, parents, alumni, etc.

And, for the majority who have heard back from me, here’s what I’ve told them.

First, the provincial organization that oversees a number of Ontario high school championships either doesn’t understand how to communicate to media or is not interested in having members of the broadcast and print media attend their events. OFSAA is certainly showing a lack of interest in promoting student athletes.

Over the next two weeks, 17 provincial school finals will take place - many clash on the same dates with upcoming exams being one reason - and other than an e-mail sent out the other day by OFSAA’s new PR person (telling members of the media to contact local organizers for information) the folks at OFSAA have wiped their hands.

Sad state for an organization that relies on tax-payer dollars. Disappointing as well for a provincial government that dishes out money to organizations like OFSAA and should insist on accountability and a bigger bang for the buck.

The FAN 590 and the Toronto Star appear to be the only major media in Toronto who consistently cover, and thus care about, high school sports.

Yes, we will be at the track and field finals in Hamilton. Yes, we will be covering the baseball final at the Rogers Centre. As for more, well, we’ll see depending on what doesn’t conflict. Can’t go to multiple places at the same time, right?

So, if OFSAA was wise, they’d be pro-active and look for ways to get results to the media who care. And that does require work and getting away from behind a desk.

Doug Gellatly, OFSAA’s executive director, should be the focus of attention. He’s in charge of the largest high school athletic association Canada and, I would wager, one that has let its pants drop when it gets down to seeking media attention to promote student athletes. Former executive directors Pete Beach, Andy Gibson and Colin Hood wouldn’t have allowed this to happen.

Instead, from what I have been told by OFSAA insiders, Gellatly figures the problem is isolated. Only the FAN 590 and Toronto Star have raised issues. And, Mr. Gellatly, that’s two darn good reasons for dealing with a problem in your office. Newspapers in Ottawa, Kingston, North Bay and on and on have given up on OFSAA. Radio and TV stations in other cities have told me that they can’t be bothered chasing down OFSAA. They’re too busy covering sports and dealing with others who get information to them - on time.

Looks as if people complaining have a point. Looks like OFSAA’s Executive and Board have some work ahead - especially in the quiet summer months.

That’s if these people care about raising the visibility of their schools, amateur sports and students. Don’t hold your breath.

Well, help me figure this out.

High school baseball interest is expanding. More players. More teams. Barely a one month season because of politics by municipal parks people, who won’t let schools on facilities funded by taxpayers, like you and me, until the bureaucrats give their blessings. 

Forget a split season starting in the Fall. Football coaches will have nothing of it.

Oh yes, still no baseball diamonds on school properties in Toronto - with the exception of the attractive ”Field of Dreams” site located at Upper Canada College. I know, it’s a private or independent school with financial support. But UCC knows how to care for its students - first class.

Just think, we could have had a few diamonds on Catholic school sites in Toronto if school trustees weren’t as greedy with our tax dollars. Some of that money, spent on lavish meals, Caribbean trips and more,  could have gone to help students.

Now, enter the folks from the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association, a so-called provincial sports body that, in the minds of many, does very little but show up at events to hand out awards, make some speeches, look important and collect money - a share of the gate and more.

Many coaches tell me that high school baseball was going very well until OFSAA stepped in. Kudos to the Toronto Blue Jays, who have supported the growth of high school baseball from the start. Now, OFSAA - who established a sports advisory committee for baseball but really doesn’t listen to them, now has introduced its format for playoffs. Hmm. Two pools, total of 16 teams.  Eight play in Sarna. Eight more in Whitby or Oshawa or Pickering. Final Four play in Toronto on June 11 - and a site still hasn’t been determined. Then, gold and bronze medal games on June 12 at the Rogers Centre.

One other thing. In addition to a tournament entry fee of $350. per team - and there are 16 teams entered so get the calculator out - OFSAA has added another tax. OFSAA is charging a $2.00 participation fee for each player.

Wonder where all the money is going?

Many will say the quality of high school track and field athletes these days in Toronto has come a long way since the days of Ben Johnson - remember him?

The sprinter from Yorkdale High, a school that no longer exists, brought headlines for Canada around the world - but for the wrong reason.  Johnson, who went on to compete for Canada at the Olympics, tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs.

Fast forward and Toronto high schoolers have done fairly well at the Ontario level - and without steroids. Some, have done even better - after the annual provincial high school finals. Many only use the high school sport for their bigger plans and more serious commitment to track clubs.

The question, though, what about the future of this sport in Toronto schools?

Participation numbers are down for Toronto Public schools. Some say as much as 15 per cent this year over the previous one. Could it be because of interest in other sports? Maybe academics has taken over as a top priority? Are students fed up with the sport, just had enough? What about coaching - is it as good as it was in past?

I can’t understand why the new crop of high school teachers are not coaching in the numbers they did in previous years? Hmm, I do believe many of them did participate in school sports - even track and field - back then - and people did give up their time to coach them?

Something also needs to be said about student athletes devoting attention to practice - and not just showing up for a championship race.

Let’s see what happens this year - the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association track and field finals set for June 5 to 7 at Mohawk Park in Hamilton.

Ian Warner and Mohammed Dhaqane, both from Birchmount Park - the school with an exceptional athlete program - set Ontario records last year.

Will there be any this year?

Havergal, an all-girls’ school, and De La Salle, a co-ed school, are both educational institutions in Toronto. Some call them “private” schools. Others, use the word “independent”.

I am sure both have graduated some fine young people. As a matter of fact, I know a fair number - because I wrote stories about them in the Toronto Star and interviewed others on THE HIGH SCHOOL SHOW heard Sunday mornings on THE FAN 590.

So, here’s the issue.

Both Havergal and De La Salle administrations have chosen to prevent their student athletes from receiving well-deserved media attention. I know, it sounds ridiculous.

Moms and dads, who spend thousands of dollars sending their kiddies to these schools, should know this.

Interesting at how some 40 other private, or independent, schools, welcome media sports attention. Not Havergal or De La Salle.  

Havergal, for instance, had an athlete win an event at the recent Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association track and field championships but went as far as to prevent the name from being announced or even published. Yet, people did have access to a list of all competing athletes. I have one of those lists.

Yes. Track and field statistics show No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, etc. — but, no No. 1.

I asked why and was told. Havergal wanted it that way.

Sounds bizarre.

Claiming privacy violations and other stuff, the real reason is that these two schools appear to be worried about their student names and pictures ending up on — strange websites or in the hands of predators.

I asked a senior member of the Toronto Police Service about this and the facial expression said it all. The word “paranoid” almost roled off the lips of the police officer.

Short of hiring security cops to chaperone their students, I wonder how the administrations at Havergal and De La Salle would feel knowing that dozens of people - including “strangers” - were also at York taking pictures. Who knows, maybe some were across the street with movie cameras and equipment taking photos?

And can you imagine what went on during the  CISAA swim championships - with people claiming to take pictures of their children. Does anyone really know who was taking photos?

Do they not understand that kids also do a fair amount of discussion and exchanging of pictures on a thing called FACEBOOK?

Fine. If Havergal and De La Salle choose to determine this as part of their school policy. I recall the comments of actor Yul Brynner in the movie, the Ten Commandments, when he said  ”So it shall be written, so it shall be done”.

But Havergal and De La Salle, remember. Your colleagues at other schools think you’re also spoiling for them when members of the media choose to stay away from CISAA events.

One more thing. Havergal, as well as De La Salle names, are appearing on websites such as the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association, also published in championship programs where teams are competing across the province and on and on….

I wonder how long it will take before parents insist on a change, Headmasters at other schools get involved or Havergal and De La Salle staff simply get in tune with reality and actually pick up the phone and start appealing for stories.

I have to wonder - especially when first the letters, then the telephone calls and now the e-mails start to increase at dramatic numbers.

They’re coming from parents, many of them angry, as well as students, alumni, friends of families - and even students.

Here’s why?

People are ticked, and so am I, that coaches of school teams tend to only want to focus on their teams when they - win. Otherwise, shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone. Like, it’s a bad thing to lose a game - a high school game.

What irks me even more than teachers and coaches standing in the way of promoting the accomplishments of young people, is when they lie about a final score.

Teachers and coaches change it from 19-0 to 5-0 in a baseball game because the lopsided score looks bad when it appears in a paper or announced on radio.

 Here’s another one: adjust the score in a soccer game from 19-0, yes a soccer game, to 6-0. Or, like just the other day, a school in Peel Region defeated another school by more than 100 points in a girls’ rugby game. Even shut out the team too.

What’s going on?

People wonder why 99 per cent of the mainstream media in Toronto have little interest in high school school sports. A few reasons: inconsistent reporting of scores, false reporting of results and even failure to get the names right of those who score points.

Now, let’s not point the finger at all teachers and coaches. There are some who care - and even when they lose, call us with scores. They do an excellent job looking for opportunities to single out athletes and go out of their way to help them learn the sport, how to excel and get along with people.

But there aren’t enough. Like many other people, I can see why students pick and choose what schools they want to attend - and what coaches they want to learn from as part of their education in the school classroom. And, that means the school classroom on the field, the rink, the gym and the pool.

They still do have pools, right?

Baseball - as a high school sport in the Greater Toronto Area - is in trouble.

It has nothing to do with lack of interest, since there are teams, but more like how do you run a league that starts in May and ends four weeks later?

Something like exams get in the way and the annual Prentice Cup playoff supported by the Toronto Blue Jays, back at the Rogers Centre after a one year hiatus at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, needs to be played at a certain time because the pro team is making the field available.

By the way, kudos to the pro team for offering their facility to school playoffs. Hint to the Raptors, Maple Leafs, Argonauts, etc.

Whoops, forgot to mention that rain usually shortens a season as there is little time to make the game up. Students, also can’t miss too many classes - or so they say.

Same old problem of municipal parks authorities treating ball diamonds better than  some people care for kids. While many people mean well, the parks bureaucrats focus on summer rep leagues and don’t want the high school kiddies chewing up the fields - after a long winter that left the fields looking like a quagmire.

So, games go on, but when the parks boys give the green light.

Would be nice if the Toronto Board of Education - shutting down pools but still spending money on professional development excursions for senior staff - put one, or even two, ball diamonds, on school fields. That could help.

Upper Canada College has a diamond. I know, that’s a private school and can afford it.

Then again, a split season - starting in the Fall and finishing in the Spring makes sense. That, some say, is creative thinking. It does, but not to football coaches pr the students who want to play both sports.

However, most school sports leagues now limit students to one sport - whether that’s right or not is up for debate. So, student athletes would need to make a choice: school baseball or football?

Sit back and watch that discussion go nuts.