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?
