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It’s over. Another year of the High School Show - season No. 16. Time for the summer break and an opportunity for many to think about the year that was - success stories for many. Disappointment for others.

On the final show of the season, listeners got a taste of everything. From the  list of provincial champs - only two schools in Toronto (St. Michael’s in football and Eastern Commerce in girls’ basketball) to the others in the Greater Toronto Region. In total, a handful won provincial gold medals of the more than 40 Ontario team finals.

The guests were great.

Joe Brisbois, the Principal at St. Michael’s College, spoke about the success of sports at the all boys’ private school. But academics were a priority, then sports. And for those who thought it was mandatory for every student at the private school level to play sports, not so.

Jim Barclay coached the Pickering High boys’ basketball team, which won more games than the NBA champion Boston Celtics. Some people still can’t figure out how a high school team can put together a 70-2 record in a few months. Barclay, by the way, won’t be back to coach after explaining his concerns with the administration at his school. Yes, some controversy.

Lauren Daly, having just finished her Grade 11 year at York Mills Collegiate, told it the way it is - but not happy with the Toronto District School Board deciding to close swimming pools. She won gold medals at the citywide level, then the Ontario level. And what an inspiration, born with cerebral palsy, no excuses from her. She wanted to be like most teenagers - not letting a disability stand in the way. What a great role model.

And Martin Ritsma, the new president of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations, gave a clear impression that he cares about school sports - and intends to make things happen. Previous OFSAA Presidents should listen and learn.

So, a great year it was. There were many issues. There were many problems. There continues to be issues and problems.

I think it’s about time the Boards of Education realize that people give many hours of personal time to coach students. It’s not a day care service. Give these coaches some credit - especially since they’re not asking for compensation.

But coaches, and Principals, also need to get serious about putting academics ahead of sports. Do well in school and earn a chance to play. Not getting a green light to play because you’re an elite athlete - and failing.

See you in a month or so.

Practices are over for another school year. So are the games. A few final exams left, and it’s so long for another summer break.

For many, it’s so long high school.

Good times - and not so good times. Great memories. Friendship. Missed classes and the odd so-so grades. But, for those who wanted to participate in sports, there were ample opportunities.

And an end to the school year means, in most schools, a recognition of awards and the popular “athlete of the year”.

On Sunday, June 22, the HIGH SCHOOL SHOW devotes an entire hour starting at 9am to the boys and girls, men and women - you pick it - chosen as the top athlete in their schol this year.

I’m sure there’ll be some interesting stories.

What goes in to selecting the top athlete?

I spoke to a variety of school staff - and even asked for viewpoints from some students.

Funny thing, no clear cut guidelines. All schools have their own rules. Some choose an athlete for playing the most sports. Others select a person who has a combination of good grades and did well in sports. Some choose athletes who are - great athletes, but shall we see having serious difficulty with passing. I can’t figure that one out.

Other schools, as large as they might be, select the same student….year after year. And, of course, there are athletes chosen because they’ve been a favorite of certain teachers and coaches. Does a school Principal have a say?

The majority of the cases, no.

How do the students feel about being chosen? Was there someone else who deserved it? Can they be straightforward, at least for those chosen and days away from graduating?

And what about the schools who didn’t select an athlete. Yikes!

Clint Eastwood is famous for “the good, the bad and the ugly”.

Well, we have that same description for coaches of high school sports in the Greater Toronto Area.

The good: Lots of it with many great coaching efforts. While Boards of Education take it for granted that coaches will suddenly appear every year to babysit students for after-school activities, these over-paid senior bureaucrats - and even some Principals - just don’t get it.

Coaches give their free time. Sometimes, they even take money from their pockets to help kids. They travel to tournaments. They’re responsible for behaviour, liability and more. That’s heavy duty stuff - for free.

It’s not always winning, as some students tell me, coaches are there because they have a passion to help, love sports and many pretend to be in the NFL, C FL, NBA, NHL or whatever.

Kudos to the majority. Even to the odd Principal, and they know who they are, who also coach or attend games. Students also know who is out to support them.

The bad: some coaches mean well but don’t understand rules, are not certified and very bad at dealing with disciplinary issues. They also play great athletes, who are students in trouble academically. What’s first? Ah hum, this is school sports and not sports, then schools.

The ugly: how can you select athletes of the year and MVPs for school sports teams when students are failing grades. Here’s another scenario, top athlete goes to the student who is buddies with the coaches. Hmm, maybe they go out for a few pops together too.

The summary: we need more coaches, many of them young teachers who benefitted from sports when they were in school, who now claim they’re too busy. Yea, right.

Many young people need sports to help them get through school. But there is a middle point - and that’s where teachers, willing to coach and get certified or learn about sports, get my vote. They’re the ones who deserve the bonus bucks - the thousands of dollars wasted in inflated bureaucratic expense claims, management get-togethers and out-of-town forums in five star resorts.

Good coaches.

Funding to support good programs and good coaches.

And, administrative backing for good coaches and good programs.

Now, we’re talking.

So, the annual day is upon us.

Father’s Day. Thought about doing a show - and having teenage athletes tell some stories about their dads.

Then, I changed my mind - but not for long. When the mother of a baseball player at the Rogers Centre told me “you had one for Mother’s Day, you owe it to the fathers”.

OK. When I started to ask high school athletes if they’d like to talk about sports, school and life with dad…seven of the first eight either gave me strange looks, flatly declined or said they were busy. Bit odd, I kept digging like a reporter and was very curious about the hesitations and getting turned down.

Now, I know the reasons.

Three athletes told me they didn’t know their father. Two more said their father just picked up and left, one told me he was beaten and his father was in a correctional institution.

Yup, I eventually did hit home. I do have some guests talking about their dad this Sunday morning from 9am to 10am on THE HIGH SCHOOL SHOW.

But these are the warm and cudly stories.

I really do believe that listeners really want to know about the positive impact fathers have had on their children. Same for grandfathers, uncles, stepfathers, Big Brothers - and just guys who have been that fatherly figure for many young people growing up with just a mother.

I really do get irked seeing teenage girls crying, jealous about their friends whose dads took them all out for an ice cream, a trip somewhere or even a ride to a game.

Happy Father’s Day - to the guys who care.

As for the others………