Catholic School Programs - getting to next level

[Sub1Monster]

I'm interested in how Catholic schools take their football programs to the next level. I understand how private Catholic SJP and MP got where they are; I’m more interested in how the archdiocesan schools take the next step - like an Archbishop Wood. It seems like (in different years) schools like Carroll or Shanahan (who should be able to pull the required numbers of athletes from their areas) have been close to turning into really consistently successful programs, but then never really turn the corner. So what is it: scholarships, youth development, coaches, location, other things? Interested in what people think.

 

[TND775]

it takes support from the school itself and a strong alumni.egans alumni got together a few yearsr ago and wanted to bring football back to a high level and dumped a ton of money into the program.

 

[ChesmontLeague1]

Shanahan established an athletic committee a few years back and has made some strides w fund raising which equates to a new turf field, lights and a sound system. A stadium restroom area is next. They’ve also benefited from a handful of CYO teams that have provided the majority of players to its program. Shanahan is lucky in the fact they are the only archdiocesean high school in Chester County in which many can afford tuition. Sometimes I wish we were like other private’s where they actually recruited specifically for athletics which I’m told we dont (need based only). Excellent coaching certainly helps to get you and keep you at the top. Kids will come when you reach that level.

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

Chest-are you basing that just on Football, or all sports at Shanahan? Their track program has certainly gone out and accepted some high profile upperclass transfers with much success, similar to what Wood does in football. Whether or not these athletes were actively " recruited" is not clear, but the perception is that is was no coincidence they ended up at Shanahan for track, and presumably the administration was on board with it. Why wouldnt the football team take a similar approach, or is it more a difference in coaching philosophy?

 

[ChesmontLeague1]

Chest-are you basing that just on Football, or all sports at Shanahan? Their track program has certainly gone out and accepted some high profile upperclass transfers with much success, similar to what Wood does in football. Whether or not these athletes were actively " recruited" is not clear, but the perception is that is was no coincidence they ended up at Shanahan for track, and presumably the administration was on board with it. Why wouldnt the football team take a similar approach, or is it more a difference in coaching philosophy?

Speed - The Hoey kids Mom is the track and cross country coach at Shanahan. They live in Downingtown. I think you call them transfers at public school and sure appears they came Shanahan the same way. Betcha if that Hoey kid lived in Ridley and went to OLP and OHara but transferred to Ridley we’d never hear a peep out of you. Can’t speak for Wood but considering what your inference and thought process of every parochial school I’m sure there tuition fully paid and these kids were tracked by Wood coaches from flag football to wood!

 

[RoverNation05]

Notre Dame (Green-Pond) has really taken their major Lehigh Valley athletic programs (football and wrestling) to the next level in the last few years. In both sports, they had been a doormat for their entire history. Football had an 0-10 season as recently as 2014 and only had 16 winning seasons since the football program started in 1958. Wrestling has only had three state medalists in school history and often fielded much less than a full lineup.

Football benefitted from the closure of Pius X in Roseto. Notre Dame hired Phil Stambaugh first as their offensive coordinator and then as their head coach. Initially, this also meant that Pius X's entire team (which had been the dominat Single-A D11 school) transferred to Notre Dame, including their All State quarterback (who now plays cornerback at Lafayette). The infusion of talent made Notre Dame an instant D11 champion. They have stayed at that level by attracting solid talent from Easton, Bethlehem, and Nazareth. Stambaugh was an All American at Lehigh and was on a handful of NFL rosters and is a cutting edge offensive mind. Kids want to come play in his system and for a proven winner. Notre Dame also benefitted from the upheaval in the Easton program - landing transfers David Sanders and Isaiah DeJesus, both of whom are All State candidates at wide receiver this year. Notre Dame's biggest ramp up of their program was schematic - they run a great version of the spread that gives them an X's and O's advantage, then filled their roster with a key talented transfers which made the program more attractive to rising 9th graders. Particularly if you're a quarterback or wide receiver, Notre Dame is a great situation.

Notre Dame wrestling will be fascinating to watch this winter. Frankly speaking, they have no tradition whatsoever. But in the offseason they hired Matt Veres, who ran Bethlehem Catholic's youth program and has broken off and run his own club, the Lost Boys, for the last two years. Veres is well respected in the Lehigh Valley as a club coach and his first order of business was to beef up Notre Dame's schedule, getting them in to Ironman, the best tournament in the country. Shortly after Veres was hired, it was announced that Ryan Crookham, the nation's top ranked incoming freshman, would attend Notre Dame. He wrestled for Saucon Valley's middle school as an 8th grader and Bethlehem Catholic as a 7th grader. They also landed Brandan Chletsos, who is ranked in the top 30 nationally of incoming freshman and was runner up at FloNational's as an 8th grader. Chletsos competed for Easton in middle school. Then, in the biggest domino, Andrew Cerniglia, a 4th place finisher in the state as a freshman and the NHSCA sophomore national champ in his weight last year (who missed the state series with an injury), transferred from Nazareth to Notre Dame. Nazareth, the two-time defending state champ with a hall of fame coach and the toughest public school schedule in Pennsylvania losing their best wrestler to forever also-ran Notre Dame is crazy to me, but Cerniglia wrestles club for Veres and clearly wants to be on his high school team too. They also got the Maag twins, a pair of state junior high placers from Liberty. This formula seems to be the most popular in sports like wrestling - Catholic schools to tap into the club system, then have every wrestler who wrestles at a club become teammates at the high school level too. This is how Becahi built their program with Weaver Elite and clearly how Notre Dame has gone from the bottom of the Colonial League to in the preseason national rankings with three potential state champs.

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

Chest-didnt mean to get your Irish up, and certainly wasnt implying Shanahan did anything wrong. I was just pointing out that the Shanahan track team has brought in some high profile athletes in the past few years ( not just the Hoey brothers) that started 9th grade at other schools, and they went from an average team to one that contends and has won State titles. Sometimes you bring in one or two studs, and then others follow because they want to be on the same team. It does not seem like the football team gets transfers in later in high school. Some do it as a matter of course ( Wood) , some rarely do it at all ( St Joes).

 

[ChesmontLeague1]

Chest-didnt mean to get your Irish up, and certainly wasnt implying Shanahan did anything wrong. I was just pointing out that the Shanahan track team has brought in some high profile athletes in the past few years ( not just the Hoey brothers) that started 9th grade at other schools, and they went from an average team to one that contends and has won State titles. Sometimes you bring in one or two studs, and then others follow because they want to be on the same team. It does not seem like the football team gets transfers in later in high school. Some do it as a matter of course ( Wood) , some rarely do it at all ( St Joes).

Soeed - In reality Shanahan loses its best players to the pubs. They are transferring for a better sports program in most cases. Where you are most likely off in your statement is Shanahan doesn’t bring kids in. Show me proof they want out and asked these kids to come in? That track coach is excellent from what I’m told and In Chester County most are capable to attend the school by own means. Your statement is full of inferences (Wood and Prep) which we really cant compare because every situation is different. Did the kids see an opportunity.. I would think so. Did Shanahan recruit them and throw money. Very doubtful especially since I know sisters and the administration feeling on sports. Nice try but you are really coming across narrowminded on your perception that all Catholic school sports are a certain way. Q - You and your Ridley buddies wait for the St James kids on the corner? You lose a few of them?