James Heard

[tulla]

Just saw a post by James Heard on Twitter saying "with a heavy heart" that he is transferring from SJP to the Big Picture Learning Academy and will be playing football for Camden High School. The post was full of praise for his teammates (who he says embraced him "on and off the field" from day one) and his coaches. If you're on Twitter you can read the whole post.

A few thoughts: 1) Heard was a terrific player last year and he should have lots of good football ahead of him. I'm assuming his many offers from top D1 schools are still there. His being able to play only a small part of the championship game against ML clearly weakened the Prep's defense. I'm not saying the Prep would have won if he had been healthy--just that he was a very big part of their defense and his injury obviously made a difference. 2) While I know nothing for sure about the reasons for this transfer, his post makes it clear he was more than happy with the Prep. Maybe he found the commuting difficult--though if he lives in Camden it's not that much of a commute. More likely, he struggled with the academic demands, likely not because of a lack of effort and very possibly not because of a lack of ability. Transferring into the Prep after sophomore year is especially hard. The curriculum is different and the expectations are high. 3) IF Heard is leaving because of academics, he won't be the first very good or very promising player to do so. Going back to the discussion on here about all the unfair advantages the Prep is supposed to have over public schools, I hope people realize that this case points to an advantage public schools have over a school like SJP.

 

[RCH13co18]

We have a Jersey OC now at Roman who’s in touch with the Jersey side. Word is SJP’s curriculum wouldn’t allow for Heard to enter school in January and meet Hs graduation standards.

 

[tulla]

We have a Jersey OC now at Roman who’s in touch with the Jersey side. Word is SJP’s curriculum wouldn’t allow for Heard to enter school in January and meet Hs graduation standards.

But Heard started at the Prep in September. A few guys have transferred into the Prep after sophomore year (the basketball players Ed Crosswell and Jacob O'Connell and a lineman from several years ago, Sal Cinaglia) and in those cases it all seems to have worked out, but in at least one or two other cases, e.g. Benny Walls, it didn't work out so well. (Walls, if I recall correctly, wound up graduating from Woodrow Wilson in Camden--and playing for Temple.)

Obviously, the school has to approach this cautiously. Maybe Heard's time at the Prep was good in every respect--his Tweet seems to suggest he learned a lot from the coaches and got on great with his teammates--but I have a hard time seeing three schools in less than a year as something that in most cases is a good thing.

There is almost certainly some connection between what's happening in college football, especially in relation to the transfer portal, and what's happening in high school. I look at all the D1 offers Anthony Sacca has after freshman year and last week I saw the a kid in 7th grade, Heard's brother (?), got an offer from West Virginia. No way does that seem like a good sign.

 

[Bighead75]

He wanted to graduate early and he told the school to late to make it happen, so he left.

 

[tulla]

He wanted to graduate early and he told the school to late to make it happen, so he left.

I understand why Heard wants to graduate early. It seems the norm now: McCord, Harrison, and Trotter all left the school at Christmas 2020 to go to OSU and Clemson. It happens often everywhere. But it still seems problematic to me. I'm old enough to remember when students didn't become eligible to play varsity college football till they were sophomores. It seems almost laughable now, but it had some advantages. It helped student athletes get used to being "college students" and it sent a clear signal about priorities. Now I imagine these high profile recruits leave high school a term before their classmates do and start college when relatively few other students do. And no doubt just about everything about their college experience is a-typical. Something gained? Yes. But something lost too.

 

[roxychknpoxy]

I understand why Heard wants to graduate early. It seems the norm now: McCord, Harrison, and Trotter all left the school at Christmas 2020 to go to OSU and Clemson. It happens often everywhere. But it still seems problematic to me. I'm old enough to remember when students didn't become eligible to play varsity college football till they were sophomores. It seems almost laughable now, but it had some advantages. It helped student athletes get used to being "college students" and it sent a clear signal about priorities. Now I imagine these high profile recruits leave high school a term before their classmates do and start college when relatively few other students do. And no doubt just about everything about their college experience is a-typical. Something gained? Yes. But something lost too.

Tulla -
Just got further feedback, Bighead is spot on. Heard and James want to enroll in college early, however, that process needs to be defined early so extra classes can be taken over summer(s) and during school year. He and James did not want to follow protocol so they were showed the door. I understand that the school and staff were upset, not so much at losing the player/student, but because they improved their visibility and skill set by being at the Prep. The early enrollment process is told to all student athletes. It’s the permeation of NIL to HS level sports, to get to next level sooner for potential pay day.

The school will not compromise to the chagrin of a few on this board that feel it’s win at all costs.

 

[RCH13co18]

Tulla -
Just got further feedback, Bighead is spot on. Heard and James want to enroll in college early, however, that process needs to be defined early so extra classes can be taken over summer(s) and during school year. He and James did not want to follow protocol so they were showed the door. I understand that the school and staff were upset, not so much at losing the player/student, but because they improved their visibility and skill set by being at the Prep. The early enrollment process is told to all student athletes. It’s the permeation of NIL to HS level sports, to get to next level sooner for potential pay day.

The school will not compromise to the chagrin of a few on this board that feel it’s win at all costs.

That’s correct and being though Heard just came last summer, it was no way he took the required classes to leave early in one semester at prep.

 

[Fletchster1]

Heard back at SJP?

 

[tulla]

Heard back at SJP?

Almost certain that he is not. SJP posted their roster about a week ago: https://www.sjprep.org/team-detail?fromId=291024&Team=290804&SeasonLabel=2022 - 2023&siteId=1402

 

[HSFB99]

Tulla, is Stratz still the DC? I notice a Stratz listed as a player. Is that his son? Or just a typo?

 

[Fletchster1]

Interesting. EasternPAFootball.com had him there in a player preview earlier today, but that player preview no longer exists.

https://www.easternpafootball.com/player-previews-in-100-days-day-97-james-heard-jr-st-josephs-prep/

 

[tulla]

Tulla, is Stratz still the DC? I notice a Stratz listed as a player. Is that his son? Or just a typo?

Stratz hasn't coached at the Prep in a couple of years. Shawn Stratz was on the freshman team last year and is on this year's varsity roster. I don't know if he's a son but it seems likely.

 

[HSFB99]

That’s news to me. Who is calling their defense?

 

[tulla]

That’s news to me. Who is calling their defense?

I don't know. Most of what I know and hear is from a distance, but I think I recall hearing a couple of years ago that Stratz had to step away from coaching at least for a while for reasons having nothing to do with football or SJP. Maybe someone closer to the team will fill us in.

 

[RCH13co18]

I don't know. Most of what I know and hear is from a distance, but I think I recall hearing a couple of years ago that Stratz had to step away from coaching at least for a while for reasons having nothing to do with football or SJP. Maybe someone closer to the team will fill us in.

Stratz is calling the defense and has been the last few yrs. He calls it from the box. His son is a sophomore linemen.
Heard showed up at Roman last wk inquiring about enrollment. He’s in a pickle . He should’ve went to summer school after his sophomore and junior yr. From the SJP guys the reason for him leaving was the ability to enroll early in college. I don’t think going back to public school made his case any easier. I can vouch he was at Roman last wk but who knows if anything became of that.

 

[tulla]

Stratz is calling the defense and has been the last few yrs. He calls it from the box. His son is a sophomore linemen.
Heard showed up at Roman last wk inquiring about enrollment. He’s in a pickle . He should’ve went to summer school after his sophomore and junior yr. From the SJP guys the reason for him leaving was the ability to enroll early in college. I don’t think going back to public school made his case any easier. I can vouch he was at Roman last wk but who knows if anything became of that.

Any reason Stratz isn't listed with the other coaches on the website? I heard a couple of years ago that a health matter had caused him to step away from coaching. But this was was very second hand.

 

[Bighead75]

Stratz has been calling the defense since 2012, yes, that is his son

 

[HSFB99]

Maybe it is just an oversight that he’s not listed on their website. I thought he may have stepped away due to not wanting to coach his son or something along those lines.