Leading off today: There's social unrest to report about today as yet another controversy related to social media has reared its head.
Earlier this week, I wrote about Yuri Wright, the four-star football recruit from New Jersey who was expelled from school because of raunchy posts he made to his Twitter account.
Now, Island Trees athletes and parents are expressing frustration that one of their coaches was
removed from his position just days after the start of the 2011-12 winter season over what appears to be a Facebook fracas.
Parents, athletes and staff members spoke Wednesday at the school board meeting in support of Andy Schneider, formerly the girls soccer and basketball coach at Island Trees. Schnieder remains employed as a physical education teacher in the district.
According to Yahoo.com's Rivals sports site, here's the chronology of events that led to his removal from the bench:
After Newsday announced its All-Long Island soccer team late last fall, Schneider posted a message saying one of his players had superior stats and was more worthy than a Levittown Division player who was selected to the team. Some Division players saw his post, and it wasn't long before students from the two schools, located in close proximity in Nassau County, were yapping at each other in online exchanges.
At that point, Schneider apparently immersed himself further into the situation by communicating with some of the Division players via more Facebook postings, Rivals reported. Though the coach's supporters contend Schneider was trying to cool down the sparring, Division parents felt he was out of line by communicating with students in the online forum.
Acting on a complaint lodged against the coach, the Island Trees school board removed him from coaching. Board President Patricia Mahon said at Wednesday's meeting she could not discuss particulars because of confidentiality restrictions and because there is pending litigation, Rivals reported.
Milestone victory: Belated congratulations go out to Cornwall wrestling coach Don Blaine, who scored career victory No. 400 when his team rolled past New Paltz 75-10 Sunday at the Highland Duals.
Blaine, the first Section 9 coach to reach 400, began his career in 1983 and is 402-120-1 with 23 individual sectional champions and a two-time NYSPHSAA champion (Paul Paquin). He was inducted in the New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame last year.
McKnight to Albany: Webster Schroeder senior Parrish McKnight, selected sixth-team all-state in Class AA, gave a verbal commitment to play football at Albany State and hopes to start classes there next week. the Democrat and Chronicle reported Thursday.
"I want to play spring ball and since I was capable of graduating, I decided to just do it," McKnight told the paper.
A quarterback, receiver, running back and defensive back at Schroeder last fall, McKnight is expected to fit in as a running back or safety at Albany, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision.
