Friday, May 11, 2012: PSAL docks coach's pay after assistant's ejection

   Leading off today: The number of instances in which I've agreed with PSAL policies and decisions over the years could probably be counted on the one hand of a bad wood shop teacher, but I think we've found something that everyone (except coaches) can like:

   The PSAL is insisting that head coaches are accountable and responsible for the action not only of their players but of their assistant coaches as well. And they're not afraid of hitting a coach where it hurts -- in the wallet -- if they have to.

   The New York Post reported that DeWitt Clinton softball assistant Steve Bernstein was ejected from a game Monday for being too over the top in arguing balls and strikes and that the PSAL ruled that Bernstein and head coach Rich Eaton would have to serve one-game suspensions as a result.

   Eaton was subsequently OK'd to coach Wednesday vs. American Studies in Bronx A action so that his team would not have to forfeit, but he was still penalized: Eaton learned after the 4-3 loss that he would be docked four hours of work, the equivalent of $160. He plans on appealing through the teachers union.

   “They take away my suspension, but they hit me in my wallet like I’m a professional coach?” Eaton told the paper. “I want to know if the money goes to charity like if I was in the NBA.”

   Eaton said he had never heard of a head coach being culpable for an assistant’s actions. Department of Education spokesperson Marge Feinberg said Wednesday that a head coach is liable for a volunteer assistant. “If unpaid assistants violate rules, then the coach is responsible for their actions,” she told the paper in a statement.

   Thanks but no thanks: An Arizona high school baseball team has forfeited rather than play an opponent with a female player.

   Our Lady of Sorrows refused to play Mesa Preparatory Academy in the Arizona Charter Athletic Association state championship game Thursday because that team includes 15-year-old infielder Paige Sultzbach.

   Sultzbach sat out two regular-season wins over OLS, which is run by the Society of St. Pius X, which broke away from Roman Catholic Church over Vatican reforms in 1970.

   But with the title on the line, Sultzbach wanted to play. "It's unfortunate," Sultzbach's father, John, told FOXNews.com. "We hadn't anticipated coming across that. I think it's sad."

   An OLS official said in a statement the school had no choice but to forfeit because it has a strict policy prohibiting participation in co-ed athletics. "Teaching our boys to treat ladies with deference, we choose not to place them in an athletic competition where proper boundaries can only be respected with difficulty," the statement read. "Our school aims to instill in our boys a profound respect for women and girls."

   Coup for Miss. State: PSAL middle-distance runner Strymar Livingston from Christopher Columbus plans to continue his career at Mississippi State.

   Livingston, who owns national indoor records in the 500 and 600 meters with times of 1:01.68 and 1:17.64, picked the Bulldogs over Baylor, Tennessee and Rutgers. He will sign his letter of intent next week and needs to pass a Regents English exam next month to seal the deal.

   Speaking of recruits: For the life of me I cannot remember the specifics, but there was an NBA trade maybe 12 or 15 years ago in which a general manager unloaded a player for a first-round pick in a draft very far into the future.

   "He has his eye on a hotshot sixth-grader," some pundit

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cracked wise.

   The recruitment of boys lacrosse players by college coaches hasn't reached that level yet, but schools are locking up their commitments awfully early these days. As the Buffalo News reported this week, a staggering number of elite players are now making their decisions before the start by the time Labor Day kicks off their junior year in school.

   "There are only so many schools and so much money," said Bishop Timon-St. Jude coach Mike Burke. "Programs can tell which kids stand out at a young age. So everyone kind of has to play the game. It can be tough -- a lot of kids struggle having to make such a big decision so young. But for the top kids, it's all like that now."

   As the story explains, there is a relatively scarce amount of genuine scholarship money to go around (the equivalent of 12.6 full rides per school, often split up amongst 30 players) in Division I men's lacrosse. Combined with the competitive nature of recruiting -- no coach wants to have to play catch-up with a talented player -- and a lot of youngsters end up making the first major decision of their life before they have their drivers license.

   Following up: A belated thank you goes out to Steve Grandin for assembling the NYSSWA's boys all-state basketball team that was unveiled last week.

   We received more than 600 player nominations from a variety of helpers across the state and are grateful to the following for helping when it came down to crunch time:

   Laura Amato (Troy), John Day (Watertown), George Davila (Long Island), Joe Glus (New York City), Ryan Hayner (Plattsburgh), Bob Herzog (Long Island), James Johnson (Rochester), Neil Kerr (Syracuse), Andrew Legare (Elmira), Keith McShea (Buffalo), Chris Metcalf (Livingston County), Ron Moshier (Utica), Justin Rodriguez (Middletown), Dean Russin (Oneonta), Dave Shea (Ogdensburg), Will Springstead (Glens Falls), Kevin Stevens (Binghamton) and Josh Thomson (Westchester/Rockland).

   Extra points: Dobbs Ferry’s Brendan Wortner broke a school record last weekend that had stood for 31 years. The senior won the 3,200 meters at the Somers Lions Club Invitational in 9:27.3, which was 3.4 seconds faster than the old mark.

   Speaking of downstate track, this weekend's Loucks Games at White Plains will attract record numbers: 221 schools and 2,955 athletes -- including six athletes from Winnipeg.