volleyball

 The Buffalo News today reported a story in which reporter Maki Becker gives us some more detail on the New York State Public High School Athletic Association cuts as he interviewed executive director Nina Van Erk.

There wasn't a whole lot of information than what we have previously reported, but there are a couple of interesting items in the piece.

Van Erk says that it is expected that the cuts will save schools in the state up to $10 million, with nearly $6 million of that going to officiating fees.

The other thing that comes from this story is that the cuts are expected to be for two years.

The changes, which were approved by a slim majority late last month, would begin in the next school year and would remain in effect for two years, Van Erk told the paper.

This opens up some more questions.

Did Van Erk and the rest of the NYSPHSAA directors make these cuts for two years because it is a quick fix to help schools and families get through these difficult economic times?

Was it announced that the cuts are for two years because that is the original plan or because of all the backlash the NYSPHSAA has received from coaches and athletic directors?

And what happens after two years? Will these policies just continue or will they be reviewed again at that time, with the number of games being returned to the schedule?

Buffalo Public Schools athletic director David Thomas summed up what a lot of people are thinking when they hear this with his quote late in the story.

“I don’t think we should be worried about funding school budgets on the backs of the kids playing sports,” said Thomas told the paper.

Cutting the number of games might help school districts in the more remote areas of Western New York that require longer traveling distances, Thomas said, “but it doesn’t save it up here [in Buffalo], where we are trying to keep the kids off the streets and busy with school and athletics.”

The current schedule allows Buffalo athletes the opportunity to play in suburban areas and “to travel to some nice tournaments,” Thomas said. “Now we have to pull back on that.”

Thomas also questioned whether the cuts were really temporary. “When they take things away,” he said, “they don’t often come back.”

 The cuts made by the NYSPHSAA this week are upsetting a lot of people. 

I went through the details of the cuts yesterday and the one that is upsetting the most is the cuts in amount of games being played.

5. Support the reduction of the maximum number of contests permitted during the regular season. Sports with 24 contests will be reduced to 20, sports with 20 contests will be reduced to 18 and sports with 18 contests will be reduced to 16. Wrestling will be reduced to 20 points. Football will be reduced from 10 to 9. The 9th game is permitted, with section approval, for teams who do not qualify for sectional play. For the teams involved in the sectional tournament the maximum number of contests shall be 10. For the sections involved in the state championship three additional games are permitted for a total of 13 games for the season: 1 game for regionals, 1 game for semifinals, and 1 game for championships. Effective for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. APPROVED

I know that coaches Mike Rapone of Notre Dame and Jim Burke of Prattsburgh were upset that if the cuts went through it would end the home-and-away tradition between the two programs.

The 500-plus win coaches were very much against cutting the number of games from 20 to 18.

But in John Moriello's blog today, he goes into more detail and has quotes from all over the state.

   Grand Island AD Jon Roth: "I really don’t know what two or four contests is going to do for anybody. I don’t think they should penalize the kids. I know cuts have to be made somewhere, but cutting games is not the answer.”

   Section 2 football chairman Gary VanDerzee: "In all honesty, football made out the best of all of them. It's just a horrible, horrible decision, made by people afraid to make the decision in their own (leagues or sections).

   Section 2 boys soccer chairman Jim Gillis: "I'm not surprised by this, but I think it is absurd. There are other things that could have been done state-wide, section-wide and league-wise that could have avoided cutting of games. Unfortunately, we weren't given that opportunity. We had no say in these moves."

   Section 2 baseball chairman Al Roy: "I know when we just had a baseball meeting, everyone felt this is something that leagues, sections and individual schools should address. This vote seems like a knee-jerk reaction."

 Section 4 interscholastic sports coordinator Ben Nelson: "I'm not really surprised they reduced the number of games, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me, or to most of the AD's (in Section 4)."

It is evident that these changes are upsetting to people all throughout the state, not just Section 5. The NYSPHSAA is taking away some great experiences that high school athletes could have. Next year, Notre Dame and Prattsburgh will probably not get a chance to play. That is a shame and not the only traditions that are going to die because of these cuts.

 The petition to try and save the Empire State Games doesn't mean a thing to the organizers of the games in Hudson Valley.

There are currently 3131 signatures on the online petition, but there will still be no summer games for area athletes to compete in.

But Alan Wechsler of The Times Union reports that the petition will not save the games:

The state has paid about $2.7 million per year to run the annual games, but balked this year due to budget problems. The $285 pays for entry fees, food and dorm rooms at colleges near the venues.

The petition is addressed to Gov. David Paterson and Carol Ash, commissioner of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and seeks to reverse the changes.

"The Summer Games as a whole entity brings in $10 to $15 Million to the local economy of the host city," the petition says. "At a cost to the state of only $2 million, we feel this is a very wise investment."

Local volunteers had even raised $300,000 to keep the games alive, but it that didn't matter to Hudson Valley either.

"That was very troublesome to all of the volunteers that were involved," said committee member Denise VanBuren of Poughkeepsie. "We felt unable to stage the games as we had committed."

The decision was made despite having raised about $300,000 from local sponsors. The petition wouldn't change their minds, she said.

A few weeks ago, we wrote about a petition out there to try and save the Empire State Games. The petition is growing and now has 3003 signatures. I signed it in hopes of saving the games, which have been a tremendous thing for a lot of people for three decades.

Messenger Post writer Mike Bailey jumps on board in the fight today and writes a very good column on the topic.

There will be no Empire State Games in 2009 as of right now, as state budget cuts are forcing the annual Olympic-style competition to the back burner. The word “unfortunate” is an understatement when it comes to this decision.

It’s more like a travesty. 

Apparently, I am not the only one who feels this way, and one woman, Arlene Feil, decided to do something about it. She has set up an online petition at www.petitiononline.com — a link also can be found on the wrestling site www.armdrag.com — aimed at New York Gov. David Paterson pleading with him to re-institute the games immediately.

Basically the letter states that events such as the games help stimulate the economy rather than hurt it, due to all the travel and expenses that athletes face over the course of the weekend. She says that the ESG generate $10 million to $15 million for the local economy of the host city and points out how much of that revenue is returned to the state.

It took me about a minute to sign the petition and if you are a supporter of local sports or giving kids a chance to compete during the summer, I would recommend spending a minute to sign the petition.

In John Moriello's blog today, he is talking money and sports. 

New York has already lost the Empire State Games as Hudson Valley said there was no way they could host the game this summer if athletes are going to be forced to play $300 each to participate and there will be cuts in some of the "smaller sports".

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association is also looking into cuts, a story that was broken on The Batavian. There is talks of regionalizing state games, eliminating the amount of games played in the regular season and post season for some sports and cutting down on the amount of champions in individual sports.

Moriello thinks that the NYSPHSAA is moving too fast:

More often, however, issues are resolved incrementally and painfully. Quick, easy fixes just do not exist.

   That's where the state of New York stands today. The economic downturn has shredded the economy, and elected officials in Albany face a deficit in excess of $15 billion in next year's budget. Among the casualties is the education budget, with proposed state aid being pared back considerably from what local school districts were anticipating when they started the annual planning process in the fall.

   And that has everything to do with why the executive committee of the state Public High School Athletic Association will vote on more than a dozen cost-cutting proposals at its quarterly meeting at the end of the week.

    The NYSPHSAA officials are trying to be proactive in dealing with financial issues. They rightly recognize that cuts are coming in virtually all aspects of the education budget and want to take the initiative in setting priorities and finding solutions lest someone not as well informed try doing it for them. That's their right, and I would even say it's their responsibility.

Moriello also talks about the cost of teams that travel to our border states for games. It is a good read, well worth checking out.

The Batavian has been all over the Empire State Games problems and recently wrote that the games scheduled to be in Hudson Valley were called off for financial reasons.

We had previously reported that there was plans to cut sports and start charging athletes up to $300 to compete. 

 There is currently an online petition that is being sent to Governor Patterson and Commissioner Ash, trying to bring the games back.

We, the undersigned, believe that canceling the Open, Scholastic and Masters divisions, the Senior Games and the Physically Challenged Games of the Empire State Games is something that needs to be reviewed. We believe that ALL divisions of the Summer Games and Winter Games, along with the entirety of the Senior Games and Games for the Physically Challenged should be reviewed on their merits and what they provide to New Yorkers. 

We have a very good understanding of the economic crisis New York State and the entire country are facing. However, we do not feel that the programs offered through the Empire State Games are a drain on the economy, rather we feel they help increase revenue in the regions where they are held, and they promote a healthy living style to ALL New Yorkers, some of the reasons for this follow. 

The Summer Games as a WHOLE entity brings in $10 to $15 Million to the local economy of the host city. The Winter Games brings in $1.5 Million to Lake Placid. If we add the $10 Million (low end) to the $1.5 million, the State tax on this comes to $460,000 directly back to the State in tax revenue. At a cost to the State of only $2 million, we feel this is a VERY wise investment. The Senior Games are Vital to the health of our maturing population and the Physically Challenged Games are the ONLY avenue these special kids have to participate in. In a time where you, yourself have shown interest in a healthy NY, what better way than these Games? The Masters division and the Senior Games already have a participation fee which should cover most if not all costs associated with their competition. Let the Scholastic, Open and Physically challenged kids continue to be assured a spot in these Games with no fee, to assure NO NEW YORKER IS LEFT OUT due to financial situation. 

In conclusion, we the undersigned, are not asking New York State to reinvest tax dollars in an event which is detrimental to the states long term (or short term) economic future, however, we are asking that someone looks at the WHOLE program called the Empire State Games and truly measures the economic impact these Games have on New York States overall economic plan as well as providing an opportunity for ALL New Yorkers to train and stay healthy. We do hope you will do the right thing here and re-institute these GREAT Games!!

It is great to see that there is a group out there trying save the ESG tradition. 155 people have signed the petition so far, and if you feel inclined to help keep our local athletes competing for Western New York, here is the link to sign the petition.

Byron-Bergen outside hitter Mary Cocking earned first team All-Greater Rochester honors, and it is well deserved.

Cocking had 345 kills this season to bring her career total to 1,061. She also had 315 digs to give her 788 in her career.

The three time Section 5 all-tournament all-star was a member of the three state title teams. She plans on attending Brockport to study nursing and play volleyball.

Again, the local small schools  had no second team selections, but here are the honorable mentions:

Genesee Region: Kayla Konieczy (Byron-Bergen), Krysta Lougheed (Byron-Bergen), Jessica George (Byron-Bergen), Mary McCormick (Byron-Bergen), Katie Boxler (Attica), Jackie Algier (Attica), Stephanie Maurer (Pembroke), Britt Morelli (Batavia Notre Dame), Liz Geandreau (Notre Dame), Courtney Turcer (Alexander), Sam Skyrp (Lyndonville), Megan Fahy (Lyndonville).

 Set your DVR or don't make plans for tomorrow night between 8 and 10 p.m.

Byron-Bergen grad Alyssa D'Errico and her Penn St. volleyball team will be playing in the national championship on ESPN2.

The Nittany Lions won the championship last year in D'Errico's freshman year. 

UPDATE: It looks like Penn St. will be playing Stanford, which just ended its match with Texas. It was a 20-25, 18-25, 25-15, 25-22, 15-13 comeback victory.

Byron-Bergen senior Mary Cocking ended her high school volleyball career with an All-state selection.

The outside hitter is a fourth-team selection in Class C and is the only local girl to receive all-state honors.

 Cocking is a four-time Genesee Region League all-star and ended her high school career with 1,061 kills, 788 digs and 309 aces. She was the MVP when the Bees won a sixth consecutive title in 2007 and was a member of the three state champion squads.

 I received an e-mail this morning from Donna Rae Sutherland at Genesee Community College. The Cougars have a great winning tradition and do it with a roster that features many local players. Coach Roger Majeski recently won his 800th career match.

If you want proof that Coach Roger Majeski has created a winning tradition at Genesee Community College, just step inside his office. Plaques, awards and medals adorn his office from his 21 years as head women's volleyball coach at Genesee. On September 27, Majeski led the Lady Cougars to score his 800th career win over Howard Community College.

Coach Majeski began his career at Genesee in 1986 as assistant coach and after only a year was named head women's volleyball coach. With 12 showings at the national tournament, he has maintained a powerful presence in the Western New York Athletic Conference. The Lady Cougars have won 17 conference titles, as well as winning 11 consecutive Region III championships.

Over the years, Majeski has not only led his team to numerous victories and titles, but has also been awarded many coaching honors. He received the Region III Coach of the Year nine times and the District Coach of the year 11 times. He has also received the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Coach of the Year three times, an award which was voted on by his coaching peers. Majeski is also ranked first among NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Division II coaches, as well as being ranked second overall among NJCAA Division I, II and III coaches.

Majeski has not only coached successful teams at Genesee, but has assisted his players to move on to Division I schools, be named All American Athletes, and even become professional volleyball players. He coached Marsha Miller '91 who played professional beach volleyball for the United States where she earned a silver medal in the 1999 Pan-American Games.

Stacy Koslosky, a former player for the Lady Cougars in the 2000 and 2001 seasons, believes Majeski isn't just your average coach. "What makes Roger a great coach is that he gets 'it'. Roger is the perfect blend of a technical trainer and a player's coach. He knows everything about volleyball and he easily communicates this to his players. Roger is a very intense leader and it's contagious for his team. He makes his players want to succeed and never settle for anything less than a win. Coach Majeski doesn't just want to win, he wants to win by 15 points."

The women's volleyball program at Genesee has become a well respected athletic program in the North East. Roger has been there for the victories and losses, both on and off the court. From the funny moments of traveling with his teams to various games, to the saddest moments when he lost a player during a home tournament, Majeski has been the solid rock within the program.

As a testament to Coach Majeski's long term concern for his players, 2007 marked the 10th anniversary of the Kaminna Allen Classic Women's Volleyball Tournament. Kaminna Allen was a member of the 1997 Lady Cougars volleyball team when she tragically died from a heart disorder while playing in the Cougar Classic Tournament. The tournament was renamed on her behalf and a scholarship fund was created in her honor. For more than ten years, proceeds from the tournament have supported the scholarship and the efforts of young women to improve their game - both on and off the court.

"The best part of my job is seeing the change in the students who come through my door," said Majeski. "Winning isn't always the greatest part of coaching. It's really satisfying seeing players who might not be the most talented transform into team motivators and leaders. When the light bulb turns on, and my athletes finally understand how I want them to play, that's a great feeling."

As for the future of the Genesee women's volleyball program, Majeski hopes to continue the winning tradition that has been set forth so many years before. He looks forward to maintaining the regional and national power that the Lady Cougars have been in the past, and someday maybe even winning the National Championship.

Majeski resides in West Henrietta, NY with his wife and children. Outside of his coaching job at Genesee, Roger enjoys officiating local volleyball games, as well as playing on an Empire State Master teams in which he has won 6 medals.

In Tuesday's Daily News sports, the Genesee Region League volleyball all-stars are featured on the front page.

Byron-Bergen won the GR title with a 21-2 record, but lost in the sectional finals to Nazareth.

The list of all-stars are

Katie Boxler (Attica), Mary Cocking (B-B), Meghan Fahy (Kendall), Jessica George (B-B), Krysta Lougheed (B-B), Stephanie Maurer (Pembroke), Mary McCormick (B-B), Brittany Morelli (Notre Dame), Kayla Konieczny (B-B), Jackie Algier (Attica), Liz Geandreau (Notre Dame), Samantha Skryp (Lyndonville) and Chelsea Turcer (Alexander).

The Coach of the Year was Kristen Partridge.

Kendall grad Christine Halter was named D'Youville Student Athlete of the Week after leading her team to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

Halter had a team-high five kills against top-ranked Juniata College,  concluding her stellar four-year varsity career. 

Halter is the school's all-time leader in games played (404), second in blocks (286) and third in kills (1,028).

D'Youville went 24-11 and won the North Eastern Athletic Conference championship this season.

Byron-Bergen product Alyssa D'Errico and her Penn St. volleyball squad just keep on winning.

The Nittany Lions have won 52 consecutive matches and are the defending national champions.

D'Errico is featured in a preview of the Ohio St. match, which was won by her squad. While a senior at Byron-Bergen, she received a phone call from coach Russ Rose after the last loss by Penn St. in the Big 10.

"It's kind of devastating to hear because you know the tradition to be the top team in Big Ten and play like you expect to win and play to win," D'Errico said of the phone conversation with Rose back in 2006. "It's kind of a mindset we have that we have to keep the tradition alive of not losing to [Big Ten] teams."

The Nittany Lions have a tough weekend coming up, playing games at No. 17 Illinois and No. 18 Purdue.

You would expect a game between a fourth and fifth seeded team to be close. That was the case in the Section 5 Class B playoffs Wednesday.

Katie Boxler led No. 4 Attica to a 25-18, 23-25, 24-26, 25-22, 25-19 victory over No. 5 Waterloo in quarterfinals action.

Boxler had 19 kills, nine aces and 16 assists in the marathon game as the Blue Devils improve to 15-5.

Margret Lefleur pitched in 11 kills and eight digs.

Waterloo ends up 10-10. 

Le Roy and Byron-Bergen both cruised to easy three set victories while Batavia was knocked out of the Class BB playoffs by Aquinas 27-25, 22-25, 21-25, 25-16, 23-25.

You can see the results of all of today's sectional volleyball action here.