A little embarrassing!!!

[Todd Shapiro]

I just got home from the Lakewood-Solon volleyball game at Solon. When i walked in the gym about 15 minutes before game time ( after the JV match had already been played) I ran into an administrator from Solon who I know from previous experiences and he said to me, "I think your the only person here from Lakewood!" Now, of course he may have been mistaken and there may have been a couple of other Lakewood supporters there, but I did not see any myself either. For everyone who pretends to care about their community, and care about their schools maybe they should show it with actions and not just words. (not to mention the fact that I am quiet sure every girl on that JV and Varsity volleyball team has at least 1 parent)
When we hear stories about high school students doing wrong everyone throws up their hands and wonders what went wrong. Well maybe if as a community we supported the student-athletes who are out doing the right thing we would have to deal with as many doing the wrong thing.
Some people like to say that Lakewood has a small town feel to it, things like this really make me say BS to that. I have been around high schools sports for almost 20 years and small towns and communities that have that "small town feel" support their student-athletes!

[John Walsh]

I'm not exactly certain what your relation is to the LHS Volleyball team but I may suggest that before you go off on every parent who has a daughter playing volleyball you may wish to get your facts straight.

Apparently there was not a large turnout in Solon tonight (according to you) but did you ever consider for a moment that people might have a job? My daughter is on the Freshmen team and their games start at 4:30. Do you have a job that you can leave at 3:30 to make a 4:30 game in Solon? Ever try to travel from Lakewood to Solon on a weeknight? This season has taken the teams to Cuyahoga Falls, Nordonia, Stow and other distant locations which frankly are tough to get to on weeknights. Incidentally, the home games have 60-80% attendance from parents for all three levels and games in Strongsville and other closer locales have been well represented.

Did you know that those horrible parents provide dinner at home games for the Freshmen, JV and Varsity teams. Not one home game.... EVERY home game. Did you know that these awful examples are also part of one of the best Athletic Booster programs in the area, volunteering their time and providing tens thousands of dollars for a myriad of things including uniforms, trips, etc. I also have a son on the Cross Country team and virtually every parent is there for every meet, and yes it does help that the meets are on Saturday.

The only thing I really see as "embarrassing" as you put it is your blanket indictment on the parents of LHS student athletes after your attendance at one volleyball game. Perhaps you may wish to rethink your comments, we care about our community and to think that one volleyball turnout 30 miles away shows otherwise is the only BS I see.

[Todd Shapiro]

I was there to cover the match and write as story for the next issue of the Lakewood Observer. And In my life I have worked for three newspapers other than the Observer as well as being an official for the sports of field hockey and lacrosse and an ex-official for the sports of volleyball, football, baseball and softball. So I probably see close to 100 high school or junior high school sporting events a year!!! AND I also worked at a high school for two years! Those are my credentials in the high school sports world.

I am not calling anyone a bad parent or a bad person. You also don't have to be a parent to attend a varsity high school sporting event. Where is the community support for the team, where are the alumni, classmates, faculty, staff or anyone who wishes to cheer on a team that represents Lakewood High School and the Lakewood Community.

All I can do is call it like I see it, other than Cleveland public school sporting events (which sometime begin as early as 2:45 pm) it is rare to see such light parental, community, school support for a varsity sports program.

Maybe you think it's none of my business but as one who has been around sports for many years I know how hard ALL student-athletes work at their chosen sports and i think ALL teams that wear the Lakewood uniform ( or any other school's uniform for that matter ) deserve support.

[Corey Rossen]

Todd,

Sign me up for your car pool, that would be the "community" thing to do. Complaining is great, we can hear you, action is another--yours included.

Corey

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

My girlfriend plays for Rocky River, and although there aren't as many students in the stands compared to Lakewood HOME games (or even the away ones), there are a lot more parents.

I know my girlfriends parents did not miss a single game of hers in the previous years. Straight from work to the high school...

As far as questioning the students school spirit, I wouldn't go that far.