So, I Guess This Is Forced Retirement?
By Wyatt Earp | October 9, 2009
As most of you already know, I coach lacrosse at Northeast Catholic High School here in Philly. I played the sport in college, and have been coaching high school lax since 1992. This upcoming season would have been my 19th overall, and my 13th at North.
It appears that 13 is my unlucky number, as Northeast Catholic High School will be closing at the end of this school year.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has announced it is closing two long-standing high schools at the end of the school year.
Archdiocese officials said Northeast Catholic High School for Boys and Cardinal Dougherty High School will shut down at the conclusion of the 2009-2010 school year (June 2010).
According to officials, declining enrollment for each school is one of the main reasons for the closures. Northeast Catholic’s enrollment has declined more than 29 percent over the last 10 years and it is projected to drop by an additional 24 percent over the next three years.
Northeast Catholic, which is located on Torresdale Avenue, opened in 1926. (H/T – CBS3)
A tradition of educational excellence for 84 years. Gone is an instant. Damn.
I feel badly for the students who are stuck looking for a new school next year, as well as the teachers and administrators, who now must look for work elsewhere. As for me, I am lucky that coaching lacrosse was my part-time job. The “forced retirement” will probably be just that: retirement.
I’ve been involved in this most wonderful sport for 23 years as a player and a coach. At 41 – the age I’ll be when our season is over in June – I’m a little too old to search for another coaching gig. To be honest, it’ll be nice to take a break. Kyle is still playing, and Erik can start playing this spring if he likes, so while I won’t be coaching per se, I can still enjoy the game.
In the meantime, I’ll coach this season like it is my last – because it most likely will be. Hell, I’ve been doing this for nearly a quarter of a century, and almost every minute of it has been pure joy. Luke, the man I coach with, mentioned something pretty cool to me this morning, though. He and I are the only lacrosse coaches who have been at North Catholic from the beginning of the program to the end.
That has to count for something, right?
Topics: Lacrosse | 12 Comments »
October 9th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
A true shame.
October 10th, 2009 at 12:04 am
The Catholic schools are abandoning the cities in favor of the suburbs as are the people. I guess they are following the population. Another sign that it’s over.
October 10th, 2009 at 1:07 am
I remember when I heard West Catholic (my alma mater) was closing and merging the two schools together. It was right after Cardinal Krol tried to shutter Roman Catholic and the alumni, the father’s club and many high-placed benefactors went crying to Krol to keep it open. They won. Nobody’s tried since,….
October 10th, 2009 at 6:28 am
As a Bonner Grad, circa 1960 I hate to see any Catholic schools and other private schools shutting down. The alternative system, the government schools, is mostly useless in terms of a real education.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:52 am
My Catholic HS, John A. Coleman in upstate NY, was shut down by the diocese.
They went private and stayed open
http://www.colemanlives.com/
It’s been a private, Catholic HS for at least around 10 years.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:52 am
RT – Agreed. Now, the only Catholic school between South Philly and the Far Northeast is Roman Catholic.
Captain – Oh, it’s over, alright. This city is doomed.
B.A. – The North Catholic alumni are very powerful, and believe it or not, they have stopped a closure for almost a decade now.
Ralph – At least in Philly it is. My wife was a Philly School District teacher before the kids came. She said it was a nightmare.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Veeshir – Wow, that’s pretty impressive. I wish these schools would try to make that happen.
October 10th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I came to see a flashy lady or two and find the finest in Philadelphia falling into failure. Stuggle on folks, that is what living is for, to stuggle on and get better! I like the going private, the city needs great schools — however they get them, they need good citizens, families, and such. When they go on the junk heap it is really ugly – Chicago never stood a chance of City of the Century. Sorry about the personal lose of coaching, but then you have your own small team in house – lead them to victory!
October 10th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Re: Philly School District teachers.
One of my wife’s oldest friends did 30 in the Philly public school system before retiring to the far suburbs.
We were in line at the supermarket behind a uniformed school district officer. When my wife said her friend had once been posted to Auden-Ried, he backed up a step and asked if she got combat pay.
October 10th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Many of the Catholic schools are closing in Nor Cal too. In small towns and in small cities, we have no big cities. The one about 50 miles south of here had been open for over 100 years.
October 10th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
yes, I do know how to spell struggle – but I messed it up the same way twice – I am consistent.
October 12th, 2009 at 1:09 am
This is, sadly, a trend. When I was in high school in upstate Pa., there were 11 Catholic high schools (10 coed, 1 all-girls) in Luzerne County (Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area). Now, there is one. In Scranton/Lackawanna County, there were 9 (8 coed, 1 all-girls). Now, there are two — only one diocesan (the other is Scranton Prep, run through the Jesuit U of S). Granted, if you took the total enrollment of all of those schools, it might not have equalled the enrollment at Dougherty at that time. Still, it’s a shame.