[Rooster Cogburn]

http://www.wset.com/story/25671839/lca- ... ainst-vhsl

Lynchburg, VA (June 2, 2014) Today, Liberty Christian Academy filed a federal lawsuit to force the Virginia High School League to end its illegal group boycott of non-public schools. LCA is currently prohibited from participating in the VHSL playoff system and faces a rules scheme designed to prevent public schools from competing with private schools like LCA in athletic events, a scheme which violates antitrust laws.

[bluejacket]

Will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out for the Bulldogs.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Another article. I think the VHSL quote should say Public not Private. oops.

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/liberty ... um=twitter

Lynchburg's Liberty Christian Academy filed a federal lawsuit against the Virginia High School League on Monday, citing that the league "end its illegal boycott of non-public schools."

"We are a private school only association," VHSL Information and Communications Specialist Mike McCall said when reached by phone Monday afternoon.

I personal think LCA wins this. But who knows.

[alabama24]

If LCA wins, how long till Liberty sues the NCAA? lol

[Sly Fox]

I expect what happened down here in Texas a few years back when a settlement led to very specific rule changes that allowed a few private schools to enter under VERY specific circumstances that the plaintiff can achieve. Here in Texas in resulted in a whopping two schools to be added to the public school league that just happened to be the plaintiffs in a lawsuit. I could see a similar pattern which would lead to LCA beign limited in their recruiting outside of the immediate attendance zone(s).

[Cider Jim]

According to WSET's Dennis Carter, a New York law firm was hired to represent LCA.

[Purple Haize]

According to WSET's Dennis Carter, a New York law firm was hired to represent LCA.

What? Isn't Liberty Council in the same building as LCA

Seems like it would be better for LCA to continue to go get players from wherever they desire, and continue to win state titles. Both of those things will end if they have to play by VHSL rules.

Agreed. They will have a whole new set of guidelines that they are not used to.


Plus, I think this is all just about football

[jlread]

If it works out that LCA wins, wouldn't that increase the probability of a few higher quality recruits to Liberty every year??

[olldflame]

If it works out that LCA wins, wouldn't that increase the probability of a few higher quality recruits to Liberty every year??

I wouldn't think so. Under pretty much any scenario, "winning" (being able to play public schools) will mean not being able to recruit outside the immediate area. An example of a player who they could not have recruited under those rules would be Tanner Hartman, who went to LCA even though his parents lived in Christiansburg.

The other element is the simple fact that with all the success LCA has had, especially in football, it has been far from a "pipeline" of athletes coming to LU. Most of the studs from LCA have signed with FBS teams, and why wouldn't they? Grant Jones was probably the most highly sought after LCA kid to sign with us out of HS, and he hasn't exactly set the world on fire as a college player. Des Rice was not as highly rated, but has done well enough that a 5 star and a 3 star recruit couldn't beat him out last year. The best news there is that it seems that a fair number of the top LCA players who go "big-time" become disenchanted and end up at LU anyway after a year or 2.

[R i]

Players who can go to a private school on scholarship are not on an even playing field with a kid that goes to public school. LCA is barking up the wrong tree.

[prototype]

I think you all are looking at this wrong. IMO. They don't have to recruit, people seek them out and wouldn't be restricted to taking in anyone. They just want to prove themselves against the big boys and think if they can complete with them - it will push their program up even further. Also would mean bigger crowds at home and less traveling.

[Purple Haize]

Several States have Private schools as a part of the Associations, so looking how they work it will help.
Several Public schools already play LCA in every sport but football, so this is strictly, not surprisingly, a football move. I know one GBB team that wanted to play them for years
There is so much bad blood out there in regards to LCA Athletics, even a court ruling may not help. I would imagine any 'victory' in the courts would only compel teams in their District to play them in the Playoffs. It would be difficult to regulate who they play in the regular season

[R i]

I think you all are looking at this wrong. IMO. They don't have to recruit, people seek them out and wouldn't be restricted to taking in anyone. They just want to prove themselves against the big boys and think if they can complete with them - it will push their program up even further. Also would mean bigger crowds at home and less traveling.

Im not sure how they operate now, but they use to give scholorship. That is recruiting.

[Rooster Cogburn]

LCA's lawyer was just on WIQO Radio, and he said:
-Virginia is only 1 of 3 states that do not allow Private schools to enter into the state public school league
-LCA is totally willing to negotiate terms and abide by the same rules as all the other schools.
-LCA does not give athletic scholarships, only need based. Also, Public Schools are free so need scollies would only level that playing field.
-LCA does not recruit. In Virginia students are allowed to transfer to any school rather easily.

[rogers3]

LCA's lawyer was just on WIQO Radio, and he said:
-Virginia is only 1 of 3 states that do not allow Private schools to enter into the state public school league
-LCA is totally willing to negotiate terms and abide by the same rules as all the other schools.
-LCA does not give athletic scholarships, only need based. Also, Public Schools are free so need scollies would only level that playing field.
-LCA does not recruit. In Virginia students are allowed to transfer to any school rather easily.

I wonder what the ratio of need is between athletes and local students who simply want to get into a different environment. There are plenty of players on LCA's football team that have gotten these "need" based scholarships, and some from other states. Sounds to me like a program that will really look for the needs if the athlete is good enough. LCA does not play on a level field, no matter how you cut it. Even when I attended, LCA cherry-picked players from other schools, but not nearly to the level that it does now.

[ATrain]

When I was at LCA, they brought in basketball players from Estonia. Granted, that was 10+ years ago now (EEEEEK - that makes me feel old), but I'm not sure I buy the whole "We don't recruit," line.

[Kolzilla41]

I think you all are looking at this wrong. IMO. They don't have to recruit, people seek them out and wouldn't be restricted to taking in anyone. They just want to prove themselves against the big boys and think if they can complete with them - it will push their program up even further. Also would mean bigger crowds at home and less traveling.

Im not sure how they operate now, but they use to give scholorship. That is recruiting.

This is no different for academically gifted students who need help paying for school. People move their families or even pay to bus their kids to different school districts for this reason, all of the time. I don't understand what the difference is between that and what LCA is attempting to do. If a kid wanted to go to play for Brookville, it can happen pretty easily.

[TH Spangler]

If this happens quickly and Carlisle jumps look for a couple of state BB championships for them.



http://youtu.be/BDZaJFd4aSk

[Purple Haize]

LCA's lawyer was just on WIQO Radio, and he said:
-Virginia is only 1 of 3 states that do not allow Private schools to enter into the state public school league
-LCA is totally willing to negotiate terms and abide by the same rules as all the other schools.
-LCA does not give athletic scholarships, only need based. Also, Public Schools are free so need scollies would only level that playing field.
-LCA does not recruit. In Virginia students are allowed to transfer to any school rather easily.

''Need Based" is going to be an issue. Say, The star RB from Glass, is having 'difficulties' at that school. He wants to play at LCA but parents can't afford it. Viola! Need based student.
And transferring is not as easy as you think and does have several stipulations.
The Public Schools Are Free argument is weak. The parents willingly (for the most part) forgoe this ' free education' for something 'better'. Theoretically that is spiritual or academic based.

[R i]

LCA's lawyer was just on WIQO Radio, and he said:
-Virginia is only 1 of 3 states that do not allow Private schools to enter into the state public school league
-LCA is totally willing to negotiate terms and abide by the same rules as all the other schools.
-LCA does not give athletic scholarships, only need based. Also, Public Schools are free so need scollies would only level that playing field.
-LCA does not recruit. In Virginia students are allowed to transfer to any school rather easily.

They gave need based scholarships to kids who happened to be able to ball.
When I was in highschool, we were pretty competitive with their JV teams, and their lithuanian heavy Varsity team plowed through us. Hard to say they didnt recruit.

[Hold My Own]

I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV but couldn't "need" be based on income level? If so, how would this be different than the reduced lunch program that a very high percent of students receive in certain VHSL school systems? Could the same criteria be used as the baseline for need based scholarships? I would think there's a strong case to be made...

Also to the comment from RI. I think it's important to differentiate the difference between giving a scholarship and recruiting. By definition recruiting would be going out and finding athletes, whereas giving a scholarship to an athlete that comes to you based on need would simply be a student benefit. I know I'm splitting hairs here but I think it's worth mentioning because it's a stigma that has stuck with LCA over the years but not for anything recent or under his leadership.

When I was attending LCA I would say that we did participate in some recruitment...but once Rocco took over the recruitment ended. Sure that's because most of the quality athletes interested in changing schools approached him, but he would also take the time to notify the opposing coach to let them know one of their athletes expressed interest. I think it's also important to note the difference because you can stop need based scholarships pretty easily whereas recruiting is more of a gray area can't really be stopped. He's hardly out there poaching athletes.

[lynchburgwildcats]

LCA's lawyer was just on WIQO Radio, and he said:
-Virginia is only 1 of 3 states that do not allow Private schools to enter into the state public school league
-LCA is totally willing to negotiate terms and abide by the same rules as all the other schools.
-LCA does not give athletic scholarships, only need based. Also, Public Schools are free so need scollies would only level that playing field.
-LCA does not recruit. In Virginia students are allowed to transfer to any school rather easily.

That last line is 100%, unadulterated, BS and anyone that believes that is as naive as a newborn baby.

[Dr. Sheh]

LCA's lawyer was just on WIQO Radio, and he said:
-Virginia is only 1 of 3 states that do not allow Private schools to enter into the state public school league
-LCA is totally willing to negotiate terms and abide by the same rules as all the other schools.
-LCA does not give athletic scholarships, only need based. Also, Public Schools are free so need scollies would only level that playing field.
-LCA does not recruit. In Virginia students are allowed to transfer to any school rather easily.

That last line is 100%, unadulterated, BS and anyone that believes that is as naive as a newborn baby.

I was going to say something about that line but you said it better than I would have. Well done sir I'll admit I don't know the details of the lawsuit and how public schools deal with recruitment. However, part of the problem seems that it would be very tough to regulate this type of thing b/c LCA is a private school and their attendance is not based on geography like public schools are. Would the VHSL just be taking LCA's word that they don't recruit or is there any oversight or investigation to make sure they would be in compliance?

I also find it hard to believe that LCA has not been recruiting. When I was in high school we played LCA in basketball and got absolutely curbstomped by their Lithuanians in the mid 2000's. I'm sure they left Lithuania, just happened to relocate to Lynchburg , enrolled in LCA for academics and just happened to play basketball basketball with no prior contact from the coaches there

[TH Spangler]

IF I pay to send my kid to LCA and pay taxes to cover the public schools (that I don't use) my kid should be eligible for VHSL competition? That way I get a little something for the tax money.

[JakeP50]

That's a different way of looking at this whole thing. I would say yes they should be able to, unless there's something else affecting their eligibility in the VSHL, like playing for a public school team in the a different "school zone" .