Post by Charity on Jun 18, 2005 13:58:01 GMT -5
By JOSH HINES, Sports Writer
OSWEGO - The opportunity for local home-schooled students to participate in competitive athletics is now a possibility through the efforts of local families who formed the Lake Effect Homeschool Athletic Association.
The LEHAA, whose sports teams are nicknamed the Royals, formed last summer after the Southwest Christian School dropped its homeschooling program. The home-schooled students participated in a Friday program that allowed them to enjoy extracurricular activities, including athletics, said John O'Brien, an LEHAA representative and coach.
The families of the home-schooled students pulled together and hoped to form an athletic association so their children could at least scrimmage the Southwest Christian School, O'Brien said. But once the LEHAA formed, it was asked to join the Empire State Christian Athletic League, which is composed of small Christian schools. The LEHAA officially joined ESCAL on Aug. 16.
"Prior to Aug. 16, we were just a bunch of families pulling ourselves together to provide some kind of scrimmage competition for our kids," O'Brien said.
ESCAL sponsors four sports seasons - soccer, basketball, volleyball, and track. Soccer is held in the fall, followed by basketball in the winter, volleyball in the spring, and track in May. Each sport has junior and senior teams. O'Brien said about 60-65 Royals athletes participated in the athletic program last year.
The Royals' soccer games are played near Griffins' Greens golf course off of Route 104A. Basketball and volleyball games are held at Calvary Baptist Church in Fair Haven. The track team has its seasonal meet at Cortland High school. All games are conducted by paid officials, O'Brien said.
The newly founded association has opened the door for many other home-schooled students to participate in athletics. Most athletes who play for the Royals come from the Oswego, Fulton, and Hannibal communities. But some come from areas as far ranging as Pulaski and Wolcott.
"This has provided an athletic association for them to compete through," O'Brien said. "It's been a plus for the rest of the homeschool community."
In their first year competing in the ESCAL track meet in May, the Royals captured first-place finishes in all four divisions of competition - junior boys, junior girls, senior girls, and senior boys.
MVP awards were given to the athletes in each division who scored the most total points. Of the four MVP awards, three went to the Royals: Noah Schadt, junior boys; Jordana O'Brien, senior girls; and Kyle Schadt, senior boys.
The Royals are currently registering athletes for the fall soccer season. For more information on the LEHAA, contact O'Brien at 342-0302 (home), 430-2179 (cell), or jobrienosw@aol.com.
www.pall-times.com/articles/2005/06/18/sports/sports2.txt
OSWEGO - The opportunity for local home-schooled students to participate in competitive athletics is now a possibility through the efforts of local families who formed the Lake Effect Homeschool Athletic Association.
The LEHAA, whose sports teams are nicknamed the Royals, formed last summer after the Southwest Christian School dropped its homeschooling program. The home-schooled students participated in a Friday program that allowed them to enjoy extracurricular activities, including athletics, said John O'Brien, an LEHAA representative and coach.
The families of the home-schooled students pulled together and hoped to form an athletic association so their children could at least scrimmage the Southwest Christian School, O'Brien said. But once the LEHAA formed, it was asked to join the Empire State Christian Athletic League, which is composed of small Christian schools. The LEHAA officially joined ESCAL on Aug. 16.
"Prior to Aug. 16, we were just a bunch of families pulling ourselves together to provide some kind of scrimmage competition for our kids," O'Brien said.
ESCAL sponsors four sports seasons - soccer, basketball, volleyball, and track. Soccer is held in the fall, followed by basketball in the winter, volleyball in the spring, and track in May. Each sport has junior and senior teams. O'Brien said about 60-65 Royals athletes participated in the athletic program last year.
The Royals' soccer games are played near Griffins' Greens golf course off of Route 104A. Basketball and volleyball games are held at Calvary Baptist Church in Fair Haven. The track team has its seasonal meet at Cortland High school. All games are conducted by paid officials, O'Brien said.
The newly founded association has opened the door for many other home-schooled students to participate in athletics. Most athletes who play for the Royals come from the Oswego, Fulton, and Hannibal communities. But some come from areas as far ranging as Pulaski and Wolcott.
"This has provided an athletic association for them to compete through," O'Brien said. "It's been a plus for the rest of the homeschool community."
In their first year competing in the ESCAL track meet in May, the Royals captured first-place finishes in all four divisions of competition - junior boys, junior girls, senior girls, and senior boys.
MVP awards were given to the athletes in each division who scored the most total points. Of the four MVP awards, three went to the Royals: Noah Schadt, junior boys; Jordana O'Brien, senior girls; and Kyle Schadt, senior boys.
The Royals are currently registering athletes for the fall soccer season. For more information on the LEHAA, contact O'Brien at 342-0302 (home), 430-2179 (cell), or jobrienosw@aol.com.
www.pall-times.com/articles/2005/06/18/sports/sports2.txt