Catholic High Bear's bball coach Mark Cascio is apparently a bad coach

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Let me preface this by saying everyone told me that the 9th grade basketball team coach at Catholic was notorious for being influenced by money, power and alumni. I chose to not judge the situation or the coach before I got to know him and see it happen for myself. I guess we can set ourselves up for failure at times.

My son has played basketball since he was a very small child. This is the game that he loves above all others. He has played many sports but this is his main interest. He attended summer training, for which we were told was a requirement for any sport, we went to every open gym we could, participated in basketball camp and have sought out private coaching, other teams through aau and yboa for additional sources of information and styles of coaching and exposure.

Catholic approached him and asked him about playing for them. He started working out with the team prior to tryouts and loved it. Tryouts came and went and an email came to welcome him as a bear. How exciting right?! It was initially. This far into the season he has NEVER missed a practice, game or tournament. He is always on time and ready to work. We have dedicated our life to this even when other things may have been more important.

Since making the team I have noticed that there are many players who miss practices but still manage to start the game, players with questionable grades participate to the fullest, players stroll in late and unprepared and parents using their ties to get their children somewhere in life. There were 17 players on the team upon the start. One left to go to another school so that he could get more playing time. Three were suspended due to grades. So here we are down to 13. There are boys that NEVER see court time no matter what. It does not matter how many points we are up, how many lay ups missed, how many free throws unnetted, how many fouls, how may rebounds given away. The same 7-8 boys sit the bench each week, rallying their team and giving their full attention to the players out there. They fill the water bottles, cheer for their team mates, congratulate them when coming off the court, move to allow them to sit down, offer water etc. Then the boys that have played the entire game come to school the next day and talk about how tired they are and how much they had to play last night. Those that have sat the bench are asked how much they play and when they say they are not they are put down and told they must not be good or they do not deserve to play. During the practices they are divided up into the A team and B team and the Head coach gives zero time to those on B team.

I was promised my son would improve. I was promised that with that many boys they may not all play but would see something. As a whole this season those sitting the bench have received a total of 8 minutes or less some not even 1 minute of time. There are several players who have been allowed to play no matter what the stakes even if it means a loss and they could have rotated fresh players through.

Their are some parents who are allowed to sit in on closed practices even though we were all told that no parents are allowed. There are some players that were allowed to practice with the JV and Varsity teams over the summer to get better. Maybe if the company that I worked for was generous to the school on my behalf. Maybe if we were glorious financial benefactors to the athletic association and school. Maybe if I was a parent that could walk into the school office like I owned it. Maybe my son would have a better opportunity. Maybe if I sold my soul to get him playing time he would get to play. I really could not even tell you the last time I witnessed my son play. I could not tell you if his game has improved or not.

There are a few parents that have gloated about how their son has improved. Well i am here to say: well i guess he has. He gets opportunity to play the game and get time with a coach that would not have normally known if your son was present or not. I have almost reached a point to not show up at all and see if the coach noticed and how long and how many practices we could miss before he realized we were not present. My son was once a self assured go getter. He is a great kid. He has always been a great kid. Now he hates to go to practice. He has attempted to quit a few times. He has no direction and feels belittled by his efforts. The game he once loved is a bitter angry issue. He has just about lost all interest in it and does not wish to be associated with it.

On several occasions my son and the others have attempted to approach the coach and ask what more can they do? What does he not want or want him to do? What is required for more time and his response is always the same. Keep doing what you are doing. When we are in a tight game sometimes you may not play. Well I am here to tell you that in a tight game more of a rotation to keep guys fresh and keep plays improving would help. If my son never plays how will he ever know that you want and how to run the play. When he does play you scream at him like he should know. Well let me tell you... He does not know because he never receives your coaching and attention to detail your A team receives.

This is a sad day. My once happy, easy going, funny, smart, witty son has turned into a quiet, introverted, anxious person. If he quits he will never make another team. If he stops participating he will be shunned and not given any time. So in every effort to keep him high I always offer positive affirmation, ensure I do notice that he is engaged, compliment him on his support and hope that one day the coach will see that he has almost ruined a player that could have been an asset.

I cannot believe that all the things that were said are true and that I could be so ignorant to the fact that this was going to happen. Lesson learned.

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