In an effort to clarify the waters muddied by John Henderson’s article last week regarding the state of Colorado high school basketball, some clarification is due the reading public.
Some things to consider:
* Colorado high school girls basketball is as strong as it has been; the number of Division I prospects our schools have produced has exceeded many states with larger populations.
* Colorado prep boys teams have had their share of players move on to the higher ranks.
In reading comments from Dale Layer and Mark Randall, there seems to be an indication college coaches in our state would rather look elsewhere for talent. However, Matt Bouldin (Gonzaga), Nick Fazekas (Nevada), Sean Ogirri (Wyoming) and, this year, Reggie Jackson (Boston College) have elected to attend out of state, so other institutions are discovering talent here.
Attendance at basketball championships has enjoyed resurgence the past 5 years, so the prep fan is paying attention. Who cares about the recruiting guru who charges kids to get on his list or the college coach who doesn’t care enough to get out to see our kids?
Mr. Henderson seems to equate a Division I scholarship with success in high school. In Colorado, a high school education is the focus, and sports are just another way to keep that student engaged in the ultimate goal — to graduate.
Bert Borgmann, Assistant commissioner, Colorado High School Activities Association
