EHS basketball story reached way too far
As an alumnus and former athlete at Elgin High School, I am so proud of the accomplishments of this year's basketball team.
I am, though, hopeful that no one will keep the March 8 article, "This team is winning much more than games."
I thought I was reading a police blotter on the history of firings, shootings, stabbings, murders and socio-economic problems just "east" of the three bridges crossing the Fox River.
This extensive history of crime served as background for Fitzpatrick to write "that good things can happen to residents east of the Fox Rivers," referencing the sectional basketball victory.
Brother, does this put pressure on these good, hard working Elgin High School athletes who should want to compete for themselves, their team and school.
Now, it appears these athletes were being pressured by an educator/coach, extensively quoted in the article about Elgin's "bad reputation" and encouraging the team "to take the east side, put them on your back and carry them."
Wow, maybe such pep talks to high school athletes could make for a ground-breaking study by a noted sociologist on urban problems and solutions
The sectional win was a great day in the lives of these athletes and Elgin High. Whatever it does contribute to the "east side," the west side or any other part of town is of no consequence to socioeconomic considerations or crime in the area which are expressed or implied in the article.
If there is any positive synergies for the community out of this team's performance, that will be great. But, to build an article around a police blotter analysis is corrosive journalism at its cheapest.
The writer continually implied the "east side" was a geographically unsafe area when that is not the case.
The sports department also might consider leaving the firings, shootings, stabbings, murders and socioeconomic problems to a more fitting area of the newspaper, not a high school sports page.
Larry Michelson
Elgin