The district athletic director is taking immediate action to address unsportsmanlike conduct that occurred during a basketball game
This apology appeared Tuesday night on Instagram
POTTSTOWN PA – Throughout the fall football season, the Pottsgrove High School student cheering section – like the Falcons team itself – won the admiration of its counterparts in the Pioneer Athletic League. The group was colorful, boisterous, enthusiastic, fun. It also was respected for all those qualities, even by members of the district Board of School Directors, which during one meeting publicly praised students’ good behavior.
It apparently was not the same student cheering section, according to more than 60 e-mails and comments Wednesday (Dec. 12, 2012) on social media platforms, that turned out for Tuesday night’s (Dec. 11) basketball game between Pottsgrove and Pope John Paul II. Several in that group, spectators reported, loudly and repeatedly taunted opposing players, made rude remarks, and were otherwise unsportsmanlike.
The nature of the jeers are known to The Post but will not be published because of their offensiveness. Later, they resulted in a student’s public apology.
The district has taken immediate steps to correct the problem, Athletic Director Gary DeRenzo said Wednesday evening. “We also received reports … about our students and their actions,” DeRenzo acknowledged. “We are very disappointed in the behavior of a few of our students, and are addressing the lack of sportsmanship and character from those individuals.”
“Our student section chanted something very mean and personal. And we made a girl cry from it,” one Pottsgrove student confessed on Twitter. “Of course it was horrible and not the best move on Pottsgrove’s part.”
“Pottsgrovians always say Pottstown is so bad, but look what y’all did tonight,” a second added.
“Yo, Pottsgrove High School is harsh these days,” a third chipped in.
Cell phone messengers responded from the other side of the court, too. “Way to go, Pottsgrove. You reached an all-time low with that one,” one PJPII watcher replied.
A number of students singled out for unseemly behavior have already heard personally from school officials, DeRenzo said. He also met with Pottsgrove’s security service “and outlined the expectations we (have) here at Pottsgrove and will enforce at each of our home games.” In coming days, he added, “I intend to make contact with each of my fellow athletic directors and make sure we are all on the same page as far as spectator decorum.”
“We take great pride in good sportsmanship and good character,” DeRenzo noted. “It appears that (Tuesday) night, some of our students had a lapse in judgment in that area. We will be diligent as we move forward making sure all of our spectators understand there is no place for any derogatory behavior at any scholastic event. On behalf of the Pottsgrove community, I apologize for our students and can assure all that we will address good sportsmanship.”
Perhaps the more important apology, though, came from a Pottsgrove student, published late Tuesday night on Instagram.
“I’m sorry for starting that chant,” he wrote. “People were talking about it and I decided to be the one to do it. I don’t know why. It was rude and immature. I don’t even know the girl or the real story behind it. No one deserves to have a whole group of people disrespecting her. I realized it was wrong. If I knew the girl, I’d apologize personally. Again, I’m sorry.”
Editor’s note: this story was re-edited Thursday at 11 a.m. to remove perceived discrepancies and errors.
First of all the game was at PJP high school and it was the guys game. Second of all, we didn’t taunt any players at all. Their student section taunted at least 4 of our players throughout the whole game. This doesn’t justify the offensive chant but you’re making it seem like we were bad that whole game. It was one chant that lasted 10 seconds, we shouldn’t have done it. We are still very sorry for the chant.
Dear Anonymous: Thanks for your comment. We’re not familiar with what may have happened during the boys game Tuesday at PJP in Royersford. Our story is about the girls game against PJP that occurred Tuesday night in Pottsgrove’s gym, and which PJP won 61-36.
We’re nonetheless happy that you, too, are apologetic about whatever poor conduct occurred, no matter how briefly, during any game. The point is simple: Pottsgrove should be waaaaaay better than that. We should be above making taunts, insults, or derogatory remarks, no matter who else makes them to us. We may think Pottsgrove is terrific, but what we think frankly doesn’t matter. What does matter is how we as adults and students represent our school and district to those outside our community. More often than not, we do pretty well. Let’s work to keep it that way.
Thanks, again, for offering your thoughts. Have a great holiday.
We understand that completely. We’re looking to make the season better from here on out. Our whole student section regrets what happened and we won’t do it again. Thanks, and you have a great holiday too.
The chant that made the PJP girl cry was chanted during the guys basketball game Tuesday night. I was in the student section that night and I am very upset how people are coming at the Pottsgrove student section for being immoral and wrong, when the PJP student section did the same exact thing to our players. This would of been different if one of our players, who they were making fun of, cried and left the court. All I am saying is that this isn’t just a one sided story but it should be addressed to the entire PAC-10 and they’re student sections.
Dear Anonymous No. 2:
Because we’ve received conflicting reports about the location of the incident – several e-mails refer to our story as “accurate;” commenters here say that’s not the case – we have modified it. We’re not above apologizing either. If we were incorrect in citing the location, we’re sorry.
And you’re absolutely correct, this is not a one-sided story. Note, please, the comments made by Mr. DeRenzo. He said he intends “to make contact with each of my fellow athletic directors and make sure we are all on the same page as far as spectator decorum.” That’s a pretty powerful statement from a man well-known for keeping his word. We’ll bet that, within the next week, student sections throughout the league get the message. Mr. DeRenzo referred to the incident as a “lapse in judgment.” It’s one we can all learn from.
Great comment; thanks for making it, and for your correction.
I agree with the first person to comment. What you are describing in that article is what happened at the boys game at PJP high school in Royersford. They other student section was being rude and made fun of our players appearence, and mistakes, howvever, what we did crossed the line and was completely uncalled for. Not one player left the game because we were not taunting any players. Pottsgrove student section attended the boys game, not the girls game at pottsgrove. Please post accurate things before making pottsgrove look worse than we already have on our own.
Dear Anonymous No. 3:
You’ve already acknowledged what’s important: “what we did crossed the line and was completely uncalled for.” What makes Tuesday regrettable is the fact that the student section was considered outstanding, by almost everybody, for its conduct and control during the fall. It was rowdy but not rude, and The Post was among its biggest fans! See:
http://sanatogapost.com/2012/10/01/veterans-falcons-big-winners-in-fridays-big-game/
http://sanatogapost.com/2012/09/22/hallowed-happy-haunting-3-views-from-fridays-game/
http://sanatogapost.com/2012/09/17/pottsgrove-excitement-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/
http://sanatogapost.com/2012/09/10/more-than-a-game-fridays-show-a-spirited-display/
http://sanatogapost.com/2012/09/01/50046/
You’ve made excellent points here, and we appreciate both for your comment and correction. We’re confident this will be seen as an isolated incident compared to the remaining year. Thanks very much for taking the time to write.
Maybe we should write an article on how 40 PJP kids were waiting outside of their school for ONE pottsgrove kid, trying to fight him.
Would that really solve anything? Let’s learn from the experience and move on.
Please do not let this ruin our reputation as a student section forever. It was one bad thing. We will come back from this and regain the support that we once had.
We agree!