LCA's official position

[westsider]

From Lexington Christian coach Paul Rains, on the football coaches' list server:

 

I wrestled with whether I should send this email to just my close coaching friends or to the entire football list serve. To make sure I don’t forget anyone that may have concerns or questions, I chose to do the list serve. My skin is pretty tough after 25 years of coaching as is most yours so I can live with talk around town and even across the state; my family struggles more with the talk and accusations than I do. My conscience is clear since I have done no wrong, I do not write this to start a private – public forum on the list serve, since that is not is not the list serves purpose or this letters. I hate it when we get into discussion via email rather than forums such as bluegrass preps. I just wanted to send a personal note of apology and clarification to all the football coaches in the state.

 

As most of the state knows LCA has taken a blow to the image that we wish to portray through out the state. As you can see below on our insignia we encourage our players and coaches to “Be the Light”, and we strive daily to do things both on and off the field the right way and a way that would glorify our Lord. A man’s code of conduct is a building block that I teach our player’s everyday, it would be very hypocritical on my part to go out and blatantly break such an important rule as recruiting. We are a Christian school, first and foremost, we all make mistakes and fall short daily, however at no time in my career have I ever strived more to do the right thing and set a good example.

 

A year ago we had a disgruntled parent turn in multiple accusations into the KHSAA on our athletic programs, some of these allegations dated back 8 and 9 years, most were totally bogus, outlandish rumors, and laughable. Although most of the allegations had no merit what so ever, however a few did conflict with KHSAA bylaws. These infractions were made in an effort by some parents and others to help a student whose father had just lost his job and was having financial difficulties, the parent’s only intent was charity for a tough situation. During the investigation process we also found that a national funding source for minority students that comes from outside the school also conflicted with KHSAA bylaws, we do not agree with this however we understand and have since stopped all such fund for minority athletes. The article in Lexington Herald made a comment that we had 16 or 18 students receive funding from this source; however, to the best of my knowledge LCA has only had 12 minority athletes in the history of the school in all sports. I believe that reference should have been written as 16 of 18 incidents with same athletes.

 

Bottom line - I know all of our coaches currently at this school very well and we do not recruit athletes, we never have and we never will in the future. That is not what this school is about. We are not out watching Jr. High games or AAU to see if we can find the latest great prospect, I do well to make it my own jr. high games. We often get enquiries from parents about sending their kids to a private Christian school, we tell them to go talk to admissions and they will tell you all you need to know. Do we have transfers? Of course, we don’t have a school district so every student who does not enroll here in kindergarten is a transfer from somewhere. We also have students who transfer out, the two best football players in this year’s senior class transferred to public schools after their freshmen year because of academic and financial difficulties. Both were LB’s, lettered, and would have been very valuable to us the last two years. In the playoffs this year we were forced us to play our kicker who was a former soccer player and had a whopping total of 4 months of football experience at MLB. Just like any other school we gain a few and lose a few and then we work with what we got.

 

We will continue to do things the right way; we are putting in measures to correct misunderstandings that our central office has made in the past in regard to financial aid. It would be real easy to say, we’ll just lay low and people will forget, but we all have issues we need to deal with and be proactive. We hope to be out in the front in resolving the public – private conflict and reach a compromise that is in the best interest of all student/athletes and high school sports in Kentucky. We want to win games and championships, but only if it is done the right way.

 

I am fully aware that this statement means absolutely nothing to many of you, to others it would not matter what is said, but to the ones who know me and are wondering what is going on, maybe in a brief form this will shed a little light on the problem we are dealing with in a positive manner as possible.

 

God Bless, and thank you for your time,

 

Coach Paul Rains

[JIM SEYMOUR # 85]

For what its worth - I thought this was a very good letter. I do not know any of the particulars or personalities. This letter made sense to me and I think a man (or woman) should be allowed to explain (if they so choose) their side of an issue. I for one thought it was a good job.

[72birdman]

Coach...I don't know you, I don't know the specifics of which you speak. I do appreciate the fact that you felt that you had to write the letter, but in my opinion, it seems unnecessary. Keep doing what you are doing. You clearly care about the kids and that is all that matters.:thumb:

[HHSDad]

Coach...I don't know you, I don't know the specifics of which you speak. I do appreciate the fact that you felt that you had to write the letter, but in my opinion, it seems unnecessary. Keep doing what you are doing. You clearly care about the kids and that is all that matters.:thumb:

For clarification, his letter is a result of this.

[divadawg]

I would like to express my appreciation to Coach Rains for taking the time to come on this forum and write his letter of explanation concerning the LCA issue that has been discussed for several days. Coach Rains is a class act...he used to coach here at Hazard and we all feel fortunate to have worked with him and count him as one of our friends. However, I feel that most of the anguish that has been expressed regarding this issue is not directed toward him or even LCA, specifically. Instead, it is the system that regulates high school sports that continues to cause ruffled feathers in so many bonnets. Until KHSAA decides to sit down and review the rules that govern public and private school in an attempt to find some form of equity between the two, there will cointinue to be complaints from both.

[theguru]

divadawg I want to clear up one thing. According to westsider this was posted on the list serve and then westsider posted it here. Coach Rains didn't come on the forum.

[divadawg]

Thanks for the clarification.

[crush56]

I can not believe that. What a save your butt letter. This man should show his athletes the true lesson to be learned here, be responsable for your actions and move on. The boo hoos about losing players is touching, but moot. Perhaps he misunderstood the rules but I think not, A school that lawyered up as fast as they did to pay the fine and squash any further investagation knows the rule well, too well. This was a calculated risk on the part of LCA, and at 13k it will payoff for them. If I hear that schools name in the next decade it will be to soon.

[Jeepman]

I like it when a man/woman comes forward and tells his/her side of the story and you don't read it in the local newspaper. I for one believe the man and hope him and his team the best of luck getting through this tough time. Thanks for telling your side.

[4chs]

I like it when a man/woman comes forward and tells his/her side of the story and you don't read it in the local newspaper. I for one believe the man and hope him and his team the best of luck getting through this tough time. Thanks for telling your side.

 

I concur with you, Coach Rains has always seemed to be a class act to me.

[AnswertheBell]

What I gather is that someone sought out minority athletes and gave them scholarships. Still the school and coach Rains does not agree that they should not recieve this, but will comply. This is the mind set of most in the private sector.

 

I don't know if the coach had anything to do with this and will not accuse him. However, someone in the system wanted to to get the athletes they needed and was doing it. Parents are not the scapegoat here, it was the administration or who ever was in charge of this department.

 

How many of the minority students were not athletes?

[Hit Catch Throw]

What I gather is that someone sought out minority athletes and gave them scholarships. Still the school and coach Rains does not agree that they should not recieve this, but will comply. This is the mind set of most in the private sector.

 

I don't know if the coach had anything to do with this and will not accuse him. However, someone in the system wanted to to get the athletes they needed and was doing it. Parents are not the scapegoat here, it was the administration or who ever was in charge of this department.

 

How many of the minority students were not athletes?

 

I would say there is more to this story. I would like to read KHSAA report of this matter.

[danky325]

What I gather is that someone sought out minority athletes and gave them scholarships. Still the school and coach Rains does not agree that they should not recieve this, but will comply. This is the mind set of most in the private sector.

 

I don't know if the coach had anything to do with this and will not accuse him. However, someone in the system wanted to to get the athletes they needed and was doing it. Parents are not the scapegoat here, it was the administration or who ever was in charge of this department.

 

How many of the minority students were not athletes?

 

Only seven individuals were athletes

[AnswertheBell]

Only seven individuals were athletes

 

Were not????

[danky325]

Were not????

 

were too