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Northern Guilford stars might transfer to Oak Ridge

Saturday, August 1, 2009
(Updated 6:44 am)
By Tom Keller
Staff Writer

OAK RIDGE -- Oak Ridge Military Academy's bold hirings have caught the attention of the very students they're hoping to attract -- including a sizable chunk of Northern Guilford's 2008-09 basketball team.

Oak Ridge officials said at least five students inquired about transferring there Friday, one day after it announced the hiring of former Northern Guilford boys basketball coach Stan Kowalewski and athletics director Derrell Force.

Reginald Ponder, the consultant overseeing cash-strapped Oak Ridge's turnaround, said no new students were admitted Friday. A day earlier, he said the school hopes an improved athletics program will boost enrollment and financial health.

Kowalewski said four of those kids played for him at Northern last season -- Michael Neal, Jacob Lawson, Asad Lamot and Chris McCain.

Neal did not return a phone message Friday. McCain could not be reached for comment.

Lawson's family has returned to Caswell County. Asked by phone if Lawson planned to transfer to Oak Ridge, a woman identifying herself as his mother said "we don't know" before hanging up.

Lamot said he hasn't had any contact with Oak Ridge but is interested in transferring. He said several Northern teammates feel the same way.

"That makes a difference to me, knowing you're going to have somebody you can relate to and you've known for a while," he said.

The hiring of Kowalewski came two months after school system officials refused to renew his contract at Northern. The N.C. High School Athletic Association also stripped his team of its 3-A state title for using two ineligible players.

Ponder said the school began receiving inquiries from parents connected with Kowalewski and Force before this week's announcement.

It remains to be seen how many students can afford Oak Ridge's tuition, which ranges from $21,000 for full-time boarding students to $10,500 for day students. Fewer than 80 students are registered for fall classes, a huge drop from more than 300 in the late 1990s.

Ponder said the school has "very minimal" financial aid available from an annual gift from an alumni group. He said scholarship applications will be reviewed this weekend, but that no athletic-based aid exists.

"We're not treating these athletic students any differently than any other student here," he said. "These students will pretty much have to pay their own way. We aren't in a position to buy students or student-athletes."

Lamot said the tuition cost is "somewhat of a concern, but I think we can make it through that. It's not too much of a big deal."

Other questions remain unanswered.

Oak Ridge dropped out of both the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association and Triad Athletic Conference this summer. Ponder said the school will reapply for both, but "whether we're able to do that for this year remains to be seen."

It's also unclear what happened to the people Force and Kowalewski are replacing. Former AD Dan Carpinetti did not return a phone call Friday. His faculty profile has been removed from Oak Ridge's Web site.

Kowalewski said he spoke with Bob Lipke, who coached the Cadets boys basketball team last season, and is in negotiations for Lipke to help the program this season.

Alan Ashkinazy, owner of the Greensboro Batting Center and former Grimsley coach, said Force contacted him Friday afternoon to discuss coaching Oak Ridge's baseball team. Ashkinazy said he's interested in the job, but wants to know more about the program.

Force, who has not spoken publicly since his resignation in April, did not return phone calls Friday.

Lamot said with enough talent from Northern, the Oak Ridge basketball program can have the same kind of success as a larger school.

"Players will be more determined because of what happened," he said. "What happened at Northern? We can do a repeat."

 

Staff writers Robert Bell and Brian Ewing contributed to this story.

 

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@ news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

File photo (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Oak Ridge Military Academy

Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

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DaveW

August 1, 2009 - 9:55 am EDT

Oak Ridge is a private school and if Northern players want to pay tuition and attend there it is their choice.

dcolin

August 1, 2009 - 11:16 am EDT

Absolutely.

You and I finally agree on something.

Also it saves taxpayer money

Win Win.

dcolin

August 1, 2009 - 11:28 am EDT

"Lamot said"

Mr Keller come on you are not actually quoting high school kids are you.
Especially a kid that is making a high school education decision
based on where he plays basket ball.

Some of these kids have already gone to what two schools. This would
be a third.

I actually find the whole issue a giggle even if it is sad.

Education in America.
No Child Left Behind.
Follow the B Ball coach.
Just mull it over in your head.

redlink

August 1, 2009 - 3:18 pm EDT

I have been reading your comments about these kids from the start... NO.. It does not save the tax payers money. It cost us more because we still have ""stupid '" people running our schools and we still have all these extra people on the payroll that we don't need.. THE problem is to start with is MO GREEN that does not have any experence at running anything. less long GCS SYSTEM.. The whole system is overflowing with two many ""CHIEFS"" and their so called helpers that is breaking the budget... Another person is SHIRLEY MORRISON, Nobody knows what she is supposed to be doing, or what her job is.BUT she was out here running around trying to play detective. AND the countys attorney JILL WILSON.. IF she handles all the other schools bussiness like she did the investigation at Northern, everything has got to be a mess... I know 3 of these kids and their famailys personally and all they want is a first class education. AND all these kids have a high education standards..Basketball is second They just want a chance to get into a first rate college. People like you who THINK they know what's going and don't should BUTT OUT. THANK YOU

dcolin

August 1, 2009 - 4:35 pm EDT

I agree the school system is run by mental midgets.

But the Northern supporters say they supply a first class education.
With or without Stan and his B Ball.

However, I have little respect for people/parents that find B Ball so important that they will follow
the disgraced coach.

They can do as they please. And I can have my opinion as I please.

Oh,

Basketball is second They just want a chance to get into a first rate
college

So only B Ball players get into first rate college.

I got in and I could not make two layups in a row
Also you can excel without being on the team of ringers

Have a Blessed Day

redlink

August 1, 2009 - 11:44 pm EDT

HOW DID YOU GET IN????? BY BEING A MINORITY???????

redlink

August 1, 2009 - 3:39 pm EDT

ALSO.. LOOK FOR SOME NEW NAMES FOR ""SCHOOL BOARD"' WHEN IT IS ELECTION TIME.. WE NEED A LOT OF CHANGES.. TAX PAYERS ARE TIRED OF ALL THE WASTE..

dcolin

August 2, 2009 - 12:00 pm EDT

Not that it is relevent.

However no I am not a minority.
I came from a blue collar family that worked day and night and paid every damn dime.

How about you.

Been to college?

dcolin

August 2, 2009 - 2:56 pm EDT

Well,
You brought it up.
Not me

redlink

August 1, 2009 - 3:37 pm EDT

AND Talking about the ivestigation at Northern... They fired MR LAWSON because he would not lie and tell things he knew nothing about. They said he wouldn't corporate with the investigation.. How can someone tell something they know nothing about, UNLESS you lie and say what they (Shirley Morrison) wants you to say..They took the poor man downtown and put him in a room like a crimmal and questioned him for 4-5 hrs without food or drink. Not once but 3 times. NEVER DID UNDERSTAND THAT. What happened to this mans rights????. AND You question why these parents want a better education for their kids. AND IF BASKETBALL CAN GET IT FOR THEM. GREAT..Know what you are talking about before you comdem these parents and their kids.. THANK YOU

Funny You Should Say That

August 1, 2009 - 4:03 pm EDT

well well well.....another person here to 'protect and justify'. You protect the 'image' of the people involved with blatantly cheating and you 'justify' it by saying they want the best education available for their kids. You say the 'best education' was to go to a new school with NO TRACK RECORD at all of superior education? You say the 'best education' is one that 'basketball can get for them'?

1.Each of these kids had a home school they could have attended and gotten a FREE education without bending or breaking the NCHSAA rules or district rules. Why weren't they there?

2.Each of those kids have a perfect opportunity to be seen by college coaches and get that same scholarship they would receive by going to Northern and playing for Coach K. HE isn't going to get them their scholarship. They all play AAU, they all are seen by college coaches at the events, and colleges KNOW WHERE THE PLAYERS ARE......they will see these kids no matter what school they attend.

The fact is they cheated, they got caught, they paid the price. You fans trying to justify it just makes your program look worse. I hope every single one of those kids gets a scholarship and goes to school for free but I sure wish you would stop giving Coach K all the credit for it and I hope you realize that by following him to ORMA only makes the situation look just as bad if not worse than it did before.

Good luck to all the kids at Northern in their future endeavors. Shame on ORMA for making themselves look foolish and desperate.

dcolin

August 1, 2009 - 4:41 pm EDT

You are wasting your time.

You can never win an argument with idiots and or zealots
Take your pick.

I am not calling anyone an idiot. But absolutely zealots

Funny You Should Say That

August 1, 2009 - 5:51 pm EDT

I feel sorry for everyone involved in this tragedy but I don't really feel sorry for those that will go to their grave denying anything was going on wrong or was questionable at Northern.

ilvteaching

August 2, 2009 - 1:12 am EDT

I will go to my grave believing that the problems here were caused by the fact that a very popular AAU coach was allowed to coach high school ball, It was not against the rules at the time. Stan did not recruit; he didn't need to. But GCS fixed those problems with the new rules. In the meantime, three good men, Yeager. Force, and Lawson lost their jobs unfairly - and had their reputations ruined in the process.

but don't feel sorry for me because I believe that - feel sorry for them. They got Scre====. and feel really bad for the kids.

ilvteaching

August 1, 2009 - 4:08 pm EDT

Woohoo! I wish more people would speak about about what happened downtown.

Two other facts - Lawson is diabetic - no food or drink was a BIG deal.
Wilson then turned around and lied to the school board about Lawson's actions once he returned to school. Poor guy - I hope that he and he family are doing well.

Funny You Should Say That

August 1, 2009 - 5:50 pm EDT

and I feel bad for Mr Lawson if he actually was treated as you say. I hope he finds a better situation.

dcolin

August 1, 2009 - 4:38 pm EDT

I'm really confused.

First I thought that firing him was ridiculous.

However:

Why woulds he sit there for 4 hours.
Was he held against his will?

ilvteaching

August 1, 2009 - 5:14 pm EDT

"held against his will"? no, but he asked repeatedly for food and drink because of his sugar level and they would not bring him anything. He wanted to keep his job and tried to answer their questions to the best of his ability. But he was not treated kindly at all. Could he have walked out? I guess so - I don't really know.

dcolin

August 1, 2009 - 5:27 pm EDT

He should have got up and left.

Don't you think.
I don't agree with what they did if they did.
However he should have taken action.
Certainly if it concerns his health

Were you actually there to observe this.

ilvteaching

August 1, 2009 - 5:33 pm EDT

No, I did not observe it. Since he eventually lost his job anyway, he probably should have left. But we are in a recession. I am sure he was hoping to keep his job. I have heard a school board member say that if he knew then what he knew now, he NEVER would have voted to fire Lawson. I think that was reported in the paper, but I am not sure . . .

get the facts straight

August 1, 2009 - 6:44 pm EDT

I have to admit that the tactics used against Mr. Lawson in the investigation, if accurate, seem harsh and not totally fair. As a teacher, I would not expect to be treated that way by the school system. Mr. Lawson is not an educator and probably was not sure what his rights were, so I feel kind of bad for him in that situation. The only thing I will say is that, and again I am not saying he did anything deserving of being fired and not saying he did what he was accused of, but this is what was reported in the Rhinto Times. Mr. Brown below is the attorney that was representing Mr. Lawson. He was accused of threatening or perhaps intimidating others during the investigation. Mr. Brown claims Mr. Lawson did not do that, but what Mr. Brown says for an explanation seems strange. Read the quote below. Either way, I am not sure the interrogation techniques were appropriate. I am not saying he is guilty or innocent of anything. However, his lawyer could have done a better job of an explanation in this article in the Rhino Times.

From Rhino Times-One of the allegations against Lawson, according to Brown and other sources familiar with the investigation, was that he threatened retaliation against others who might cooperate with the investigation. Brown said the allegation was unfounded.
"He said something to the effect of, 'If some people here are snitches, I'm not happy about that," Brown said. "He denies making any sort of threat, either generally or specifically. What I've heard Mr. Lawson and other people say the school board contends is that he made a more specific threat."

redlink

August 1, 2009 - 11:55 pm EDT

MR LAWSON could not leave. they had the door locked. He asked and was denied to have his lawyer present because he didn't understand why he was asked some of the questions and he didn't know how to answer them.HE should be given his job back with full pay

dcolin

August 2, 2009 - 12:07 pm EDT

Are you saying he was held against his will.
Kidnapping?

Serious Charge

This thing could get nasty.

ilvteaching

August 2, 2009 - 12:57 am EDT

getthefactsstraight,
Here is what I heard (from a source that I beleive). After the interrogation, Lawson went back to Northern. He knew that three people from the Northern staff had been downtown to give statements against either Stan, Force, or Yeager. He also knew that each of the three were twisting facts for their own personal reasons - grades were being changed for reasons that had nothing to do with athletics, a teacher was put on an action plan that one coach was angry about etc., etc,. Lawson, with his sugar levels all out of whack and totally pissed, went back to school and made the general statement, "Snitches ought to have their butts kicked". That was later reported to the school board as Lawson making threats against other employees. He was angry (I would have been too- in fact, I am angry for him), but it was an expression, not a threat. And certainly not grounds for dismissmal.

dcolin

August 2, 2009 - 12:05 pm EDT

This post says it all.

No comment needed.

Our School System in Action

oppenheimerfund

August 1, 2009 - 4:43 pm EDT

One more thing, As far as a quality education, Northern's teachers are no different from any other other teachers. What makes Northern different ,as well as Northwest, is the soci-economic standing of the kids in the district. Get it right. Take thise same teachers and send them to a school where kids come from bad circumstances and see what you get. redlink, you are typical of people who give the rest of "us" a bad name. Just shuip

ilvteaching

August 1, 2009 - 5:05 pm EDT

Oppenheimerfund,
Actually, that may or may not be true. Northern's teachers were hand picked from all over the county over a period of two years before the school opened. Many, many experienced teachers applied for those jobs. Before Northern opened, the impression was out there (among GCS and the parents) that Northern would be a "top" school with top facilities. The press that the "60 million dollar" school got helped add to that impression. I do not think Northern will ever be like Northwest, but parents were certainly told that and given every reason to believe that.

Northwest does not, in fact, have the same demographics as Northwest. Northern also draws heavily from what used to be the Northeast district.

ilvteaching

August 1, 2009 - 5:06 pm EDT

NORTHERN does not have the same demographs . . . sorry

Funny You Should Say That

August 1, 2009 - 5:48 pm EDT

ilvteaching

do you think Eastern Guilford, who has the same 'building' card to play as Northern will see the same 'mob of transfers' lining up at it's doors this fall? or is there not the same 'impression' as there was at Northern?

Any time this topic is discussed there is the same litany of excuses and praises for the same group of people, BY the same group of posters. It is really tragic that this all happened. You would THINK that the people involved would have learned a lesson and corrected their errors instead of continuing the same behavior a little further down the road, which this article gives the impression may be happening all over again. It is a shame but you know it is going to be rehashed over and over again, especially if ORMA is really successful with their athletic program now. I would much rather see a slew of articles written about the academic successes of Northern, Northwest, Northeast, Eastern, Dudley, or any number of schools in Guilford County. Articles about kids getting academic scholarships, academic awards, and going off to college for these types of things...and I am a huge proponent of athletics. I just want to see something positive written in the near future.

ilvteaching

August 1, 2009 - 6:41 pm EDT

No, Eastern won't get the same mob of transfers. First, my impressions come from inside the school system where I saw many teachers investigating going to the "new school". GCS isn't promoting Eastern - it is not a new school (other than the building). Also, moving into the Northern district means moving near Summerville - there is an appeal to that too. But I thought the argument was that the parent were just moving their boys for the basketball. It isn't an all-or-nothing situation - They did think they were moving into a great academic school too.

You are absolutely right about the articles being run!! Ask Bell - I've had a lot to say about it. There are great things going on in our schools. I wish they made the paper more.

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