Desperation, Desperate Times
Editor: I am writing out of desperation and disbelief. What’s going on at Riverside? Our general fund is near zero, PSSAs below average, 20 percent of last year’s class did not graduate, strike, scandal, lawsuits, dilapidated facilities and the hiring process is laughable.
Here are some recent head turners: Dave Adomiak applied for head softball coach with more than 30 years experience, was furloughed from Riverside, has been the “voice of the Vikings forever,” and lifelong resident. Thanks, but no thanks! It’s ridiculous! At places like Dunmore and Old Forge, they are led by people from there, allowing tradition and pride to strive, enabling success.
Recently a flag football game was held, with admission being canned goods. The canned goods collected were given to St. Pat’s church in West Side. Why, when we have a food pantry right here, along with local parishes that take donations? Well, the vice principal who organized the event, a West Side product, is a member of St. Pat’s.
Our football players recently volunteered at St. Francis Soup Kitchen. Look it’s great that our youngsters are giving back, but you give back in your own community! The Invaders and Knights could handle the soup kitchen, but our coach is a West Scranton product. Neighboring districts have the same rules we do, yet they bend theirs to benefit their kids. Administration, board members are off to the left, athletic programs, coaches, are off to the right. We are getting to be like sissies, addressing every little complaint.
“It’s a lawyer’s world,” one official told me.
When I played and coached here we had tremendous success, primarily because we conducted practice regardless, and students were expected to be there regardless.
I talk about the Viking way, all that’s about is teaching kids, it’s not about “I and me” it’s about “us and we,” — that you cannot do anything without the person next to you, and that you just don’t run the race to be in the race, you run the race to win, preparing yourself daily to maximize your potential. Tradition and pride are dying because we don’t have people with the heart, passion, pride and energy it takes to beat that drum every day. We have outsiders who don’t get it (check collectors).
Banquets are a real hoot, paper plates, beans and franks in the café, with athletes wearing dungarees, sneakers and hats. Everything needs to be done in a first-class manner, if you want to run a successful program. All honors banquet is a thing of the past, class day is laughable.
Currently the Viking ship is out at sea.
If things don’t change it will never come to port! I am sending out an S.O.S to you!
Eugene Gallagher
Taylor
Editor’s Note: While fact checking the above letter, as is the policy, the organizer of the flag football game was contacted and confirmed that he was once a member of St. Pat’s, but now worships at Divine Mercy. Since it’s creation nine years ago, the annual flag football game has generated donations of more than 30,000 non-perisable food items that have been then donated to St. Ann’s, Divine Mercy, St. Pat’s and the Moosic Presbyterian Church.