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To the victor goes the spoilsports Dave konopki opinion

Friday November 21, 2008 | 10:47 AM

In the middle of a conversation about state championships, game-winning goals and lifetime memories, Karen Klassner made a very profound statement.

“It’s been a tough year, to put it bluntly,” said the Wyoming Seminary field hockey coach, five days after her team captured the PIAA Class 2A state championship. “A very tough year.”

That’s a shame.

Unfortunately, Klassner had heard a lot of negative talk regarding this year’s edition of the Blue Knights – a team the 36-year coach calls “the best I’ve ever coached.”

Most of the talk focused on Ja Ja Kentwell, a member of the men’s U17 and U21 national team who is a junior at Wyoming Seminary, and Klassner’s decision to play him this season.

“We did what we felt was right for him and his aspirations,” she said. Kentwell has said his goal is to play for the United States men’s team in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. “It wasn’t against the rules. The PIAA sanctions boys playing field hockey.”

Despite the fact that Kentwell played on the team, Klassner says her views about boys playing on girls teams have remained the same.

“I haven’t changed my opinion at all,” said Klassner, who won her 500th career game this season. “Boys really shouldn’t be playing women’s field hockey. But Ja Ja is a student. He wanted to play high school field hockey. What were his options? He didn’t have any other ones.”

Internet forums have been filled with posts criticizing Klassner and Wyoming Seminary for the decision to allow Kentwell to play.

“I don’t read blogs, so I don’t get too worked up about what is said in them,” she said. “People who are negative and blogging don’t know the people they’re writing about.”

Other criticism, however, has been more personal.

“I’ve had fellow coaches, coaches who I’ve known for years, who are very upset with me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but all of the negativity begins to wear on you after a while.”

The veteran head coach made sure it didn’t affect her players.

“We have a very open team,” said Klassner said. “We have a lot of discussions. Our players knew what they were in for. In fact, I think our kids kind of circled the wagons a little.”

Some of the criticism of Klassner and the Blue Knights bordered on lunacy. Several rumors had the coach flying to Germany in an attempt to recruit German exchange student Henni Tietze’s younger brother.

Others have said Klassner went to China to recruit Kentwell, a native of that country. I guess the fact that Kentwell and his parents have lived in this country for eight years doesn’t matter.

“If I would have gone to China, I would have gone to see (former Blue Knight) Lauren Powley play in the Olympics,” joked Klassner earlier this season.

All of the criticism won’t ruin what the Blue Knights accomplished on the field.

“It was a great season,” said Klassner. “This will go down as positive season for our players and four our school.

“Say anything you’d like, but you can’t take that away.”