School’s Athletics Take Bench to Business

Story by Sal Cano

Franky Ramirez, a senior at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, is late to varsity basketball practice every Friday during the season, and he isn’t alone. Three of his 14 teammates do the same thing.

Ramirez is part of the school’s Corporate Internship Program, which allows students to earn 65 percent of the cost of their education by working five days each month in entry-level positions at corporations in downtown Chicago.

Although the program provides practical experience for the future, it also creates some challenges for the present.

“It’s frustrating because you can’t help but wondering what your team would be like if you had all your players,” said Jason Dillon, Cristo Rey’s athletic director.

Cristo Rey, which opened in 1996, was the first school to adopt an Equity School model, which balances classroom and experiential learning. Fourteen other schools across the country have used the model, including schools in New York, Minneapolis and Sacramento.

“On a daily basis one-fourth of your team isn’t going to be at practice, or at a game,” said Fr. Jim Gartland, President of Cristo Rey.

Although Dillon makes an effort to schedule many games on Saturday and reschedules any games that coaches request, his efforts end with the regular season. The biggest difficulty occurs once the Illinois High School Association begins playoffs.

“There’s nothing I can do about that,” said Dillon.

IHSA playoff dates are set far in advance and re-scheduling rarely happens.

“Unless there is a weather delay, once your seeded, that’s when you have to play,” said Pam Flohr, administrative assistant for the IHSA.

Cristo Rey has had to forfeit some games due to lack of players, Dillon said. The school’s program is explained to all coaches at the school and Dillon said he tries to help them as much as he can.

“I advise the coaches who come in that they need to have five different starting lineups,” said Dillon.

Using a variety of lineups is unusual, but can have benefits.

“It provides the opportunity for more kids to play,” said Jose Rodriguez, CIP Program Director and baseball coach for Cristo Rey since 2002. “If you coach the right way, it can provide depth to a team.”

Although the program can be a tough adjustment for students and coaches, Rodriguez said he has seen Cristo Rey improve every year despite the difficulties of the Corporate Internship Program, including a third place finish in baseball.

Yet, for Rodriguez, it is too early to determine whether Cristo Rey is limited by the Corporate Internship Program.

“The school has only been around for 12 years,” he said. “Give us at least 20 to see where we stand.”