HR families provide room and board

Comment from (P4) .........................."As one who hosted one of the 'Kiwis', other than welcoming him into our home for a genuine cultural experience for both him and my family, we provided nothing more than room and board. A small price to pay for a great young man from Auckland, (not Church College) to influence for good."

"With regards to your 3 month time frame...this particular young man played for Highland last 2 years and has been here in the states on a student visa since last September. He had a dream of playing high school football (american). Unfortunately, you assisted the school districts in making that dream difficult to achieve, to bad for him. However, I am sure that you will gain some satisfaction. Good for you!!"
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The UHSAA (Utah High School Athletic Association) defines "nothing more than room and board" as being part of a recruiting process, not a cultural experience.

• Are you also paying the $10,000.00 annual school tuition as part of this cultural exchange?
• Please check his visa
• Most likely is a visitors visa, not a (J1) Exchange Student visa.
  
• An exchange student visa means he is registered and attending a public high school school as part of a certified exchange student program.
  
• You did not mention the other five boys from New Zealand that have since returned home.
  
• We will assume that five other HR families provided room and board as well.
  
• How is all of this planned and coordinated without the knowledge of the HR coaching staff?
• At least we have established the fact that months before each season starts, "someone" is coordinating the partnering of six HR families with six import rugby players from New Zealand.
  

Would you feel as warm and fuzzy if you were doing this for five amazing basketball players from Russia or soccer players from Brazil? Until the UHSAA finds out, shuts the practice down, sends the boys home and suspends the high school from any participation in these sports for a period of time. Thus are the consequences of such a myopic "cultural exchange."

The ends do not justify the means. Also interesting how this so called cultural experience or annual religious Mecca has been limited exclusively to "rugby players only." No tennis, soccer or baseball players. No young women. How discriminating, yet so convenient or lucky for HR.

• Are HR families also subsidizing the plane tickets?
• Why do the kiwi boys deserve to play more than your own son or son's.
  
• Your missing the point!
  
• Cultural and religious experience, give me a break.
  
• This may help to ease your conscience and sleep at night.
  
• Lets keep religion out of this completely.
  
• This is simply about winning rugby games!!
  

Did you ever think about the cultural and religious experience related to:

• local boys sitting on the bench most of the time
• being on the other team that was just beaten by 100 points
• a young man from NZ after an incredible season, is quietly sent home, no MVP, no interviews, no pictures or articles in the Deseret News
• nothing...... just used and sent home
• this kind of "influence for good" they do not need

The Utah tax payers thought it was a fine religious and cultural experience to pay for these boys when they were slipped into the public school system for 15 years as "pretend students". They are happy that they were relieved of this burden in 2005. Yes and that makes me feel very good.

(P4)... by the way, many of your own sons dreamed of playing rugby. You and other HR families have have made this dream very difficult for them to achieve, to bad for them. But you won 18 national championships while many sat on the bench. I'm sure you have much satisfaction about your cultural and religious exchanges each season, good for you!!