The "Where's the Passion?" letter signed by A. Miller in the June 26 Manhasset Press was disturbing for a number of reasons. First, I do not believe that the editorial page of your newspaper is a proper forum for anyone to vent their personal dissatisfaction with the performance of any identifiable member of the Manhasset High School faculty, be it in their capacity as teacher or as head of an activity.

Lacrosse is very visible in Manhasset, which makes varsity lacrosse coach a highly visible position. Like most highly visible positions, it attracts both supporters and critics. I respect anyone's right to be either and to be vocal about it, but when it comes to criticism, I suggest that it should be both constructive and to the face of this object with an opportunity for a reply. The letter published in our newspaper was neither.

I was a member of the 2001 Manhasset High School lacrosse team. Currently, I am entering my junior year at the University of Pennsylvania, where I am also a member of its lacrosse team. I am one those, referred to in A. Miller's letter that " ... the sport has enabled ... to attend better colleges than would have been possible on academics alone." To say that it was "the sport," however, is not altogether accurate. It was the support and recommendation of a number of very respected people, both associated with lacrosse and not, which made a difference for me. Coaches Alan Lowe and Bob Rule were among those whose support I was fortunate to have had.

To say that I am grateful to Mr. Lowe and Mr. Rule would be an understatement. Nor is it simply about college admission and playing lacrosse. I know both men as teachers first, then as coaches. In both capacities they favorably impacted my education and I am but one of many. On a Letters to the Editor page that was otherwise filled with "bravos" and thank yous," it was, therefore, very discouraging to find disparaging comments published about those gentlemen. They deserve better and so do the readers of the Manhasset Press.