From Deseret News archives:
Chasing glory: Wealthy booster gives Colts a lift and raises eyebrows
He doesn't actually own the Cottonwood Colts, but it certainly seems that way to his detractors on the Utah prep sports scene.
To some, he is a white knight who has given often struggling teenagers a place to succeed academically and athletically. To others, he is a meddling father who uses his money to recruit talented players around his son Alex, the Colts' LSU-bound starting quarterback.
"I get drilled for spending my money at a public school. Drilled," said Cate, who made his fortune in the telecom industry. "I just do it because I want to be in a high school situation to help kids."
For some, open enrollment is the bane of Utah prep sports.
"Everyone is trying to get people in their communities now to help with the nicer facility to get a better draw of kids. It doesn't make sense to me," said Riverton High coach Mike Miller.
"I think if a kid isn't loyal to your program and is out shopping, then you don't want him anyway because he and his parents will be a pain in the neck."
Publicly, many coaches are loathe to talk about recruiting; they don't want to come across as crybabies, says one.
Privately, they can't see each other without talking about it. The touchy topic arises "every time we get together, whether it's a region meeting or a casual meeting," said Kearns High coach Doug Bills, president of the Utah High School Football Coaches Association.
In Bills' estimation, it's not so much coaches recruiting players as parents shopping schools.
"It's an ongoing problem that could only be solved one way: You play where you live," he said.
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