3 names you will start hearing about next season at CCH:

 

Schmerge, Bondick, and Grimes.

They can flat out shoot the ball :thumb:

For HHS Frosh...If Mitch Fair would "believe" in his game, he could develop into the stud player that Willie is looking for out of the Frosh class. Nice size...with potential to achieve some real height. Handles well, great transition game, and can score inside and out. He just needs to develop the shooters' mentality (shoot to get hot and shoot to stay hot) and buy into the HHS defensive concepts.. He single-handedly was beating NCC at the end of the first quarter (MF 7 - NCC 5) and then disappeared ??? Often is timid on "banging" inside but can really be effective when he makes his mind up to be aggressive.

Jake Turner brings an aggressive, hustling "football mentality" to the squad. Strong inside and a determined defender. Jake could get some size (varsity's Mike Smith is his cousin.). Handles well, runs the floor well, jump shot needs honing but gets alot of "garbage" and easily can get a double-double any time out. Needs to be a little smarter about some of his fouls.

Jordon Messer looks to be the "point guard" designee this year. This project should have begun a couple year's ago. Handles well but dribbles way too much for the point. Can flat out shoot from deep. Really needs to cut down on TO's to be a reliable point man. Could easily move to the #2 if another PG emerges.

Josh Connor has been discussed ad nauseum on these forums. If he stays with hoops he'll be the PG of the future.

Tony Guigudli will have a nice FB carreer. He's strictly an inside banger. Good athelete.

Charlie Gold has the tools...needs to slash to the rim and score. Good defender

Austin Geisting has developed his game this year. Getting quality minutes and playing with confidence. Could be the "sleeper" player of the group.

Eric Kyle broke his hand...grade incomplete...but has all the tools to be a future varsity player. The quicker he buys into playing defense will determine how soon he sees the big court. He's got game!

 

Remember: Willie wants three out of the "sandwich" class...(he loves the Soph's and the 8th graders)

For HHS Frosh...If Mitch Fair would "believe" in his game, he could develop into the stud player that Willie is looking for out of the Frosh class. Nice size...with potential to achieve some real height. Handles well, great transition game, and can score inside and out. He just needs to develop the shooters' mentality (shoot to get hot and shoot to stay hot) and buy into the HHS defensive concepts.. He single-handedly was beating NCC at the end of the first quarter (MF 7 - NCC 5) and then disappeared ??? Often is timid on "banging" inside but can really be effective when he makes his mind up to be aggressive.

Jake Turner brings an aggressive, hustling "football mentality" to the squad. Strong inside and a determined defender. Jake could get some size (varsity's Mike Smith is his cousin.). Handles well, runs the floor well, jump shot needs honing but gets alot of "garbage" and easily can get a double-double any time out. Needs to be a little smarter about some of his fouls.

Jordon Messer looks to be the "point guard" designee this year. This project should have begun a couple year's ago. Handles well but dribbles way too much for the point. Can flat out shoot from deep. Really needs to cut down on TO's to be a reliable point man. Could easily move to the #2 if another PG emerges.

Josh Connor has been discussed ad nauseum on these forums. If he stays with hoops he'll be the PG of the future.

Tony Guigudli will have a nice FB carreer. He's strictly an inside banger. Good athelete.

Charlie Gold has the tools...needs to slash to the rim and score. Good defender

Austin Geisting has developed his game this year. Getting quality minutes and playing with confidence. Could be the "sleeper" player of the group.

Eric Kyle broke his hand...grade incomplete...but has all the tools to be a future varsity player. The quicker he buys into playing defense will determine how soon he sees the big court. He's got game!

 

Remember: Willie wants three out of the "sandwich" class...(he loves the Soph's and the 8th graders)

Willie needs more than three from this class. Soph class has dwindled due to commitment to football. Also due to early maturity physically that class no longer dominates like they did in middle school. 8th grade may fall into same trap.

There are many great freshman and sophmore. But you can't really tell who is going to be the next great varsity player. Many times have i seen a very good 6'2 sophmore. The next year he is 6'2 still and the other kid who sat the bench is 6'5. It has to do with how fast you mature. I would say most of the athletes are almost done growing at there junior year.

There are many great freshman and sophmore. But you can't really tell who is going to be the next great varsity player. Many times have i seen a very good 6'2 sophmore. The next year he is 6'2 still and the other kid who sat the bench is 6'5. It has to do with how fast you mature. I would say most of the athletes are almost done growing at there junior year.

 

Typically @ HHS those kids (late bloomers) won't get the opportunity to hang around. It seems that kids get "bird-dogged" at the grade school level. You see this in the fact that some kids make 1 mistake and get yanked while others continue to make the same fundamental mistakes and yet they stay on the floor. When coaches play only 6 on a 15 person team, the "clue phone" rings for 9 kids. There is no chance for a "sleeper" to make the HS team. It reminds me of "closed union" shop. 3 from each class.

Willie needs more than three from this class. Soph class has dwindled due to commitment to football. Also due to early maturity physically that class no longer dominates like they did in middle school. 8th grade may fall into same trap.

Wise, Kruse- JR

Simpson, Stein, McGraw, Hurtt, Simons (Willie messed uo here!) - Soph

Fair, Turner, Kyle, Conner - Frosh

Collinsworth, Lother, Kowoloneck, Grote - 8th

 

Fair & Collinsworth need to achieve their family's genetic height or HHS will be a 12 guard team!

Typically @ HHS those kids (late bloomers) won't get the opportunity to hang around. It seems that kids get "bird-dogged" at the grade school level. You see this in the fact that some kids make 1 mistake and get yanked while others continue to make the same fundamental mistakes and yet they stay on the floor. When coaches play only 6 on a 15 person team, the "clue phone" rings for 9 kids. There is no chance for a "sleeper" to make the HS team. It reminds me of "closed union" shop. 3 from each class.

 

Thats when a quality coach realizes a sleeper and still gives him a chance.

Mr DMZ76 you seem to have things pretty well mapped out for the future.

The only problem is that the guys you are talking about are freshmen and I doubt seriously that Willie will take a chance on missing out on a "late bloomer" by ditching the nucleus of the freshmen "sandwich" class in anticipation of a strong 8th Grade class coming up behind them.

 

I worked for seven years with Willie at Brossart and found just the opposite to be true. Almost without exception he gave interested freshmen a year in the JV ranks as sophmores to grow, develop, and prove themselves.

 

His "three from each class" mentality is shared by all high school varsity coaches. IF you can get (at least) three quality players from each class your program will remain solvent and competitive year in and year out. NO coach would want to be pinned down to a specific number and Willie wouldn't be so near-sighted as to restrict himself to "only three" players moving forward from any single freshmen class.

 

A funny thing about the development of varsity teams is that they form themselves - there are actually very few cuts made by the coaches. Kids cut themselves. They evalutate after their freshmen season how they stack up in the program and either choose to return or "hang them up." As sophomores it becomes evident to them if they are going to be passed up by those behind them and again make a leave/stay decision heading into their junior years. At that point a message is sometimes sent by the coach to help influence that decision based on where that player fits in the overall scheme of the program. As these classes begin to whittle themselves down, it is at that point that you hope that you have a minimum of three who will make major contributions to the program through their senior seasons.

 

At Brossart we just graduated seven seniors, all who were freshmen, sophomores, and juniors under Willie Schlarman. Presently we have three seniors and nine juniors. We have been a championship caliber ballteam under this setup. I've seen as many as twenty-two players in our JV/Varsity program and as few as sixteen.

 

Sooooo, don't put too many labels on these kids at such an early age and don't hold Coach Schlarman literally to his "three from each class" statement. Willie is successful and knows what it takes to build a championship caliber program and maintain it. I'm sure that the sophomore-freshmen-eighth grade mix will shake out to represent Highlands High School to their best possible advantage each and every year that he is calling the shots in the City of Beautiful Homes and Championship Athletic Teams.

 

These are what Willie would call - Good Problems!!!!

Mr DMZ76 you seem to have things pretty well mapped out for the future.

The only problem is that the guys you are talking about are freshmen and I doubt seriously that Willie will take a chance on missing out on a "late bloomer" by ditching the nucleus of the freshmen "sandwich" class in anticipation of a strong 8th Grade class coming up behind them.

 

I worked for seven years with Willie at Brossart and found just the opposite to be true. Almost without exception he gave interested freshmen a year in the JV ranks as sophmores to grow, develop, and prove themselves.

 

His "three from each class" mentality is shared by all high school varsity coaches. IF you can get (at least) three quality players from each class your program will remain solvent and competitive year in and year out. NO coach would want to be pinned down to a specific number and Willie wouldn't be so near-sighted as to restrict himself to "only three" players moving forward from any single freshmen class.

 

A funny thing about the development of varsity teams is that they form themselves - there are actually very few cuts made by the coaches. Kids cut themselves. They evalutate after their freshmen season how they stack up in the program and either choose to return or "hang them up." As sophomores it becomes evident to them if they are going to be passed up by those behind them and again make a leave/stay decision heading into their junior years. At that point a message is sometimes sent by the coach to help influence that decision based on where that player fits in the overall scheme of the program. As these classes begin to whittle themselves down, it is at that point that you hope that you have a minimum of three who will make major contributions to the program through their senior seasons.

 

At Brossart we just graduated seven seniors, all who were freshmen, sophomores, and juniors under Willie Schlarman. Presently we have three seniors and nine juniors. We have been a championship caliber ballteam under this setup. I've seen as many as twenty-two players in our JV/Varsity program and as few as sixteen.

 

Sooooo, don't put too many labels on these kids at such an early age and don't hold Coach Schlarman literally to his "three from each class" statement. Willie is successful and knows what it takes to build a championship caliber program and maintain it. I'm sure that the sophomore-freshmen-eighth grade mix will shake out to represent Highlands High School to their best possible advantage each and every year that he is calling the shots in the City of Beautiful Homes and Championship Athletic Teams.

 

These are what Willie would call - Good Problems!!!!

 

Exactly right Mustang!

Mr DMZ76 you seem to have things pretty well mapped out for the future.

The only problem is that the guys you are talking about are freshmen and I doubt seriously that Willie will take a chance on missing out on a "late bloomer" by ditching the nucleus of the freshmen "sandwich" class in anticipation of a strong 8th Grade class coming up behind them.

 

I worked for seven years with Willie at Brossart and found just the opposite to be true. Almost without exception he gave interested freshmen a year in the JV ranks as sophmores to grow, develop, and prove themselves.

 

His "three from each class" mentality is shared by all high school varsity coaches. IF you can get (at least) three quality players from each class your program will remain solvent and competitive year in and year out. NO coach would want to be pinned down to a specific number and Willie wouldn't be so near-sighted as to restrict himself to "only three" players moving forward from any single freshmen class.

 

A funny thing about the development of varsity teams is that they form themselves - there are actually very few cuts made by the coaches. Kids cut themselves. They evalutate after their freshmen season how they stack up in the program and either choose to return or "hang them up." As sophomores it becomes evident to them if they are going to be passed up by those behind them and again make a leave/stay decision heading into their junior years. At that point a message is sometimes sent by the coach to help influence that decision based on where that player fits in the overall scheme of the program. As these classes begin to whittle themselves down, it is at that point that you hope that you have a minimum of three who will make major contributions to the program through their senior seasons.

 

At Brossart we just graduated seven seniors, all who were freshmen, sophomores, and juniors under Willie Schlarman. Presently we have three seniors and nine juniors. We have been a championship caliber ballteam under this setup. I've seen as many as twenty-two players in our JV/Varsity program and as few as sixteen.

 

Sooooo, don't put too many labels on these kids at such an early age and don't hold Coach Schlarman literally to his "three from each class" statement. Willie is successful and knows what it takes to build a championship caliber program and maintain it. I'm sure that the sophomore-freshmen-eighth grade mix will shake out to represent Highlands High School to their best possible advantage each and every year that he is calling the shots in the City of Beautiful Homes and Championship Athletic Teams.

 

These are what Willie would call - Good Problems!!!!

GREAT POST.............. :thumb: :thumb:

Wise, Kruse- JR

Simpson, Stein, McGraw, Hurtt, Simons (Willie messed uo here!) - Soph

Fair, Turner, Kyle, Conner - Frosh

Collinsworth, Lother, Kowoloneck, Grote - 8th

 

Fair & Collinsworth need to achieve their family's genetic height or HHS will be a 12 guard team!

How can you rely on 8th and 9th graders for Boys Varsity Basketball? Besides Simons isn't even in the program. Only 2 players on your list have any varsity time whatsoever. Including to your theory of 3 per grade, you only carry 12-13 player for JV and varsity? Coach Shields carried an avg. of 6 per grade. Thats 18 players for the 2 teams. None were freshman and only one or two select sophs dressed varsity games. Due to physical difference between an 18 year senior and a 14 or 15 year old on average it is absurd to think year in and year out you look at 8th graders and freshman to help your program next year.

I agree... I think it is funny that we have these so called "fans" out here predicting the future Bluebirds. Why don't we go ahead and look at the 4th graders over at MOyer and Johnnson..... you know. The bottom line is that kids need to be playing competetive basketball from the 4th-8th grade so they can develop and have a shot at making the Frosh-Varsity teams. With Football being king at Highlands, Willie needs to make sure he doesnt pass up the kid who is out working on his basketball game 3/4 of the year. These are the diamonds in the rough who can make your team go.

 

I am sure Willie , if he does log onto this site will get a kick out of everyone predicting who the prospects are.

 

Oh, by the way, there is 1st grader at Woodfill.....5'2.... Willie needs to make sure he gets the in-home visit.

I will agree with one thing in an earlier posts....... kids are birdogged at an early age......however, I think Willie is a smart enough coach to know who can and cannot make the cut. Its competetive and I am sure the Bellevue's, Daytons and Ludlows wish they had these issues at such an early age.

I agree... I think it is funny that we have these so called "fans" out here predicting the future Bluebirds. Why don't we go ahead and look at the 4th graders over at MOyer and Johnnson..... you know. The bottom line is that kids need to be playing competetive basketball from the 4th-8th grade so they can develop and have a shot at making the Frosh-Varsity teams. With Football being king at Highlands, Willie needs to make sure he doesnt pass up the kid who is out working on his basketball game 3/4 of the year. These are the diamonds in the rough who can make your team go.

 

I am sure Willie , if he does log onto this site will get a kick out of everyone predicting who the prospects are.

 

Oh, by the way, there is 1st grader at Woodfill.....5'2.... Willie needs to make sure he gets the in-home visit.

Both middle school teams seem to be heavily laden with football players. Granted they are the biggest and strongest of the lot, but there are some players that are not playing football that have yet to develop physically. Hopefully these kids do not give up on basketball. I think if you subscribe to 3 per grade theory then those three should be bball players 1st! And believe me there is not one two sport athlete (football,basketball) at Highlands that give more time to basketball than football. I don't blame the athletes as all the state championships and most of the college scholarships come via football. Willie did not have this dilema at Brossart. He had basketball players there. I think he will come to realize the need to develop the basketball players, and if you get a couple of those special athletes that can successfully play both, then thats gravy.

A young man named Scotty Ruth taught Willie Schlarman that what you see now is not necessarily what you get in the future and there is a senior at Brossart now named Kyle Lubbers who is teaching the refresher course.

 

An earlier poster mentioned the physical advancment of the 8th Graders as a possible future pitfall for the group.

 

Personally, I think this is where the majority of big public schools (and privates too for that matter) make a mistake. The players who are the best as 8th Graders and Freshmen are often also the most further along physically yet they are the ones who comprise those teams. The trick is being able to spot those who are yet to grow into their potential who might make major contributions as varsity players long after the early bloomer have been caught and passed by others.