Thoughts from Sweet16 (football-related)

[CoachJ]

I watched almost every game this year and one big thing stood out...

 

Basketball officiating in HS is basically like college bball now -- very rarely getting fouls called for hands on the arm when you have the ball and even while shooting in the paint. I saw many times when balls were ripped away from people on rebounds or while pressing with LOTS of contact involved and no call.

 

The other thing that stood out -- the FINALS consisted of two teams who were STOUT young men who had OBVIOUSLY been in the weight room. (I know from personal experience that the kids from Ballard have a coach who believes in the importance of STRENGTH...they're in the weight room at least 2 days a week even on weeks they have 3 or 4 games and he encourages his players to be in my end-of-the-day Strength class--have 5 bball kids in there this year.)

 

I hope bball coaches in Ky took away that the way the games are officiated now, you'd better have STRONG players!

 

Further, there were MANY football/basketball players on both those teams in the finals. I believe I heard 4 of the 5 starters from MC were football kids...and Ballard had 3 kids who started or played a significant role who are football/basketball. Coach Renner from literally the first day I was hired as football coach made it clear he ENCOURAGED his players to play football and has made it known that having football kids on his team makes them not just physically but also MENTALLY tougher as a whole.

 

I, like most Ballard fans, was CRUSHED at the way things ended for our guys. But I am extremely proud of our coaches, players, and fans for the STRONG showing we made at Rupp this year and throughout the season as a whole. I'm pretty sure we'll be favored to win it all next year -- and I know a big part of that will be that we'll have one of the STRONGEST teams in the state.

 

I know what's going on at Madison Central and Ballard (and Mason County and a few others) is not the case in other bball programs throughout the state, but maybe evidence like this year's finals will convince other bball coaches that getting stronger doesn't 'hurt your shot' (we're not doing 'bodybuilding' after all!) and you don't have to be a 24/7 gym rat to be an outstanding HS basketball player.

 

Go Bruins!

[Harry Doyle]

Awesome. Great observation.

[Cynical]

Unfortunately, the majority of basketball and baseball coaches in high school very much resemble the majority of football coaches in this state in the 70’s, 80, and even early 90’s…stuck in the stone age when it comes to lifting. Despite the fact that the NBA and MLB are full of now thick bodied players who clearly are doing some serious heavy lifting, the notion still strongly prevails among high school basketball and baseball coaches that such lifting in counter productive. “Too bulky” or “inflexible” are the most common rationales, as silly and uninformed as they are. I never cease to be amazed by these two sports resistance to what is clearly being done at the highest levels of their own sports.

[mcpapa]

Regardless of "the road HS basketball is traveling", I never could for the life of me understand how getting stronger was a bad thing.

[PurplePride92]

I watched almost every game this year and one big thing stood out...

 

Basketball officiating in HS is basically like college bball now -- very rarely getting fouls called for hands on the arm when you have the ball and even while shooting in the paint. I saw many times when balls were ripped away from people on rebounds or while pressing with LOTS of contact involved and no call.

 

The other thing that stood out -- the FINALS consisted of two teams who were STOUT young men who had OBVIOUSLY been in the weight room. (I know from personal experience that the kids from Ballard have a coach who believes in the importance of STRENGTH...they're in the weight room at least 2 days a week even on weeks they have 3 or 4 games and he encourages his players to be in my end-of-the-day Strength class--have 5 bball kids in there this year.)

 

I hope bball coaches in Ky took away that the way the games are officiated now, you'd better have STRONG players!

 

Further, there were MANY football/basketball players on both those teams in the finals. I believe I heard 4 of the 5 starters from MC were football kids...and Ballard had 3 kids who started or played a significant role who are football/basketball. Coach Renner from literally the first day I was hired as football coach made it clear he ENCOURAGED his players to play football and has made it known that having football kids on his team makes them not just physically but also MENTALLY tougher as a whole.

 

I, like most Ballard fans, was CRUSHED at the way things ended for our guys. But I am extremely proud of our coaches, players, and fans for the STRONG showing we made at Rupp this year and throughout the season as a whole. I'm pretty sure we'll be favored to win it all next year -- and I know a big part of that will be that we'll have one of the STRONGEST teams in the state.

 

I know what's going on at Madison Central and Ballard (and Mason County and a few others) is not the case in other bball programs throughout the state, but maybe evidence like this year's finals will convince other bball coaches that getting stronger doesn't 'hurt your shot' (we're not doing 'bodybuilding' after all!) and you don't have to be a 24/7 gym rat to be an outstanding HS basketball player.

 

Go Bruins!

 

 

Did Byrd play football and is Snider consistently in the weight room? I know Snider is a gym rat. Just wondering if he is lifting consistently also.

[IBleedOrange]

Very good points made Coach Jackson, the stronger athlete will always prevail. The players who think lifting will hurt their game need to take a long look at Lebron James...

I was the strength coach at Male the past 2 seasons and the strides made were unreal. Went from having 4 to 19 kids clean 225 or higher in 3 months. Male's bball team made a serious commitment to the weight room as well and they saw direct results from it. Best part about the off season was no MAJOR injuries at Male the past 2 years.

[CoachJ]

Did Byrd play football and is Snider consistently in the weight room? I know Snider is a gym rat. Just wondering if he is lifting consistently also.

Byrd was 1st Team All-District WR and DB. One of best young men AND weight room workers I've ever coached. Will be a preferred walk on at UofL at their request. Was a terror on defense in Bball.

 

Snider IS. A gym rat--his skills prove that out. However, between his freshman and Soph year, his dad sought me out and asked me to train him in WEIGHT ROOM. So he started lifting in my Advanced Weightlifting class. After about 3 months, he was making great gains--as a result, starting varsity as a Sophomore was no issue--he could take it in amongst the tall trees, get hacked, & still get buckets.

 

Interestingly, Quinten was a kid in class who--when I told Bball players they could have a day off if they had a big AAU game or something--he came up to me and asked if he could still do his squat workout anyway!

 

By the way, Kelan Martin--our 6'5 Swingman who had 4 great Sweet 16 games, along with phenom Sophomore Jalen Perry are also in that strength class (Perry weighs 185 & dead lifts 400lbs...Martin bench presses 245--VERY GOOD for a kid with long arms).

[PurplePride92]

Byrd was 1st Team All-District WR and DB. One of best young men AND weight room workers I've ever coached. Will be a preferred walk on at UofL at their request. Was a terror on defense in Bball.

 

Snider IS. A gym rat--his skills prove that out. However, between his freshman and Soph year, his dad sought me out and asked me to train him in WEIGHT ROOM. So he started lifting in my Advanced Weightlifting class. After about 3 months, he was making great gains--as a result, starting varsity as a Sophomore was no issue--he could take it in amongst the tall trees, get hacked, & still get buckets.

 

Interestingly, Quinten was a kid in class who--when I told Bball players they could have a day off if they had a big AAU game or something--he came up to me and asked if he could still do his squat workout anyway!

 

By the way, Kelan Martin--our 6'5 Swingman who had 4 great Sweet 16 games, along with phenom Sophomore Jalen Perry are also in that strength class (Perry weighs 185 & dead lifts 400lbs...Martin bench presses 245--VERY GOOD for a kid with long arms).

 

 

Awesome. Thanks for the info.

 

When I got to the game Sunday I told Spindoc I thought they would play Byrd on Hawkins because he looked strong enough to guard him and he did an excellent job on him as well despite fouling out. I assumed he played football but wasn't sure. He definitely looked like a football player.

 

When people see Snider for the first time they always say, "he needs to hit the weight room". I knew he was a gym rat who works very hard at his craft. Glad to know he is in the weight room also. I felt really bad for the boys after the game. I hope they bounce back and get some redemption next season. Thanks again for the info.

[DragonFire]

Fully 1/3 of Warren Central's Sweet 16 roster played football in the fall, including 3 starters. Our area has seen a lot of success from multi-sport athletes, I think it is to be encouraged for sure.

[Centre Colonels]

Probably the best original post (non-game related) that I have ever read on this site. Every coach should strongly urge their players to play multiple sports. "Strength" dominates all sporting activities. Strength = flexibility + weight + speed, not just how much a player weighs or how much weight he can lift off the ground. I would much rather coach a linebacker who has worked his tail off in the weight room and improved his lung capacity and lateral mobility on the basketball court, instead of the same player who only lifted weights and put on an extra 5 lbs of mass. I'm appreciative that CoachJ decided to provide actual examples of his theory (i.e. names and participation).

[CoachJ]

When people see Snider for the first time they always say, "he needs to hit the weight room".

 

Kid is 'sneaky strong.' Can't take it in amongst the big boys and score as often as he does without strength. He doesn't lift in a way to get 'bulky'--more of a workout that develops endurance strength than what I do for our football guys.

[PurplePride92]

Kid is 'sneaky strong.' Can't take it in amongst the big boys and score as often as he does without strength. He doesn't lift in a way to get 'bulky'--more of a workout that develops endurance strength than what I do for our football guys.

 

 

Gotcha. Thanks again for the info. Snider is easily my favorite high school player I'm not related to and has been since I saw him after his freshman year with the Louisville Magic. I love the way he plays the game. He's going to make me a UL fan for 4 years and I despise Pitino.:lol2: