New Team

[hoops5]

..... Scott's program has been challenged finding talent.....

You can have your talent or you can have your pool, but you can't have a talent pool?

[rjs4470]

I wouldn't say Scott has had trouble getting talent. The teams at Woodland have been pretty good the last several years (especially the current Sophomore class), even with a couple girls getting pulled up every year. The problem has been getting girls to stay in the program. It seems like some girls quit every year. And it seems like many of the girls who do play up as middle schoolers never seem to continue to develop. I don't know what the answer is,.

[RCC9]

I like this comment and tend to agree. But unless KHSAA changes the rules, there is no foul here.

 

I agree too, but this happens all the time. Just off the top of my head, I can tell you that SK lost a very good athlete that played up in bball and was an all-region softball player as a 7th and 8th grader. She is now at ND. Holy Cross has a freshman this year that started at second base for Dixie two years ago. And then started at SS for Holmes last year. And now as a freshman, starts at SS for HC. Is it right...I have no idea. It's completely up to the family to decide that and live with there decisions.

 

As far as letting a 12-13 year old kid have input on where they want to go to school...what's wrong with that? Wouldn't you want them to be where they are happy and comfortable for sports and learning. If kids are happy, they tend to do well. If they kept her at Scott against her will, that could be just as harmful. Unhappy kid could result in an unengaged kid. And, I'm not aware of any of her AAU teammates playing at SK right now anyway. I may be wrong there. But I don't think any of them go to SK right now.

 

As far as Scott only having 800 students...the KHSAA has them at 946, which is bigger than Highlands, Holmes, Walton Verona, Beechwood, Gallatin County, Bracken Co, St Henry, Holy Cross, NCC, Brossart all schools with successful programs. They are plenty big enough to have a consistent program.

[rjs4470]

As far as Scott only having 800 students...the KHSAA has them at 946, which is bigger than Highlands, Holmes, Walton Verona, Beechwood, Gallatin County, Bracken Co, St Henry, Holy Cross, NCC, Brossart all schools with successful programs. They are plenty big enough to have a consistent program.

 

The talent is there. Keeping it (whether its girls quitting or leaving to go elsewhere) is the problem.

[bballguy]

I wouldn't say Scott has had trouble getting talent. The teams at Woodland have been pretty good the last several years (especially the current Sophomore class), even with a couple girls getting pulled up every year. The problem has been getting girls to stay in the program. It seems like some girls quit every year. And it seems like many of the girls who do play up as middle schoolers never seem to continue to develop. I don't know what the answer is,.

 

I believe the bolded portion of this post answers the central point of this thread.

[bballguy]

You make some very valid points as well as also clearly pointing out a major problem. Letting a 12-13 year old decide where they want to go to high school because of who they played AAU ball with is a major mistake. I'm not saying it doesn't ever work out but lots of times those decisions may be regretted in the future.

 

I have an 8th grader that is a swimmer. I badly want to send him to school open enrollment at Scott. Why? Because it is the ONLY high school in NKy with a pool. Going to school there would create additional practice opportunities and further his opportunity for scholarship. Will he go? Absolutely not. He wants to be with his middle school buddies especially since he is in a band with friends in his chorus class.As a parent, this is a battle better left alone.

[FarBeyondDriven]

I wouldn't say Scott has had trouble getting talent. The teams at Woodland have been pretty good the last several years (especially the current Sophomore class), even with a couple girls getting pulled up every year. The problem has been getting girls to stay in the program. It seems like some girls quit every year. And it seems like many of the girls who do play up as middle schoolers never seem to continue to develop. I don't know what the answer is,.

That is a very common occurrence with girls in general.

[RCC9]

That is a very common occurrence with girls in general.

 

Very true statement and several reasons on the girl's side. One of the big reasons is "why" keep competing at that level? It takes a certain girl type to still want to go out and do what it takes to stay highly competitive once you introduce high school distractions. You get passed up fast if you aren't dedicated and working in the offseason. And most girls want to do other things. Most girls don't see the benefit or have the interest to continue to take all there free time and work on their sport. There is nothing wrong with it...it's just their choice of what they want to do with their free time. There is no right or wrong. When freedoms such as driving and hanging out more freely come into play, many choose not to stay as dedicated. I get it. Priorities change as they get older. Heck, I know many girls that could have played in college with some kind of scholarship that chose to pass up the money to go to school where they wanted. They were just done with sports and it's a job at the next level. If you aren't 100% committed, you will hate it. Girls are wired differently than boys. Many more girls than boys chose to take different paths earlier in life. Boys rather be on the field with their buddies competing. Some girls lose that interest to stay at the top of their game.

[Dozer61]

I wouldn't say Scott has had trouble getting talent. The teams at Woodland have been pretty good the last several years (especially the current Sophomore class), even with a couple girls getting pulled up every year. The problem has been getting girls to stay in the program. It seems like some girls quit every year. And it seems like many of the girls who do play up as middle schoolers never seem to continue to develop. I don't know what the answer is,.

 

Having discussed this issue with other parents and both the Woodland and Scott coaches I heard a variety of explanations. None of which I completely agreed with but all had legitimate merit.

 

Not a "fit all" solution I would like to see "A" and "B" teams fielded at the middle school level whenever possible similar to the program at Campbell County.

[dribbledrive]

I know both parents and girls. They will stay together whatever the outcome. Have you heard that a Dixie freshman might be heading there also. Dixie lost an eight grader to SK last year and I have heard another one is considering.

[Dozer61]

Very true statement and several reasons on the girl's side. One of the big reasons is "why" keep competing at that level? It takes a certain girl type to still want to go out and do what it takes to stay highly competitive once you introduce high school distractions. You get passed up fast if you aren't dedicated and working in the offseason. And most girls want to do other things. Most girls don't see the benefit or have the interest to continue to take all there free time and work on their sport. There is nothing wrong with it...it's just their choice of what they want to do with their free time. There is no right or wrong. When freedoms such as driving and hanging out more freely come into play, many choose not to stay as dedicated. I get it. Priorities change as they get older. Heck, I know many girls that could have played in college with some kind of scholarship that chose to pass up the money to go to school where they wanted. They were just done with sports and it's a job at the next level. If you aren't 100% committed, you will hate it. Girls are wired differently than boys. Many more girls than boys chose to take different paths earlier in life. Boys rather be on the field with their buddies competing. Some girls lose that interest to stay at the top of their game.

 

I believe the biggest factor is the timing of maturity and how that factors into their development. I have seen many elementary schoolers who were head and shoulders taller than their teammates/competitors in the 5th grade having played a post position the entire time, become one of the smaller players on the team as 8th/9th/10th graders and having to find their way as guard.

[RCC9]

I believe the biggest factor is the timing of maturity and how that factors into their development. I have seen many elementary schoolers who were head and shoulders taller than their teammates/competitors in the 5th grade having played a post position the entire time, become one of the smaller players on the team as 8th/9th/10th graders and having to find their way as guard.

 

Very true! The main thing I learned coaching AAU is to not pin girls into a position. Train them all the same. All with ball skills, shooting, post moves and the same defensive skills. You never know where a girl will end up in height and it never hurts to have a well-rounded game no matter how tall or short you are.

[rjs4470]

Having discussed this issue with other parents and both the Woodland and Scott coaches I heard a variety of explanations. None of which I completely agreed with but all had legitimate merit.

 

Not a "fit all" solution I would like to see "A" and "B" teams fielded at the middle school level whenever possible similar to the program at Campbell County.

 

This would be great except for a few problems....

 

1. Gym Space--as it is, the gym is occupied from 3pm-9pm with the current girls and boys basketball teams. It's impractical to make teams practice together. And where would they play?? Again, 1 gym and it's occupied by either the girls teams or boys teams on game day.

2. Numbers. Once you get past 6th grade, the numbers drop pretty quickly. And I don't think there is enough talent in the building to field two competitive teams. Sometimes, 1 competitive team is hard to fill, especially on the girls side when 7th/8th graders are getting pulled up to play in high school

3. Coaches--As of now there is no budget to pay 6 additional coaches, which would cost over 12k with the current stipend that is paid.

[hoops5]

I believe the biggest factor is the timing of maturity and how that factors into their development. I have seen many elementary schoolers who were head and shoulders taller than their teammates/competitors in the 5th grade having played a post position the entire time, become one of the smaller players on the team as 8th/9th/10th graders and having to find their way as guard.

So true.

[Dozer61]

[/b]

 

This would be great except for a few problems....

 

1. Gym Space--as it is, the gym is occupied from 3pm-9pm with the current girls and boys basketball teams. It's impractical to make teams practice together. And where would they play?? Again, 1 gym and it's occupied by either the girls teams or boys teams on game day.

2. Numbers. Once you get past 6th grade, the numbers drop pretty quickly. And I don't think there is enough talent in the building to field two competitive teams. Sometimes, 1 competitive team is hard to fill, especially on the girls side when 7th/8th graders are getting pulled up to play in high school

3. Coaches--As of now there is no budget to pay 6 additional coaches, which would cost over 12k with the current stipend that is paid.

 

1) I know. Not an easy fix. But some how Campbell County has found a way so I know it can be done.

 

2) I agree 100% that numbers fall off in the later grades. But the question I pose: Is that because their is no interest or because after being cut by the 6th grade coach, the player (who may have just had a bad week, bad tryout, just didn't impress the coach on that day, etc.) loses confidence and decides to move on to something else? What would be the negative impact to a school or community if even a single young lady was kept in athletics for even 1 more year longer? What could be the positive?

 

3) Budget, the dark truth of life is everything always comes down to money. Love it or hate it, that is reality. And sometimes finding anybody to want to coach girls sports at the middle school level can be the more difficult task. However, since it is a "development team" or "B team" and the focus is more about teaching fundamentals, less about performance. It might be possible to find parents of the girls that would otherwise be cut that might be interested. I know I would.

 

Truth is many people would gladly do it for a cool coaching shirt and hat if just given the chance.