Sounds like the NC girls got to see some good competition on a state wide level and played ok until they ran into a buzzsaw!

 

As far as the young lady missing for an AAU basketball tournament. Everyone knows there is a double standards when it comes to softball compared to other varsity sports. Besides its just the All A Classic.

There is still time. Be patient! :sssh:

 

:laugh:

Sounds like the NC girls got to see some good competition on a state wide level and played ok until they ran into a buzzsaw!

 

As far as the young lady missing for an AAU basketball tournament. Everyone knows there is a double standards when it comes to softball compared to other varsity sports. Besides its just the All A Classic.

 

That's putting it lightly, both were "well oiled machines".

Sounds like the NC girls got to see some good competition on a state wide level and played ok until they ran into a buzzsaw!

 

As far as the young lady missing for an AAU basketball tournament. Everyone knows there is a double standards when it comes to softball compared to other varsity sports. Besides its just the All A Classic.

 

Softball=red headed stepchild.

I was not able to attend the All A state tournament but a friend of mine did. His thought was that Livingston was by far the best team in Owensboro followed by Lou. Holy Cross. Congrats to NCC and WV for representing NKY! He did say that Sunday morning Livingston was playing on the field next to WV and they hit 5 Bombs!

 

They were playing on the field between of us, and with the Breds early exit I watched a couple of their "long-balls". Solid lineup of hitters that swing like men.

This is soooo true. Momma always said "look out for number 1 cause noone else will!". And it is true that the showcase and events like that are where it happens for individuals. It's a tough spot as an athlete and a coach. There is no answer for it I also don't agree with playing only one sport...for many reasons.

 

But I do see the other side of it. If your teammates count on you (as I'm sure they do in this situation) and you have committed to them, I can see where "softball focused" kids and families could have a real problem with it. Like I said, I bet there would be stuff said if a good player missed bball for a sball showcase.

 

I have to imagine that this was not a last minute decision and the Ware's were upfront and communicated this as soon as they knew. Which I'm sure was awhile ago. That means that a high school coach is left making a decision and it's a no win situation for him. If you don't let her go, you appear not to care about the kid as an idividual. If you do let her go, you appear to be playing favorites and not what's best for the team. And when you're coaching at a small school, you only have so many athletes. You need them all to compete. There may not be a "next man up" in girls sports at a small school. So when the family comes to you and says they will be missing this and that, you have a decision to make. Do you allow it or not.

 

I say you allow it and there is discipline that comes with it, just the same if anyone else misses.

 

At the end of the day, if we all look deep enough into it, it's probably the right thing to do for all parties. It just sucks that it came down to her missing a tournament that is important to the team.

 

You know the All A classic, invitational, showdown, showcase, cagematch, STATE tournament! :banana:

 

 

 

You are correct the coach was well aware of the conflicts months in advance. This young lady was very upset and never wanted to let her teammates down. If you know the young lady you know how competitive she is. She had to make a very difficult and emotional decision. I agree it sucks for both teams who depend on her to play. But in the small schools they need kids playing multiple sports to be competitive. So at the beginning of the season if the coach says you can't miss anything and can't play AAU. She decides not to play softball then she still but in same situation of letting her team down since she's played 3 year already. The coach knew what was put in front of him and made the decision accordingly. I hate to see that so much of this is put on the young lady and not the initial decision. Never the less I think she will learn a very valuable lesson thru this situation. She has had many negative attacks and comments made about her and to her. Doesn't seem fair to her. Hopefully the team can make a real run for the 9 region title. I know she will be benched for not making the All A and that is justified and acceptable. I hope softball one day gets the same recognition as basketball and football.

"I know she will be benched for not making the All A and that is justified"

 

 

If she had this cleared months in advance by her coach, why would benching be justified? Seems to me it is either OK or not. If Ok, its OK and if its not its not. I don't get it.

"I know she will be benched for not making the All A and that is justified"

 

 

If she had this cleared months in advance by her coach, why would benching be justified? Seems to me it is either OK or not. If Ok, its OK and if its not its not. I don't get it.

 

I would say that it was the agreement with a player in advance. A penalty of sorts...

"I know she will be benched for not making the All A and that is justified"

 

 

If she had this cleared months in advance by her coach, why would benching be justified? Seems to me it is either OK or not. If Ok, its OK and if its not its not. I don't get it.

 

I obviously don't know the details around this one, but I know for us, we allow misses for certain things...with a penalty. Up until this year, we allowed for kids to miss for spring break. Ft Thomas is a ghost town during spring break, but we are trying to change the culture of leaving your team during the break. It's not easy, so we are easing our way into it. Next year, we will not allow kids to leave for spring break, but we will be looking to do something as a team. We also have kids that play very competitive AAU (and other sports). We do "allow" them to miss for "special circumstances". State tournaments, very large exposure tournaments, etc. For any circumstance, we must know well in advance and they understand they will be treated like anyone that misses a practice or a game. (Running, sit out games, etc.) Whatever we feel the punishment is at the time and depending on what they miss. As we stand right now, we feel this is the options we must provide. We are trying to build a softball culture and we need participation now. We feel as the energy grows with the program, we can become a "no-miss" program eventually. But right now, if we did that, we may not have a full program. We are hoping the priority for softball at HHS starts to change and kids want to play more than other things. Right now, I think most schools in NKY are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to softball being the top priority in a young lady's life. We have a few, but not enough for the program to survive.

That makes sense.

I obviously don't know the details around this one, but I know for us, we allow misses for certain things...with a penalty. Up until this year, we allowed for kids to miss for spring break. Ft Thomas is a ghost town during spring break, but we are trying to change the culture of leaving your team during the break. It's not easy, so we are easing our way into it. Next year, we will not allow kids to leave for spring break, but we will be looking to do something as a team. We also have kids that play very competitive AAU (and other sports). We do "allow" them to miss for "special circumstances". State tournaments, very large exposure tournaments, etc. For any circumstance, we must know well in advance and they understand they will be treated like anyone that misses a practice or a game. (Running, sit out games, etc.) Whatever we feel the punishment is at the time and depending on what they miss. As we stand right now, we feel this is the options we must provide. We are trying to build a softball culture and we need participation now. We feel as the energy grows with the program, we can become a "no-miss" program eventually. But right now, if we did that, we may not have a full program. We are hoping the priority for softball at HHS starts to change and kids want to play more than other things. Right now, I think most schools in NKY are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to softball being the top priority in a young lady's life. We have a few, but not enough for the program to survive.

 

Do you review this policy with the players and their parents before the season? Sounds rather fair to me.

Do you review this policy with the players and their parents before the season? Sounds rather fair to me.

 

Yes. We try to be very upfront with everyone. We aren't perfect by any means, but we do our best to cover every expectation possible.

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Softball=red headed stepchild.

 

Sorry I must call ** on this. This has nothing to do with softball and I think you know that. NCC is a small school, like Beechwood, Brossart or anyone like that and I believe it has to be tough on players, parents, coaches and their teams when decisions like this has to be made. Many sports have become a year around sport and kids are having to dedicate more and more time to that sport if scholarships are in their future. Is it right, I don't think so but unfortunately that is how the trend is going. I wish we were back in the day when kids could play 3 sports and could be very good at all of them.

 

With this past weekend being the one NCAA evaluation weekend for coaches to go out and watch players it has to be tough for a family to decide to pick one sport over another when this one tournament could decide their child's future college decisions.

 

Does it stink for her teammates, yes. Does it stink that a young lady has to decide between an All-A Tournament that means so much to her team and school or to attend a tournament that could help decide her future in college sports, yes.

 

This is unfortunately the way the world is working now and I don't feel we can pass judgement on a young lady or her family for having to make these tough decisions because in the end our opinions on the matter are just that, opinions.

Sorry I must call ** on this. This has nothing to do with softball and I think you know that. NCC is a small school, like Beechwood, Brossart or anyone like that and I believe it has to be tough on players, parents, coaches and their teams when decisions like this has to be made. Many sports have become a year around sport and kids are having to dedicate more and more time to that sport if scholarships are in their future. Is it right, I don't think so but unfortunately that is how the trend is going. I wish we were back in the day when kids could play 3 sports and could be very good at all of them.

 

With this past weekend being the one NCAA evaluation weekend for coaches to go out and watch players it has to be tough for a family to decide to pick one sport over another when this one tournament could decide their child's future college decisions.

 

Does it stink for her teammates, yes. Does it stink that a young lady has to decide between an All-A Tournament that means so much to her team and school or to attend a tournament that could help decide her future in college sports, yes.

 

This is unfortunately the way the world is working now and I don't feel we can pass judgement on a young lady or her family for having to make these tough decisions because in the end our opinions on the matter are just that, opinions.

 

I could comment on both sides of this, but again I will refrain.

 

I would agree.