Some of the posts in the Holmes/Newport Central Catholic regional game thread got me to thinking. Some are asking if NCC had a "successful" year with a quarter final loss to Holmes to open the region. So that got me to thinking about this question.

 

Can a team be considered NOT successful while winning their stated overall goal. Football, basketball, whatever the sport. Can a team win it all...from a league championship to a state tournament to a national tournament and not consider it a total success? I say yes, because as I stated in the referenced thread, I don't make winning and losing the be all end all of defining success. I think there's a lot more to it than that. Did the kids learn everything they needed to know/coaches tried to teach them? Did they practice/play with 100% effort all or at the very least most all the time? Did they improve during the season? Did they learn from their mistakes? Did the individuals/team meet or exceed the pre season goals expected of them? If the answer to many or maybe even all of these questions in "no", then I think it's a legit question to wonder if the season was a success or not.

Success at the high school level is so arbitrary and perspective based. Why didn't the same thread get started about St. Henry or Newport, who both played well in the regional tournament? I am pretty certain that the disappointment was the same with those two as it was with NCC. It will be the same diappointment for the loser tonight. When I was Superintendent in a small rural district, I would have defined success most year in getting to the regional tournament. On the really down years because these go in cycles in most small school districts, just beating the local rival was about the best the talent would really warrant.

 

Now programs that have consistently competed or won state championships or regional tournaments, it probably isn't considered a success or really not meeting a goal. Without knowing the coaches well or the players, I would take their thinking on it, though several weeks after the final game. Everyone is too emotional following the game and the few days that follow.

If your team reaches its full potential, but still comes up short, I call it a successful year.

 

If your team doesn't reach its full potential, I call it an unsuccessful year.

 

While NCC had a great regular season, and won the All-A, IMO anything short of going to Rupp means NCC didn't reach its full potential this season.

 

And with the talent on this NCC team, they should be playing next Saturday night.

If your team reaches its full potential, but still comes up short, I call it a successful year.

 

If your team doesn't reach its full potential, I call it an unsuccessful year.

 

While NCC had a great regular season, and won the All-A, IMO anything short of going to Rupp means NCC didn't reach its full potential this season.

 

And with the talent on this NCC team, they should be playing next Saturday night.

 

Just curious, how many times and where did you see NCC play this year?

Just curious, how many times and where did you see NCC play this year?

 

Didn't see them, but read about them and followed them all year on here.

Would you say Trinity had a successful season?

Success at the high school level is perspective based. - Could not be said much better.

 

I like to measure success by intangibles - Did the guys learn something? Did they grow together and develop lifelong friendships and memories? Did they HAVE FUN and WORK HARD? These are the things that high school basketball is about. Winning and losing are certainly large parts of the experience, but its the time you spend and the people you spend it with that really makes high school basketball.

 

In terms of strictly win/loss, the W's are what matters. My perspective may be a little distorted because I had such success in my high school career,but I imagine I would still feel like I had a great experience even if we had lost our last game.

If your team reaches its full potential, but still comes up short, I call it a successful year.

 

If your team doesn't reach its full potential, I call it an unsuccessful year.

 

While NCC had a great regular season, and won the All-A, IMO anything short of going to Rupp means NCC didn't reach its full potential this season.

 

And with the talent on this NCC team, they should be playing next Saturday night.

 

So you are making a statement that they should be playing in the finals despite not having seen them play one time. This my friends is the problem. Too many people make generalizations of what should or should not have happened without ever seeing the product. NCC was very good this year, but were they the best in the 9th? Not sure and I saw all of the teams play.

Hey, if Warren Central loses tonight, their season will be a disappointment to me and several others.

 

Are they the best team in the 4th? Maybe, maybe not.

Big man, got a question-- "Stated overall goal" So do any teams state their goals anywhere other than the locker room?