Back in the 90's there was a huge push for boys and girls soccer. It was also the decade that Beechwood football dominated class A. The opponents had the argument that a soccer program would diminish the football team. It was probably true at the time.

The fight got very ugly, with old friends not speaking to each other. In the end, soccer was voted down. Soccer proponents didn't push again for ten years, but the grumbling and hard feelings were under the surface with some BHS parents the whole time.

 

So in the debate between winning football championships and providing opportunities for other students not on the football team (some of whom were females) - winning football championships won. I guess you can figure out who was the loser. If you (or quickslick) are at all wondering why people on here are so skeptical of the perceived treatment of the kids wanting to play soccer at Beechwood - look no further, you summed it up well.

Back in the 90's there was a huge push for boys and girls soccer. It was also the decade that Beechwood football dominated class A. The opponents had the argument that a soccer program would diminish the football team. It was probably true at the time.

The fight got very ugly, with old friends not speaking to each other. In the end, soccer was voted down. Soccer proponents didn't push again for ten years, but the grumbling and hard feelings were under the surface with some BHS parents the whole time.

 

Thank you for sharing and being a great source of information in this discussion.

So in the debate between winning football championships and providing opportunities for other students not on the football team (some of whom were females) - winning football championships won. I guess you can figure out who was the loser. If you (or quickslick) are at all wondering why people on here are so skeptical of the perceived treatment of the kids wanting to play soccer at Beechwood - look no further, you summed it up well.

 

Thats a pretty broad brush you are painting with!

 

I am willing to accept that ... providing that you understand that the proper protocol was not followed for adding a team at Beechwood.

 

According to the KHSAA Interest survey .. which is what Beechwood has used before and after .. There were 3 kids on the list. There were 7 other sports that were ahead of boys soccer on the interest survey. WHY WERE THOSE SPORTS NOT ADDED!?

 

Now keep in mind ... Beechwood addressed the KHSAA Interest survey (held every two years at the direction of the KHSAA). Girls/Boys Cross country was added. Based on the survey--adding cross country kept us in a great spot in regard to Title 9 requirements ... plus .. it got more votes than any other sport on the list. Cross country compliments track ... so there is a large group of kids who will keep the pipeline flowing. From there .. there is a former "leader" .. who did everything possible to squash cross country ... because that person knew it would be significantly harder to add soccer the very next season ... especially since it was immediately obvious that there would be immediate success and a very solid foundation for the cross country program.

 

You have 2 NLE's (No longer employed) who pushed this behind the scenes for reasons unrelated to the KHSAA interest survey. (And it shouldn't be too hard to figure out where I am coming from). It would have never happened if the proper process was followed ... from parents being allowed inside school to solicit interest ... to parents flat out forging kids' names who had zero interest in playing soccer .. to former "higher ups" who did everything in their power to make sure the AD was not involved (which is flat out her job). I could go on and on.

 

From there ... I could care less if the soccer supporters are skeptical of the football program. The fight for football was straight up FACILITIES .. which we most certainly do not have. There are much more pressing issues.

 

And I will leave you with this ... Beechwoodfan brought up some good points. Something that needs to be done (and in my opinion ... ASAP) is repair/update/modernize the track.

 

Then it hit me ... I have never mentioned the need for a new track inside or outside of Beechwood. Does the track stink? At times (especially when it rains ... lots of fun walking through 18 inches of water all the way around the end of the field/track).

 

But ... let me tell you this ... you are not going to see me raising a stink about the track. We are a team .. and our kids understand that no one is ever going to hand them ANYTHING ... and we are extremely fortunate to have anything at all.

 

What this comes down to ... there are a few people who hate football, This group of people are hell bent on doing everything they can to interfere with the football program. There are numerous options that have been thrown out which do not revolve around the field that would work just as well ... or significantly better than the football field. Guess what ... none of those people will even consider something outside the field ... even if it is BETTER!

 

From there ... it really doesn't matter ... you don't have to believe what I say ... that's no issue with me. But keep in mind ... if this process was followed properly .. things would be somewhat different. (or night and day different).

I guess what I have hear a couple of times that leaves me a little puzzled....and again, no dog in the fight......is that the middle school football and track teams seem to be getting more consideration for the usage than a new HIGH school team.....

 

Just doesn't seem right....but then again.....an outsider looking in....

I guess what I have hear a couple of times that leaves me a little puzzled....and again, no dog in the fight......is that the middle school football and track teams seem to be getting more consideration for the usage than a new HIGH school team.....

 

Just doesn't seem right....but then again.....an outsider looking in....

 

There is a a middle school and high school track team for boys and girls with virtually no decent place to practice. My understanding is that is about 100 students (but I can't be certain of the exact amount) There is also boys middle school and high school football.

So it does sound as if the middle school teams are taking some of the very limited field times at the cost of the HS teams.....could be an opportunity

Again, there is a soccer field at the school open and available. It is the same field the girls use. I don't see a field problem for boys soccer. Why don't the boys use the existing soccer field?

So it does sound as if the middle school teams are taking some of the very limited field times at the cost of the HS teams.....could be an opportunity

 

Ummm ... no.

For track ... there is a girls team and a boys team--all under the same umbrella with kids from 5th grade to seniors in high school (and high school kids make up the vast majority of the program). Also .. pretty sure that track season is in the spring ... and also pretty sure that the track team uses the track ... the throwers and other specialties get a very small area of the field .. because the baseball/softball teams are usually on the field.

 

The middle school football team is on the field at the same time as the freshman and varsity teams (at least for most of their practice). The middle school and freshman teams rarely are on the field by theirselves (rarely meaning 1 to 2 times a month).

So in the debate between winning football championships and providing opportunities for other students not on the football team (some of whom were females) - winning football championships won. I guess you can figure out who was the loser. If you (or quickslick) are at all wondering why people on here are so skeptical of the perceived treatment of the kids wanting to play soccer at Beechwood - look no further, you summed it up well.

 

Well...that was over 20 years ago. Neither QS or I had a dog in that fight. As a matter of fact, I had a young child who, at the time, was an incredible soccer player. I also said I was wrong when I did have a dog in the fight. Different set of parents and different set of circumstances. We now have both boys and girls soccer as well as a soccer field. I believe I said that this is a good thing. Just giving my prospective as someone who had been around awhile.

 

QS has been very positive, saying he would like to be part of the solution as opposed as the problem. He merely points out a need for a different set of athletes. No where does he criticize soccer.

 

I believe that sums it up well.

Edited August 7, 201511 yr by Beechwoodfan

Thats a pretty broad brush you are painting with!

 

All I did was restate what Beechwoodfan said, but I wouldn't like the way it comes across either.

 

How about a little history lesson? Back when the girls soccer team was getting started those trying to stop it routinely pointed to the interest survey, how it was conducted, and how few kids in the school actually wanted to play. Pretty amazing how since inception, numbers were never an issue despite lack of interest being the battle cry of those fighting it. Fast forward to the boys program getting started and the issues being used by those opposed to it are identical. I guess we will see soon enough if the lack of interest is an issue on the boys side.

 

Beechwood obviously has facility challenges, but schools and communities that care about kids find ways to overcome them.

 

Finally if there are people who hate Beechwood football, maybe they have a good reason to (other than their jealousy of Beechwood's annual state semi-finalist appearances in football). :banana:

Well...that was over 20 years ago. Neither QS or I had a dog in that fight. As a matter of fact, I had a young child who, at the time, was an incredible soccer player. I also said I was wrong when I did have a dog in the fight. Different set of parents and different set of circumstances. We now have both boys and girls soccer as well as a soccer field. I believe I said that this is a good thing. Just giving my prospective as someone who had been around awhile.

 

QS has been very positive, saying he would like to be part of the solution as opposed as the problem. He merely points out a need for a different set of athletes. No where does he criticize soccer.

 

I believe that sums it up well.

 

Different parents.

Different students.

Different circumstances.

 

Same culture???

Different parents.

Different students.

Different circumstances.

 

Same culture???

 

And exactly what culture is that?

The culture of working tirelessly to help the school?

The culture of academic excellence?

The culture of a successful football program?

Working tirelessly to build programs that are in place?

Working tirelessly to protect the student athletes who have worked side by side with people who disappear when things get tough?

 

From the beginning ... I have been very clear about the fact that the only sport that EVER mentioned the worry of losing kids to another program is cross country .. which I have a personal stake in. I admit .. and I accepted it ... and have moved on from it. (And yes I have ... I can move on yet still speak to the situation and still move forward).

 

Not to mention ... there was a very definite point where the football program disengaged from the situation. Football was straight up worried about facilities. Not just for football .. but for every sport and every activity (band/cheerleading included).

 

From there ... Oldbird--I have a ton of respect for your point of view ... but when did it become the football programs job to make the soccer supporters feel like puppy dogs and rainbows on a bright spring day? Seriously ... the football program took their selves out of the process ... yet here you are ... supporting a side that went outside of the process. Say what you will ... but forging names of kids to show "interest" is ugly ... please tell me how the football team made them do things like that?

 

To be fair ... there were a couple families involved who went out of their way to at least try and understand where guys like me were coming from. It bothers me greatly that I haven't spoken about the great effort they made to try to do things right. That group is the reason why I will do everything in my power to help make things work ... whether it be manual labor ... or my retirement fund. If they read any of this ... I hope they know who they are .. because they should not be painted with my broad brush.

 

From there ... there was a post earlier in this thread (NOT from Oldbird) that spoke to the fact that things like state championships are not important ... and participation is what truly matters. Yeah well ... that is exactly what Rec leagues are for. You have every other sport in the school trying to be the best that they can possibly be ... and then you have boys soccer supporters being happy with "I won ... I participated".

 

From there ... I will continue to do everything possible to help our school. I am more than willing to step up to the plate for our programs by contributing same the tireless work that I have displayed since 1998 ... and I would be more than willing to contribute to any financial campaign that creates better facilities for all of our activities

 

What I won't do ... is let people trample on the efforts of good people who have worked hard for MANY years at Beechwood to appease boys soccer. When that group decides that they want to wake up and smell some reality ... things will change (for the better) immediately.

Edited August 7, 201511 yr by quickslick

Different parents.

Different students.

Different circumstances.

 

Same culture???

 

Only in your mind? That's how looks to me. How about trying to move forward in a positive way and find solutions? I understand you may have scars from the past that you are having trouble moving past, but your comments in here sure aren't helping the current situation

I'll be glad when the season starts so we can talk about the games and the players no matter the pitch they play on.

Edited August 8, 201511 yr by imsays

I be glad when the season starts so we can talk about the games and the players no matter the pitch.

 

It will be very nice if it is that simple.