Henderson County is 1-4 and has played two number 1 ranked teams in Indiana and two top ten teams in Kentucky. Only one team on their schedule has a losing record. The ten teams they will face have a record of 40-10 that's ave of 4-1 that's nuts. So will it pay off for them in the district even though they are having a down year? Or would it have been better to have been playing cup cakes?

It's a fine line..

 

Does playing better competition make a team better? Absolutely.

 

If a team gets beat down and loses confidence could it cause a downward spiral? Absolutely

 

Does playing teams bigger, faster, and stronger than you lend itself to a higher chance of injuries? Possibly.

 

It's about finding that right mix and having the right staff to keep confidence high.

 

I think two programs to compare are Central and Harlan County.

 

Central has built their program by playing top teams in Jefferson County and the State. Though they take losses and the occasional butt kicking, they usually rally in November and are tough as nails.

 

Harlan County was a rising program who had made deep playoff runs. They significantly upped their schedule and took some big losses. Negatives were exposed and chemistry was lost and after a coaching change whatever momentum they had is nowhere to be seen.

Being tested or untested doesn't make a team physically bigger or stronger or faster. Does it help them understand what good teams look like? Yeah, but thar won't always matter. If a very average team keeps playing great teams, it won't make a difference because they still aren't a good team.

 

If you can compete for a championship, the competition can help. But, if you aren't in the elite top 5 or so, I don't think it tends to make a difference.

Kind of obvious, but playing teams you match up with well with, will do better for you in the long run. Early season you always see great match ups, then if your district is down, I think you can become complacent.

IMO it soley depends on the team and the makeup of that team. If you have hard nosed kids with good leadership, I believe it really helps a team to play up in competition.

I also believe there is a fine line to be aware of. I do feel that playing better competition ultimately prepares a team for those regional final games and beyond. However, I absolutely agree that you have to be mindful of the makeup of your team and the stage of your program. I think a nice balance of tough/competitive games mixed with some games in which your the clear favorite are the best to allow your players to be in pressure situations and building an atmosphere of winning every Friday night.

Being tested or untested doesn't make a team physically bigger or stronger or faster. Does it help them understand what good teams look like? Yeah, but thar won't always matter. If a very average team keeps playing great teams, it won't make a difference because they still aren't a good team.

 

If you can compete for a championship, the competition can help. But, if you aren't in the elite top 5 or so, I don't think it tends to make a difference.

 

Winner winner.