Over the past couple of years, the competitiveness of Carroll County Basketball and athletics, overall, has been on the decline (outside of this years Girl's Basketball Team). If I have done my research correctly, there were very few teams with winning seasons last year, and the trend is continuing this year. Teams that we used to compete with, and even beat, are now decimating us.

 

Asking the Carroll County faithful (and any others), what do you feel is contributing to this decline and what do you feel will help us become a competitive force again?

I guess I would have to disagree about the girls program.. they have gone to the all A the last 2 out of 3 years and have back to back district wins. The do not play Freshman and JV to win, only as a developmental league because most of the girls are on the Varsity and the coach does not play a starter down just to win a JV game. I think they are the best I have ever seen.

 

The boys program went to the State Class A 2 years ago and were district runner- up last year. But this year is a struggle.

 

However..I think that the other counties around us do a much better job in Varsity involvement at the Junior Panther and Middle School level. The GIrls Middle School program has had 2 years of good coaches and the Varsity coach has helped direct the program. On the boys side they continually change coaches it is mostly parents that try to keep it going. It has to start at a much younger age. TO build a program it has to be monitored at all levels by the ultimate beneficiary.. the Varsity program.

 

Carroll County kids need to be developed and tought the game at a much younger age. Most can not afford private camps and need to get instruction in the developmental league.

 

I think some of your information is incorrect on the Girls side though. They are the strongest they have been in a long time...but on the boys they are having a bad year this year..but if you look at the talent coming up we should do well ( the Fresh class and the Soph class both were winners in the Miidle schools)

Thank you Lunatic, I totally agree with you on the girls team. I did not state that in the previous post as well as I should have.

 

Thank you for the comments!!

One other thing on this..it is the same for Football, not enough involvement in the lower grades to develop the younger players to play the game.

 

As far as the other athletics...new Baseball coach that looks good..Volleyball had the best year ever last year. Some of our cross country runners went to state.. Tennis usually is strong..we are not going to win at every sport but I see improvement in the ones that get attention at a young age.

Heart and pride. That is the biggest thing that I can the Panthers lacking. Watching them play the past few games I can tell that very few players actually go out and hustle. The talent is there, it just seems to me that nobody really cares anymore. They do not really have pride in the program and thats what leads to the down season this year. I also see a lack of leadership on the team, seniors need to step up because the Panthers have a young team this year with very little experience. I can just hope that the team can build from the bad season they are having and finish the season strong. The district tournament is still coming up and in tournament time, records do not matter, its anybodys game. Good luck Panthers on the rest of the season. I will be cheering you on!

I know this is going to hurt but the biggest problem in Panther Country has not and is not the players or coaches. The biggest (only) problem has been with the parents of the players. Trust me as good as some of these players have been without parental interference they would have had good teams. Coach Mefford is and always was a winner. I'll be watching him coach in Richmond in a few days. Coach Miller has not been around long enough for me to draw an opinion and with all the help he's getting I probably won't get that chance. Scoring a lot of points does not make you a stud unless you are winning and WINNING as a team must come first.

Here are some statistics from 2005-2006 athletics:

 

Volleyball - 10-16

Football - 3-8

Boys Basketball - 15-15

Girls Basketball - 15-13

Soccer - 1-11-1

Boys Baseball - 6-20

Girls Softball - 2-13

(I do not have statistics for track, cross country, tennis and golf).

I do know that we had one stand out golfer last year who went to state, but she has since graduated.

 

So far this year -

Volleyball - 19-11 (Coach Lowe is making great strides and improvements in that program. I would say that is one of the fastest growing programs in Carroll County athletics)

Football - 3-8 (Lost to Gallatin in their first year of ball and to Trimble - no offense True Blue and Gold)

Boys Basketball 5-15

And we all know how great the girls basketball program is doing this year.

 

I want to stress that I am a huge supporter of Carroll County athletics and voice this opinion only out of concern. I don't want any of the kids who participate in sports at Carroll County to view this as a slam against them and their ability. That is what is so baffling, we have the same demographics and, generally, the same level of talent. We are not building solid programs at the younger levels. There is not a lot of community support. Quite frankly, there is no fun and excitement in attending these games anymore.

 

I believe the All "A" Tourney should no longer be the standard in success for these small schools. I believe that is why we don't get respect out of the 31st District. Every year, we used to expect to go to regional tournament and do well, and that was when we played all of the Oldhams. I believe we are settling for mediocrity. I hate to put it all on the coach, espcially given my name, but the level of coaching makes me wonder.

 

Trimble Football is so great because of what their coach has inspired them to do. Gallatin basketball is great because Jones is the best coach no one outside of our district has heard of. Owen basketball is exciting now because Duvall is young and exciting and makes it fun to watch. When was the last time in one season we were beaten by Owen and Gallatin by a combined amount of 80 or more points, and this is with great players on one side of the ball, but Carroll County should not be THAT bad!! I believe that even the Owen and Gallatin faithful would agree. Trimble is struggling in basketball this year, but they are growing. We are completely stagnant. It is sad when a sophomore, who I think is a great kid with a huge amount of heart, leads the team to victory.

 

This is probably the longest post in BGP history, with probably the least amount of interest, but I had to get it off of my chest.

Not the longest post I have seen on here - but a very concerned one, with the best interest of CC at heart.

 

I am not offended by the Trimble football comments - I took it as you were saying that, being of similar size and makeup, you should be competitive with us. Same for Gallatin.

 

Let me add one comment to your discussion. Every now and then an exceptional player comes along and "makes" the team what it is. How many games would the Lady Panthers have won without Ballinger? That is not a slam - just saying that Ballingers are few and far between.

Not the longest post I have seen on here - but a very concerned one, with the best interest of CC at heart.

 

I am not offended by the Trimble football comments - I took it as you were saying that, being of similar size and makeup, you should be competitive with us. Same for Gallatin.

 

Let me add one comment to your discussion. Every now and then an exceptional player comes along and "makes" the team what it is. How many games would the Lady Panthers have won without Ballinger? That is not a slam - just saying that Ballingers are few and far between.

AMEN

That is the beauty of small schools. One or two players can make a difference. There was a guy that wore #23 that got cut in High School. Not in a small school.

I agree, there is much room for improvement...and I hate to say it but it comes down to time and money..

 

Football - most of the kids get to start playing in 6th grade. A few games and then they are done. Let's face it, to play Yellow Jackets you have to have a parent that will take you and pay for it. So the other 80% are left out until the school program takes over. SO what is the solution..I remember when we had 4 little league teams that were local.

 

Volleyball - even with the improvement our girls do not readily have access to MAVA and year round organizations that other girls have. At least there is an interest and someone is taking the time to work with those girls.

 

Softball - No one wants to coach and that really makes the girls not want to play. We have a feeder program and many good players out there.

 

Soccer - I am not familiar with the issues there.

Baseball - Same as Football, there is not really a organized team until HS...so most of the kids are left out unless they have parents that get them involved outside the school.

 

Good Coaches are passionate about the sport and recruit the players and work with them year round.

 

Here is what I think should happen...Kid A is an athlete and should play football, Basketball, and baseball and a program is worked out for that kid ..conditioning, weight lifting etc so that he can participate in all 3 with out negatively effecting him in his sport of choice. We have a limited athlete pool and we need to use them all in the sports. The coaches need to work together and get the right kids to participate in the sports.

 

Any thoughts...

Lunatic1, how much carryover do you have from sport to sport?

I agree, there is much room for improvement...and I hate to say it but it comes down to time and money..

 

Football - most of the kids get to start playing in 6th grade. A few games and then they are done. Let's face it, to play Yellow Jackets you have to have a parent that will take you and pay for it. So the other 80% are left out until the school program takes over. SO what is the solution..I remember when we had 4 little league teams that were local.

 

Volleyball - even with the improvement our girls do not readily have access to MAVA and year round organizations that other girls have. At least there is an interest and someone is taking the time to work with those girls.

 

Softball - No one wants to coach and that really makes the girls not want to play. We have a feeder program and many good players out there.

 

Soccer - I am not familiar with the issues there.

Baseball - Same as Football, there is not really a organized team until HS...so most of the kids are left out unless they have parents that get them involved outside the school.

 

Good Coaches are passionate about the sport and recruit the players and work with them year round.

 

Here is what I think should happen...Kid A is an athlete and should play football, Basketball, and baseball and a program is worked out for that kid ..conditioning, weight lifting etc so that he can participate in all 3 with out negatively effecting him in his sport of choice. We have a limited athlete pool and we need to use them all in the sports. The coaches need to work together and get the right kids to participate in the sports.

 

Any thoughts...

I think Hitler tried this AND it failed. CC athletics will be ok its just a bad cycle

Any thoughts... How about letting the kids be kids and have fun and letting the coaches coach. Teach your kid everything you are capable of without pushing them. They will decide if you allow them.

Well . not a lot, really nothing that can not be worked out.. for example a boy could not Golf and football, but there are many boys who with the right program and if the coaches worked together could do all of many sports. It kills me to sit at the Football games and see some of the biggest most athletic players not on the field because they are going to play basketball and are afraid to miss some open gym time.

 

There are many boys that do all 3 and should be encouraged and not discouraged.

 

The girls have to do this because there are not as many athletes, and cheerleading has taken so many of the girls that most of the others play at least 3 sports.