What does Williamsburg need to do to improve in 2008/2009? What do they need to keep doing to be successful? Remember, please be constructive.

Williamsburg has some nice individual talent. Pettit, Cunningham, Teague, and Taylor should give Coach Robinson a good base to work with. I think that his resistance to looking at the whole picture will hinder Coach Robinson in his quest to have a successful season. Until he drills it into his players heads the importance of playing as a team, and takes the steps necessary to make sure this happens, I am afraid that Williamsburg will see no more wins this season than the last. Poor shot selection, not passing the ball enough, and selfish play cost the Jackets more than one game. I watched the Jackets throw away the lead in several balls games when all they had to do was protect the ball and let the clock run down but instead poor shots were taken & missed allowing the other team to recover the ball, score, and win the game. There was more importance placed on individual stats than on overall team performance. It may seem that I have a problem with certain players but that is not the case. What I have a problem with is when the same mistakes are repeated time and time again and no attempt is made to correct them. Coach Robinson needs to realize that he has a responsibility to the whole team not just one or two players. If you take a look at the teams in this area that have had success, let’s take Corbin for example, when Madison Johnson was guarded heavily in a game and unable to get off his shots he passed the ball to an open teammate instead of throwing up a shot on a wing and a prayer. Coach also needs to look at developing some of his younger talent. My advice to the Jackets would be to get the team into the gym over the summer and work on passing the ball, looking for the open shots, and aggressive rebounding.

They need some senior leadership. They need to get tougher mentally. The parents need to let Coach Robinson divy up the shots.

They need some senior leadership. They need to get tougher mentally. The parents need to let Coach Robinson divy up the shots.

 

I agree with your first two statements. They need leadership in some form but it needs to start with the coaching staff and trickle down to the senior players. You can't place the responsibilty of fixing what is wrong on the players. A leader has to look at the big picture and do what is best for the group as a whole not what is best for himself. Until Coach teaches that philosopy to his players a leader will not step up. IMO Coach Robinson has gotten so much advice that I think he is determined to show everyone that he is the boss and because of that stubborness he has lost sight of what is right in front of his face. Sometimes it is okay to take a step back and at least consider what others are trying to tell you. I know that I am not the only person who has expressed my opinion on some of the problems with the team. If several people are seeing the same things then maybe, just maybe we have a point. Coach Robinson can stand his ground and refuse to listen. He can run the team as he sees fit and ignore the advise from people who just might have a clue as to what they are talking about. He can divy up the shots as he sees fit and he can continue to lose.

Robinson was hired to coach. Let him coach.

Robinson was hired to coach. Let him coach.

 

In all respect, I don't think Williamsburg is that great. That have two decent players. Cunningham and Teague and that is it. He will say well so and so don't get the ball enough. I seen them play last year and the other players did not show me anything, even when they had the ball. Some attempted to do some things with the ball, but did not look very good doing it when they had their chance.

He said the same things last year about Robinson. Has to be a disgruntled parent. In all respect, I don't think Williamsburg is that great. That have two decent players. Cunningham and Teague and that is it. He will say well so and so don't get the ball enough. I seen them play last year and the other players did not show me anything, even when they had the ball. Some attempted to do some things with the ball, but did not look very good doing it when they had their chance.

 

 

That's the way it looked to me, but I only saw Williamsburg once.

Robinson will do fine. It's hard to coach, when you have people telling him what he should do ... he's the coach ... he'll decide what's best for the kids.

Robinson will do fine. It's hard to coach, when you have people telling him what he should do ... he's the coach ... he'll decide what's best for the kids.

Wait a minute…I thought that this thread asked what Williamsburg needed to do to improve from last year? I didn’t start the thread; I only gave my opinion, which is what it asked for. And yes, I did say the same things last year and they are still true this year. Let me ask you this, Les. When you started working at your first job did you just walk in, sit down, and start to work? Or, did someone show you the ropes? Did you have a mentor that you could go to with questions and from his past experiences could give you guidance? I understand that Coach Robinson was hired to coach but as I’m sure you know most head coaches in any sport have usually coached for several years under a seasoned coach and have learned from that coach. From what I was told, Robinson was thrown into a difficult situation and I do believe that he has tried to make things work. It is hard not to be disgruntled though, but don’t just assume that we are all disgruntled parents whose little Michael Jordan’s didn’t get enough playing time. You were not there. You haven’t been at the practices nor have you been at all of the games. If a huge amount of people are trying to tell Coach Robinson the same things then maybe, just maybe, we have a point. As for whining about good players sitting in the stands rather than playing….the Barton kid is an eighth grader who had 4 more years to play for the Jackets. He is a talented athlete who is a team player that would have contributed greatly to the team. He plays varsity baseball and football without having any issues with fellow players or coaches. He was wasted in basketball, and frustrated, mainly because of the selfish style of play that Coach Robinson allowed. I’m not the only person that has expressed this opinion on BGP and if things do not change next season I can guarantee you that there will be more.

First thing coach should do is close practice. Les, nor anybody else, should be at practice. Secondly, he should concentrate on the kids he has that has made a commitment to be on the team and forget about those in the bleachers. Third, he needs to be able to coach the team and all those things it requires. Finally, the parents need to support the coach or simply move on. It just doesn't work any other way. The parent part includes such things as play hard, have a good attitude, listen well ( be coachable),

be focused, be at practice ect. Parents be parents and let coaches be coaches! It works much better.

Much of the info that is being posted on here is not correct. These practices are closed. For anybody out there saying they have attended a practice, I can guarantee that is not true. The only people allowed in these practices are people approved by coaches. (For example administrators, other coaches).

Much of the info that is being posted on here is not correct. These practices are closed. For anybody out there saying they have attended a practice, I can guarantee that is not true. The only people allowed in these practices are people approved by coaches. (For example administrators, other coaches).

I agree with you 100%. The 3 points that you made are spot on. Williamsburg’s practices are closed. My information comes from observing behavior in games and wondering why this behavior occurs only to be told that it goes on in practices. You can see the frustration on the faces of the other players as well. As far as the commitment level of the players go….2 of the 3 players ( Conlin & Brock) that the team lost last year were juniors and had played on the team since the 8th. grade. I think that they had shown that they were committed. In a school with only approx. 300 high schoolers, with half of that amount being female, every good player counts. The Barton kid has played sports for years and comes from a very athletic family that understands what is required to have success on and off of the court. Plus, no one seems to understand that allowing this type of selfish play completely ruins the team chemistry. You can’t have 5 players on the court playing for themselves. To be honest, I was surprised that Pettit and Teague handled the situation as well as they seemed to. Pettit is a great football player and he has to wonder if it’s worth the effort. When you have 2 of the tallest kids in the region on the team and they rarely see the ball, then you have a problem. It’s hard to encourage your kid to play hard and have a good attitude when they are smart enough to see whats going on. I hate to sound like a broken record but until the team discipline improves the W-L record will stay the same. I am only stating my opinion based on what I’ve seen for myself and heard from others.

No more shots at student athletes or discussion of why a certain athlete is, or is not, on the team. This is a violation of BGP Rule #2.

 

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The bottom line is this — what did Gene Hackman do in the movie Hoosiers when the others who tried to give him advice when he didn't need it?

He closed the practices and did what he needed to do to win.

He was the coach and that was his team.

Alas — same with Robinson.

He's the coach, he will improve this team. Do you think he wants to lose?

I don't think so.

He was hired to coach and use his ideas and philospohies.

He's the coach, leave him be.

As for me, once I got my foot in the door, I had no one show me the ropes. I did what I did and went from there.

As for me being at a Williamsburg practice ... never have.

Williamsburg will be a much improved TEAM this year. They did not lose anyone from last years team and gave a very good McCreary team all they wanted late in the year.

 

At times last year Coach Robinson would out coach his opponent then the next game get out coached badly. Sound familiar? It is like a young kid playing well one game then struggling the next. I have no doubt as he matures as a coach he will improve and so will Williamsburg.

 

Will they compete year in and year out for a district title? Probably not but they can enjoy those years when they are competing with the big schools.