Time For A Change In Raceland?

[oldrambler]

I've only heard one complaint about the coaches, and I don't thank that person is very close to the situation, because the coaches are loved by a very large majority. This is one of the few times that I have heard somone complain about the coaches at Raceland. Makes you wonder.

 

:thumb: I agree Ram, my comments in post #6 earlier were aimed at the decline in the summer youth baseball leagues. Certainly not at the varsity level. I beleive that Coach Vanderhoofs record "especially for at a class A school" speaks for itself.

Raceland has competed with the bigger schools on a pretty regular basis through the years and even won a couple of overall region championships I believe. That imo speaks all that needs to be said about our coaches and kids. As others have said, all schools go through down years and class A schools do not have the numbers that others do. Given that fact Raceland imo has done very well in baseball through the years and I don't think that I have to mention the consistency of the Ram football program.

[Statmaster]

Back in town from college, I decided to go watch my little brother play his JV baseball game at Greenup yesterday, he plays for Raceland. From what I understand the Raceland J.V coach is new this year.

 

What I saw yesterday was absolutley horrible! It seems no one has taken the interest to try to teach these kids the fundamentals of the game. Mind you that Greenup is a good team, but there is still no excuse for some of the things I saw.

 

1.Lack of Baserunning Sense

2. No one charges the ball on an infield dribbler.

3.Improper Fielding Techniques

 

And from what I hear, the Varsity is hitting the wall too this year. Perhaps it is time for new coachs and a new direction in all levels of Raceland Baseball!

 

Raceland will be fine. Don't forget that just 2 seasons ago Raceland was in the regional finals and set the school record for wins with 25. A very questional call cost them the game in extra innings.Many think Rams should had and did win that game. Hoof will be ok, he now has Hall working with his pitchers.

[UKCATSFAN]

Back in town from college, I decided to go watch my little brother play his JV baseball game at Greenup yesterday, he plays for Raceland. From what I understand the Raceland J.V coach is new this year.

 

What I saw yesterday was absolutley horrible! It seems no one has taken the interest to try to teach these kids the fundamentals of the game. Mind you that Greenup is a good team, but there is still no excuse for some of the things I saw.

 

1.Lack of Baserunning Sense

2. No one charges the ball on an infield dribbler.

3.Improper Fielding Techniques

 

And from what I hear, the Varsity is hitting the wall too this year. Perhaps it is time for new coachs and a new direction in all levels of Raceland Baseball!

 

 

You call for a change after watching 1 game? I think I would hold off on that assumption until I saw a bit more than 1 game. Raceland has an excellant staff, a staff that includes a MLB veteran. Randy Vanderhoof is an excellant coach at football and baseball. From what I have seen and heard, he stickler on fundamentals and I'm sure he or his staff will be working on them in practice this week if what you say is true. IMO, I think you should watch them a bit more than 1 game to make an assumption like that.

[oldrambler]

You call for a change after watching 1 game? I think I would hold off on that assumption until I saw a bit more than 1 game. Raceland has an excellant staff, a staff that includes a MLB veteran. Randy Vanderhoof is an excellant coach at football and baseball. From what I have seen and heard, he stickler on fundamentals and I'm sure he or his staff will be working on them in practice this week if what you say is true. IMO, I think you should watch them a bit more than 1 game to make an assumption like that.

 

:thumb:

[longtimecoach]

To me single A sports is the hardest of all to coach. These schools have limited amount of players and have up and down seasons from year to year. Having one player out can make a big difference. I personally appreciate single A coaches more in the fact that they do not have the depth of larger schools and require more coaching strategy. Coach Hoof being a Hall of Fame coach along with Coach Hall tells me that Raceland is blessed with an excellent coaching staff.

Raceland and Fairview are always hard competitors to deal with in their district.

[16th62nd]

Raceland couldn't do any better than Randy Vanderhoof. A great man and a great role model. Sometimes the emphasis to win overshadows what is truly important in youth sports, it is then that we must re-evaluate our own thinking. If watching a group of high school kids not play well on the field bothers you that much, than maybe you should abstain from watching KIDS play sports!

[cvillecat]

Perhaps you need to understand that Raceland is Class A school and Class A schools go through cycles of talent due to limited numbers. Raceland has had alot of success in sports the past 3 years, especially in baseball, football, softball, and girls basketball. The baseball team is just at a point where they have graduated alot of experienced players from the 2006 and 2007 classes therefore alot of young players are having to step in and take on roles that they might not be completely prepared for. I agree with Statmaster about how Raceland has always had experienced, prepared players on the varsity level which gave Coach Hoof the luxury of not having to teach varsity and junior varsity players basic fundamentals. This year that luxury is not there and the coaching staff may need to focus more on fundamentals but by no means do they need to replace the coaching staff. Coach Hoof is an excellent baseball and football coach and a member of the KHSAA coaches hall of fame. He did not receive that honor by just simply showing up and filling out a line up card. He is a very qualified and experienced coach that gets the most out of his players. For such a small school Raceland is always able to compete and win against the larger schools in the area. It is hilarious that you would even consider saying that Coach Hoof needs to be replaced. One below average season does not justify replacing a coach, especially a hall of fame coach that has produced numerous district championship teams. I wish the people who think that the coaches need to be replaced would get out of the bleachers and try to coach a high school baseball team and see if you can do any better. The players and coaches are trying their best and the young players on JV and Varsity will continue to improve as the season progresses. Coach Hoof and the Rams have my full support and if you were a real supporter of Rams athletics they would have yours too.:thumb:

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

You call for a change after watching 1 game? I think I would hold off on that assumption until I saw a bit more than 1 game. Raceland has an excellant staff, a staff that includes a MLB veteran. Randy Vanderhoof is an excellant coach at football and baseball. From what I have seen and heard, he stickler on fundamentals and I'm sure he or his staff will be working on them in practice this week if what you say is true. IMO, I think you should watch them a bit more than 1 game to make an assumption like that.

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

[Madeleine Albright]

Randy does a great job and teaches the kids and prepares them for life. Our woes has nothing to do with the coaching staff nor the players level of talent. As someone stated earlier they will get better in the years to come.

[thegooch]

Not talking about Hoof, more of his JV staff.

[bluekyblue]

I counted atleast five JV players for Raceland that was in GC school system in the last two years. Our loss your gain. Some young players need time to develop. Raceland seems to have a pretty good program over the years.

 

FYI Also at GC JV game atleast six of starting nine also play on Varsity.

[Ram]

Not talking about Hoof, more of his JV staff.

Name them.

[Hit Catch Throw]

Not talking about Hoof, more of his JV staff.

 

If you can't throw a baseball. Can you blame a coach?

[oldram]

I had a discussion with OldRamber on another thread about the issue of AABC. I stated that the sophmores that are playing Varsity now didnt have a Babe Ruth to go to. The kids before those guys in classes like the 2000-2007 class played both Babe Ruth and JV sometimes Babe Ruth and Varsity.

 

Baseball starts in tee ball and goes in stages all the way up so that the basics can be included by the time you get to JV. It is hoped that you are playing on a JV or Varsity level by then.

 

I am assuming that the young players in 7th, 8th and 9th grade do not have a Babe Ruth to go to so they are playing JV. Some stated that had not played since 7 and 8's and 9 and 10's. Can we really judge our coaches when the basics should be taught there in little league.

 

We have a serious problem folks but its not the coaches its our little league. The coaches and volunteers just are not there. No one has the time anymore to volunteer to help these kids. The young men and women that are completing college do your community a favor volunteer to help these kids at the little league level. There is no better reward then to help a child.

 

Believe me us older folks practiced what we preached and volunteered. You will reap the benefits.

[bobbyearl]

Raceland will be fine. Don't forget that just 2 seasons ago Raceland was in the regional finals and set the school record for wins with 25. A very questional call cost them the game in extra innings.Many think Rams should had and did win that game. Hoof will be ok, he now has Hall working with his pitchers.

 

I bet most of the ones who thought they should have won were wearing orange, I saw a guy on sportscenter this morning get rang up after taking strike 4.

[pickoff]

I for 1 would like to say THANKS GOOCH for attending the RAMS game I think its great to see kids coming back and supporting the SCHOOL and the RAMS after you leave! Some who post items on here do not attend very many games and do not see things that are going on! Do you think that the JV FOOTBALL TEAMS are told tthat they are not expected to WIN? I have heard that EXACT WORDS from our JV COACH! We have 1 new JV Coach this year and 1 returning from last year, the new coach which we all know is a great person and really cares about KIDS, ALL KIDS, which he DOES NOT have on the team! He encourages all the kids to play to the best of their ability and to hustle, he also gives the MVPs of the games things such as batting gloves, bats ect. This to to encourage the kids to compete and to play as hard as possible! We have a lot of people in OUR area that would be thrilled to help BUT noone will ask especially HOOF. We have had GREAT YOUTH PROGRAMS in the past BUT they are not there now! I think that this year is the first of many that you can see or will be able to see whats really going on with the Baseball program. Anytime a negative comment is made about HOOF the first thing that you hear is HALL OF FAME COACH, well lets ask a question, what determines a HOF Coach? Wins, how long they are in that position, what? Never have I or as far as I know ever said anything about HOOF as a person, he is a GREAT person and a positive role model for the kids. Several kids on the TEAM this year have ask to SHAKE THINGS UP A LITTLE with the lineup and were told NO! WHY? Things are not going that GREAT now so WHY NOT?