SomersetEER

Gover and Johnson both sick. Hopefully PC can be full strength(healthy) on Friday for southwestern.

I truly hope that DJ is noticed by the right people. This is an outstanding young man. I have had the pleasure of seeing him play as a 5th grader on up. The steady and continual growth in his game is a by product of his hard work. Don't get me wrong he has God given talent but he has developed his talent by working harder than most anyone else. This kid could esily score 25 a game but is coachable and a leader so he does what is needed. Any college program will be better for having him on their squad.

PS I still think that shot he hit late in the state Finals WAS a 3. Would have been called a game winner and been the stuff of legend.........

:eek::notworthy:

Very impressive!!

Congratulations!!! Wishing you continued success at the next level Payton!

Huh? I really don't understand your post.

Coach Thacker will be missed.

He chose to go to Rowan for his family and to be near his family.

Link http://www.somerset-kentucky.com/archivesearch/local_story_140202421.html

Rowan Co. has made a good hire.

The new coach at Somerset, whether a familiar name or someone from outside the 12th region, deserves our total support.

The S/E press just releassed a statement about the canidtates Roscoe Denny and Al Gover are the two names being heard in London and Corbin.

Linky? or was it something not on the net?

I had to call someone at this late hour to check on this to make sure I was posting accurate information. So as far as program development Somerset hands down has done more with the Somerset Future Program then either one of the other local middle school. And I am not sure which year you are referring two but last year Meece played a very rough schedule and all there teams had winning records, including the 8th grade which was not expected to do as well. It sounds more like you have issues with the coaching staff. It is easy for us to sit back and have all the answers. The fact of the matter is from watching the programs progress, from the 9th down to the 5th grade no team in the area has put more effort into developing kids than Somerset. In fact most of those kids are known by name at the KBA. You may be the one on the outside, with an axe to grind against the coaches.

Sorry I didn't see your response before my above post. Please read my above post. I think we actually are saying a lot of the same things.

The Future program has been great.

Imagine the Meece program without it.

This is what I am talking about.

Southern has yet to prove that to be completely correct, although they have had some success, they still haven't won at the high school level with those kids. They probably will.

I think the youth coaches 4-8 at Somerset have done a very nice job based on their aau and middle school state tournament success. Yes, they have alot of talent but they have also had a tremendous amount of success. It really remains to be seen what these terriffic young groups of players in the Somerset area will be when it counts. I personally think the people at all 3 Somerset area middle schools are doing a good job. I just wonder if middle school success translates into trips to Rupp Arena. We will all know soon enough.

One other thought, middle school coaches do develope players, but players have to have a passion for the game in order to reach their maximum potential. Some parents have it, while their child might not. All GREAT players have a burning passion to play and they will make it no matter how they are coached at the middle school level. If you spend enough time playing, you can make yourself a player with very little help and if you are good enough, the coach IS going to let you play.

I agree with your post. It is very well said.

My point of emphasis is that the volunteer coaches have done the vast majority of the coaching and skill development of these talented young players..... Not actual school coaches and that is what this thread was about. The hiring of a new coach and staff.

The success is good. It is my opinion the the success has been despite hired staff. It is a thankless job. I know that.

Thank goodness for the knowledgable and hard working volunteer coaches that have given the children the opportunity to compete on a statewide basis and improve. They are to be commended. Townsend, Lynch, Gover, Speer these are the guys that have put their time and effort into the development of the kids.

I wish for success of the Northern, Meece and Southern programs and Northern andd Southern have turned the corner I think. Pulaski county is a special place.... all three teams should be successful.

Somerset will have an interesting transition. They have several kids 6th thru 9th that are special kids athletically and personally. They have good character and tremendous work habits as they come from good families.

The Somerset program has an opportunity here and will make the most of it.

I really don't think that you actually made a point with this post. No one expects Somerset to be very good next year, they will be really young only returning 2 seniors, one of which did not see much varsity actions. But as far as developing young talent in the area the Somerset/Meece programs appear to be ahead of the other two.

If you think that the Meece program has developed those boys you are incorrect. The Meece program the last three years has been the keystone cops overall. Great talent put in their lap and with only one exception no instructional coaching to speak of. Teams that really should have lost one or two games losing many more.

There is a school of thought that you put your second best coach in the program at the middle school level so that when they get to high school they are fundamentally sound. I subscribe to this.

I have seen it work wonders over at southern middle the last two years as far as teaching their boys how to play.

You are on the outside looking in.:thumb:

BTW..

Does Chris Fitzgerald have a shot at the job?

Skill development appears to be his strong suit and this is exactly what Somerset is in dire need of.

He would be a good fit in that Somerset has kids that are currently not stars that at he varsity level with proper coaching could be big contributors. Without proper skill development they probably won't even play.

:D

Amen, I was going to respond the that post myself. That is the kind of post that creates unrealistic visions. There appears to be a lot of rumbling around the Somerset Program right now, and it is nice to be neutral. That young talent you speak of has lost two very important pieces of the puzzle already. One going with his Dad to Rowan. Ask the folks at Wayne County how he looked a couple of weeks ago when he played with them in Danville. And the other is over at Northern Middle. Now I am not sure how deep that talent runs there, but from what I hear the coaches son may have been the best on that 6th grade bunch last year. And the kid going to Nortern I hear will play freshman PC for them next year. From what I hear depending on how this shakes out they could lose the young PG that they have been grooming. And whos to say it will stop there. Now all of a sudden the sweet 16 does not look so realistic. Rumors has it that the loss of Thaker has come with mixed emotions and may not have been the move Somerset Fans really wanted.

Wow...just wow.

Some of your points are spot but the rest...well... not so much. I would love to elaborate on my OPINIONS of the situation but need to stay nuetral. Been around this game a little while and SOME people have seen this train wreck coming a long time.

While I wish Coach Thacker the absolute best, and there is good yet drastically underdeveloped talent in the school system it will take a magician to finish above .500 next year.