VBallsportsfan

I have watched single A ball for many years and am a follower of high school girls basketball. I have seen the Bouldin girl play about 5 games this year. She plays way bigger than a freshman and I would be hard pressed to believe there is any freshman that is out there that has the stats or consistency that she has when she plays. She will play somewhere at the next level I am sure of it. I would venture to guess she already has a few colleges talking to her. I think she is well deserving to be a Miss Basketball finalist this year.

Where did this information come from? Can anyone confirm this?

It is all but a done deal. The middle school coach is informing all he is going to be the girls varsity coach. Even the girls are saying that is what is happening.

Home town product for sure..... Very impossible.......

Did not mean to sound defensive, it is just very frustrating. I did want it to be a general question and vague. I didn't want this to be necessarily about our school or to bash the coach. He has been there for 10 plus years and has had a lot of talent go through his system and it just doens't seem like he ever produces the end product. The girls don't respect him nor do the parents. I am a firm believer in the fact that it shouldn't matter what the parents think, but I truly feel for the girls. Especially the last two years. I know what you are saying about having talented players and not a talent as a team, but there is a point after 10 years of coaching at one point or another you will have that team come along that you take somewhere. That never has happened. This year was it in my opinion. I think that to a degree it is a coaches responsibility at some point to take the idividual talent and make a talented team. My frustration is where we are at even after he leaves the team will be passed to another family member.........it is not open to the public.........his family member will have the same philosophies as he will. it just isn't fair to the program. I am just wondering if this is common among all small schools. That is my question? How do we have a voice in change?

Who decided.... lets just say their own acheivments speak for them selves. Three girls make all-district teams. Two have scored over a thousand. You listen to the teams we play and they agree that we "should" have done better with the talent we had.

Thanks for your feedback and I wish it were just that simple. I am not refering to Volleyball at all. The community I am in is one in which basketball is the life of the community. However the town by all accounts is very discouraged with the program. From the top to the bottom in our school system there is no one that you can go to to get change to happen. The problem is that when something doens't work it needs to be fixed. As much as I would like to say there is change on the horizon for our girls program it just isn't happening if and when the coach steps down it will not even be offered to any one other than the coaches family member, so there is no hope in our program ever getting a taste of someone new. I understand there is AAU but we are in a very remote area and most of the time our girls would have to travel at least an hour just to practice on an AAU team, so many of our girls cannot do that, let alone afford it. It is just very sad that there is no power for anyone to get change. It should be obvious when we have a group of seniors that have a ton of talent and they go no where.................. just curious what can be done.

To All: What to do? I am in a community that is very small and it is almost as though the entire school system is run by one group, and is very protective to only let members of that group be a part of anything. I am now starting to see and hear of kids transfering schools because of the coaching personnel. Please tell me if there is a step that can be taken to help get "new" blood into the coaching system. I have been watching our girls basketball program for years and we don't ever take it to the "next" level. There has to be a point that change would at least be worth a try. Girls don't respect their coach nor does the community, but every one knows that nothing can be done about it. So do we continue to just let it remain the same? I just feel for the program. We graduate more talent this year than we have ever had and we never did play one game where they were all on the same floor playing to their potential, the coach couldn't get that out of the girls. In a community as small as we are the opportnity to really have success is rare anyway, then to have a season with many veteran players on the floor with a ton of talent and nothing happens is so sad. Please advise of what can be done to get change....and not change from within! Signed......seeking advice

A shout out to a dominate Forrest team from a VB basketball fan. For what it is worth I have wathched this years Eaglettes and hope that they will somewhere find it within them to decide they want to play four quarters of ball with confidence. They came out and absolutely took control and played thier game the first quarter. Then as they do heads dropped and more heads dropped (way to be leaders Seniors ~ all did it). It is so apparent sitting in the stands, these girls lack confidence. Pick up your heads you can do better than what you have proven to Forrest. Step up in these remaining games and don't drop your heads, it is pathetic to watch! When given insight into the teams you are playing listen to what people are telling you.

I am sure you will tell me to become a parent to as I will state my opinion, I have followed VB sports for a LONG time and I did have kids go through this system. I guess my comment as stated earlier is that if I did have a child that was committed to a sport then a BEAUTY pagent wouldn't be an option. But that is beside the point and I agree that is a choice you and your family made, so be it. But the part that is getting to me about all this is WHY on earth are you so hung up on your daughter starting every game? She gets as much if not more playing time than all the girls. This is just beyond me that this is so critical for you to make a fool out of yourself on here about her not starting a game. She missed three minutes BIG freaking deal. GET over it. It is not going to hamper her chances at a scholarship or anything close to that nature. You are the reason if anything she won't be recruited because you are ruining her by doing this on a public forum. I am sure she holds the weight of the world on her shoulders with you putting all her business out here like this. I am appauld that this forum was even started and I can only guess it was done by someone that is kin to you. This is not the intent of this forum. Not to bash or put peoples personal business out there. My question not to attack people on their parenting skills or choices you or I would make, I respect all that, but the bottom line is: YOU CANNOT change what choice has been made, so my question is to you why did her missing three minutes of a game matter? Did she not finish the game and make an impact? Was she not successful? You are hurting your child (as I am sure she reads this as well) by making a mochary out of this whole situation. A team that has seen success with and without your daughter in the past few weeks and now this drama...... you need to get over this and let it go. Let your daughter be a kid and enjoy friends that she may find hard to make becuase you air all her business. I am sure the rest of your family is very proud of the statements you are making. GET over it and let the kids play ball and let the coach do HIS JOB!!

SIMPLY AMAZING to me that at this point of a season that we have struggled and now we put up a copule of wins that it comes down to who is starting and who isn't. I am not sure the last time I checked but COME ONE........... What is the big deal about who starts or who doesn't? REALLY?????? I wish at this point coach wouldn't start any of the starters whose parents have these issues. To answer your question more directly a pagent...............?????????????????? Over basketball??? Was it mandatory? Maybe you need to be happy your daughter even got to play at all. If I would have been a coach that girl wouldn't have played at all for missing two practices and a game. It wasn't school related. That is NOT a school function. This team has struggled enough and although we can't all agree on every coaching decision this is one that I can't believe has been a question raised. Do you really think you can rally support for this cause? Why does it matter if she starts or not? She plays more than most of the girls on the team. Be happy that we are winning. Now you are trying to tear apart a run that we might be making. It appeared to me that the TEAM had great attitudes last night. Even girl(S) (NOTE THE S) that were used to starting DIDN'T they kept a great positive attitude and that is why we came together as TEAM and beat them by 30! Now you get on here and make an issue, I am sure the GIRLS attitudes will change. I HOPE VB Coach doesn't change a thing.....................................!!!!!!!!!!!! AND LET YOUR SARCASM WIN!!

I agree 100% w/Wooden. Girls need to work no matter what this summer if they are going to be "ALL THEY CAN BE". The potential is there but the work ethic is lacking. Once again hate to spread rumors but I think this one is pretty reliable......I heard last night Coach Russell interviewed for a PAID assistant coach position at White County. Not sure what level (not varsity from what I understand).....but she will take it because it is a paid position. Anyone else heard?

Can you please share with me if you have a "head" basketball coach at your school who is not a teacher or administrator at your High School.

With that all being said, can someone answer me this.... It is obvious that they aren't going or cannot give Coach Russell the head coaching job (IF Coach Binkley) does take the principal job. So why not go another direction with this................ I think it is unanimous what a great job she did this year and she has the girls respect, coaches respect ect........... I believe from what I can tell her and Coach Binkley work well together (of course I only see what I see from the stands....) Why not offer her an assitant job or another (not head coach bball job) and pay her so she won't go anywhere? I think from the conversations I have heard not only on here but in the public it would be a wise investment. I understand she can't be the head coach but why not the "assistant" varsity coach or something. I am sure the school could come up with a little extra to get her on board. So she will contribute her next four years (from what I read on this board that she has to do) to be a head coach........here at VB, plus it will give everyone an opportunity to see if she is capable of being a head coach. I think that would help all these speculations. Any word on the school board meeting date in April?

Rumors heard to be true... Coach Russell will not be coming back next year. Coach Binkley will be taking the principal job. They are asking someone to take the coaching position not posting it.

Wow, once again it has been a few days since I have gotten on here to check answers to my questions. Thanks for the info on the board date in April. I guess it is also safe to say that as I read this posting that Coach Binkley is responding to this....as Actual Fan........in the middle of this posting you state "me" I quote your saying "I can't imagine putting the time it requires for so little money and having to listen to wise guys like you not only bash me but talk about my players online"...........so what gives Coach B.........just answer the burning question..........are you returning or not? I think that you did a good job...........the girls went much furhter than expected without Jaleta. Thanks........ I look forward to watching them again next year, but can you answer the burning question? Why is it so confidential?

I only get a chance to read and get on here every few days. I too never thought I would post messages, but this is important. I guess Bird is done resopnding and going on and on. He/She has been putting their opinion and has been heard. TO reply to the above post, I read your initial post as saying Coach Russell's "ROLE" was only to motivate and give 'warm fuzzy's'. That is what bothered me, she did more than that and I agree, she did do a tremendous job. As for rumors..............can someone please verify to me what is going on? Coaching? Not coaching? Most importantly........does anyone know when school board meetings are? How do we get a voice heard in this community? To also reply to Wooden.........I agree 100 percent the girls need to dedicate themselves to this program. But there has to be a 'chief' leading the indians. If the coach doesn't give them guidance and direction to go..........how do they know? Not all girls are fortunate enough to get asked to play on an AAU team. NOT all of us have "connections". But my daugther does strive to be better. She has tried to go to "open gyms" only to find that it is a court full of boys. None of the girls step up and commit. A leader of the team should at least give direction to these girls. That is my only concern I have about being a coach.......we need someone be it Binkley or whoever that will take these girls and give that desire and dedication. Say what is expected of you. I do believe from what I have heard from the "girls" that is something Coach Russell was working with them on. We need to build on that. But to all of those that keep reading this........when is the next board meeting? When is an "announcement" going to be made one way or another on what is happening with this program? Is this all just rumors? Is Coach B coming back or NOT?? I know that there are many who do know what is going on that read these posts....so SPEAK up.

I am one also that has enjoyed the reading of this forum. I have to say I am a proud parent of one of the girls that achieved what they did this past year. I am not afraid to admit it. I will say that I am not happy with the remarks in this forum. I am in different to the coaching in the years to come. But what I do feel strongly about is when we do get a volunteer to help and to not recognize them. I will say after reading this and going to all the games........Coach Russell was at EVERY game away and at home......she did more than give the girls motivation and "warm" fuzzy's. I don't know what capacity she will be in next year but it will be a shame not to ask her back as at a minimum an assistant. She is dedicated to this program with no strings attached. I also have had my daughter tell me she is at open gym's whenever the girls ask and she is willing to help them with whatever. Please find out the facts before you bash. Also, as I observed the games I believe Coach B relied heavily on her suggestions and input. If not ask him if she was just one to give 'warm fuzzy's" and motivation. I don't think that is correct, or maybe you just didn't go to enough games. She is dedicated for not getting paid and not having a child involved.