takeittothehole

That's what eluded to in one of my earlier posts concerning a team made up of the younger players that would beat the veterans 9 out of 10 times. The group of younger girls have better basic fundamentals. Guards / wings Linholm and Huddle (sick) can shoot the lights outs and handle ball well, McFarland (injured) good ball handler, sees floor well, O'Dell is improving every day at post, Anderson executes plays well and Adkins is getting more time at wing / post and is looking good. Anytime 2 or 3 of these girls are on the floor together they usually execute plays and can play with opponents. In several scrimmages these girls held their own and overcame deficits only to have veterans lose game. It is a touchy situation for both players and parents when underclassmen outperform veterans. There have already been a couple of issues Myers has had to contend with and he performed admirably. I think they hired the right man to turn program around, but it will not be easy. It will take a level of commitment from players, parents and feeder system we have never had. You are right about the seniors improving skills this late, but they can be leaders and set a play hard standard to be followed in future. Hard aggressive play will overcome some skill deficits. Let's go Falcons are we up to it?

Coach17, what do you think it would take to light a fire under Volunteer Girls? They can put 3 - 4 girls on the floor that are 5'10' or taller and at least 3 seniors, that have played together since middle school and another senior transfer. How many other teams in Big 9 can put four seniors in floor? Most are good athletes, but that does not equate to good ballplayers. They consistently get out executed by overall smaller teams. I can only see a couple of girls that have any basic basketball skills. I know the girls are playing hard and the best they can, but anybody can play. In today's game it takes more to win, there has to be a commitment from each player to improve their skills. I am not talking about playing summer league or AAU, most of these teams are just thrown together. If you are not working on improving your skills year round you will always play at the same level no matter where you play. Until that commitment comes no amount of coaching can turn a program around. Come on girls anybody willing to put in what it takes to win??????

Sorry, not intended to be bashing, just bad choice of words. It was late and I was frustrated by us blowing a great 1st quarter lead and the lack of play execution support she recieved. That's what I meant by it is a team sport. Just my opinion she should have not been put in that situation and that too much was asked from her. There is no doubt she will develop into a great player. GO Falcons!! Let have a great tournament!!!

That's what I meant by one of theirs, she should not had those numbers against the combination of 3 post / forwards we had in the game at any one time. By one of ours, until we have someone on floor that will execute plays instead of dribbling till they get in trouble then forcing bad passes I am afraid your assesment will hold true.

Where we stand is not looking good. We might have won one scrimmge, score aginst North did not reflect true game and we should not have lost to Unicoi. We were beat tonight by two girls. One of Unicoi's and one of ours. This is a team sport.

May be a little closer, just heard 2 guards for Volunteer may not be availble. One has hurt ankle and other is sick, Still Volunteer should prevail. Go Falcons!!!

Ok you two, keep it clean!

I too like to armchair coach and am very good at it, I have never lost a game. Let the coach coach, the players play and the parents and fans cheer and support. If everyone does their job and THEIR JOB ONLY this could be Volunteer's best year in a long time. Maybe not in wins but I guarantee you other teams will know they have been in a game and will have respect for this team. GO FALCONS!!!

Sorry I meant to say new coach, new season, new start not new starters. The veterans have endured a lot over the last couple of seasons. Some of them are looking forward to the underclassmen help. From what I hear they have set a goal to win 10 games this year no matter who is on the floor. A couple of girls seem to be having a hard time dealing with possibly not getting as much playing time as they're used to. But remember it is a team sport and what you can contribute to the team. It is not where you START but where you FINISH. GO FALCONS!!

Evidently you have been around the girl's basketball program for a while also. I agree with everything you said, but am confused on a couple of things. At first you question who should be on floor with veterans and later you ask why veterans should expect to play just because they played last year. I agree that each season is new and each position should be earned again. I think the reason is that for years we have barely been able to put a team on the floor and anybody that tried out made the team. So when next season rolled around those that did not graduate or quit automatically became starters. That is what girls and parents are used to and expect. So Meyers has a touchy situation to handle. He has the veterans and their parents expecting girls to play without earning a spot and younger players that can out perform them. I also noticed none of the girls you complimented were veterans. I agree with you on McFarland, Huddle, Lindholm and O'Dell. I think the new girl is Walker (a Senior). McFarland is a good ball handler, knows basketball, does not panick, has great shooting range and is developing quickly, Huddle is a great ball handler, knows basketball, does not panick, can shoot with both hands, and has great shooting range, Lindholm can handle the ball, has great shooting range and by mid season will develop into a great player. All three of them have a passion for basketball that is rarely found in girls and will do whatever it takes to win. I can remember watching Lindholm and Huddle practically having to be carried off court at Church Hill Middle because they were exhausted after gmaes. All three have worked hard in off season to improve and all play good defense. There is not a team in the big 9 that can put a better out front 3 combination on the floor. O'Dell is greatly improved, she actually boxes out and is an agressive rebounder. Walker can can play post and step out as wing and shoot. Both O'Dell and Walker have been getting a lot of playing time in scrimmages and would shore up post position. I believe if you put O'Dell, Walker, Huddle, Lindholm and Mc Farland as a team and the four veterans, including Drain if she was healthy and another player as a team the younger girls would easily beat the veterans 9 out of 10 times. I would not have these girls competing with each other for limited playing time with veterans. I would have them on the floor gaining experience and working together so we would be competive by mid season and building for next couple of years. The worst they could do is lose 2 more games than we did last year. Like someone said in earlier post new coach, new season, new starters. I do not want to sit through another season like the last 2 or 3 how about anyone else? Let's get this program going! GO LADY FALCONS!!

It is going to be another long hard season. Myers is a good coach and has quickly earned the girls respect. Except for McFarland he is playing basically same girls that have only won eight games in two years. If I was a new coach I would also go with last year's starters to begin with. But if I'm going to turn program around I would not expect different results with same girls. I've watched and or coached a lot of these girls all the way up from rec league and know their abilities quite well. Myers has something Anderson never had, a little depth, the ability to substitute without diminishing level of play and girls that are not starting yet that are as good as anyone in big nine at their position. It wil take a few games to sort things out and Myers has my full confidence. By mid season I'm sure he wiil have best combination on floor. Be patient it will happen. It is time to turn our girls program around and win more tha 2 games a year!!