clifford20

I have seen them play. They are def improving. The problem is the district they are in. Goodpasture and Friendship are clearly the 2 best teams in that district and probably will be for a while. I do like your coach a lot. If you can hang onto her, the program will grow. They have a long way to go before they can compete with the top of the district. I do agree though, the future looks solid.

It is def different, I have coached both. But you aren't answering my question. I also agree that playing for a club, or playing club at all should have no affect on play time. It is rare for a kid that does not play club can compete against a kid that does play club. But what you are saying is that the coach there is intentionally not playing certain kids, who are more talented, just because they play for K2. I have never one time met a coach that refused to play more talented kids for good reason....coaches want to win. Not saying it hasn't happened, I am sure that it has. Part of my push back is because some of the ridiculous posts I have read of yours in the past. If this is actually happening--and I sincerely hope that it isn't, I can't imagine that coach being around very long.

So you are saying that a coach is willingly playing less talented athletes just because of the club they play for? So skill and being coachable isn't considered-just club? I've been around coaching for 20 years and I can honestly say I've never seen a coach play a less talented kid without reason. I love those parents who blame "politics" on playing time.

Is the Catholic setter the K2 14-1 setter? If so, I think she is really good. Such a strong kid. I really thought that 14's K2 team would be really good and they just haven't improved like I thought they would. The setter is good tho.

Agree with Teeter. My daughter gets 3 months off all told and for only about 2 months are they going 5 days a week. And BTW, it isn't for everyone. Some kids can deal with it, and some kids cant. And there is nothing wrong with that.

My daughter plays high school and club ball. She plays on a high level 1's team and has played club since 8 or so. I am a little unclear on what your opinion of "intense physical training" is. IMO, my daughter hasn't experienced that at this point. Her club team practices 3 or 4 times a week for 2-3 hours. Usually one of those days in a strength training/agility session (not weights). Her high school team starts practice in July, but is only 2-3 days a week. I know there are clubs out there that practice way more than that...and that might be the clubs you are talking about. I would be interested to know what practice schedules for other clubs in our state look like. Our daughter loves it, and to this point hasn't been too overwhelmed by it, however she is still young and that time might come. She will have off Oct-Dec. Club might start a little bit of practice in Dec but not too much. Usually after nationals till Mid July is pretty light as well. Now if she played at a powerhouse high school, they might go harder starting in June, but honestly, I am not sure about that. It def isn't for every kid but so far it has been a great experience. If she were to stop playing--it would be high school mainly because it isn't taken seriously at all and has very little support.

We play WAY too many HS matched in TN. Look at the Midwestern HS teams. They play 25 matches or so. We should limit to 2 tournaments as well. I would have no problem with later july start date, as long as the matches in HS don't start till mid-late august. Great idea. If my daughter would quit HS volleyball way before club (our HS team is not good at all)

I tend to agree. Starting HS volleyball in august is too late though, because the season starts in august. Maybe start high school practices in mid july. The kids who go to nationals are the ones that are playing year round (almost). If a kid plays on a regional team, they are not really playing that late. Most club kids are off Nov-Dec and start practice in January. I do wish nationals was about a week or so earlier. Many of the low level teams need the summer time to even know how to line up. The high level teams do not need nearly as much time to be ready for the high school season.

A coaching friend of mine is looking for a High School tournament. Low level program. Team is in the mid state. Please reply with the school/coach contact and I will have the coach reach out to you. Thanks

I too saw the 13-14 teams play. The 14 are a solid group and I think you are right, all but a couple are from Wilco--maybe one of the OH and a Libero. Alliance beat A4 south in the final. I was surprised how poor the K2 14 team looked--I think they just had a bad match. Their setter is very, very good however. The older K2 teams appear better that Alliance IMO. that 16 team is crazy (I think they are 16). The 15's alliance team is more spread out. Their setting is very good on that team too. The talent level in this tournament has improved so much. There are some really good clubs present. K2 does a great job.

This is the first conversation in about 10 years that I have enjoed on this forum. Good stuff.

if you look back at the last 20 years of AAA champions coming out of 11 AAA. Have they ever been the 2 seed of the district? The one time it might have happened was Indy's championship when they beat Bwood in the finals. All of Ravenwoods and prob all of Bwoods championships came as the district champion. But I get what you are saying. I am convinced that most years 3 of the 4 final four teams would have came out of 11 AAA. It seems whatever team wins 11 AAA is completely dominant and the 2,3 seeds are fairly close. If we could ever get Memphis AAA healthy again, it would help our sport so much. Germantown used to be so good.

I agree completely. When Ravenwood/Indy was so good Brentwood didn't get out of the district a couple of years in a row. They were def a top 4-5 team. That didn't even include Centennial, who was also good. If this was basketball, the top 4 move forward. Now, I totally don't agree with that system, but why not be consistent. I have a hard time with a team that can lose in the district and the region and still be a state champion. But let's be honest, the team that finishes 3rd-4th in the district probably isn't going to win a championship.

How will 3 wilco teams get of out district? Are they changing the tournament to be more like basketball where 4 teams make it?

I am very impressed by Knoxville volleyball. K2 has completely changed the landscape of HS volleyball there. 10-15 years ago it was a completely different story. Brentwood is certainly still the class, and will be for a long time, but the lower divisions have come so far. Even Concord looked solid--really like their setting. KC and Webb speak for themselves. When you look at Brentwood, Goodpasture, Father Ryan, Siegel, Ravenwood, Ensworth in the midstate, it is still pretty strong--even though Ravenwood was down this year. Siegel are what they are--a top 5 team almost every year that really hasn't been talented enough to win a state championship--but a very good program. Knoxville has elevated HS volleyball in our state so much. Pumped to see what the next 10 years will bring over there. Would love to see Farragut sneak in and beat Brentwood. I love watching their K2 elite teams play.

look folks, K2 get's on here every year and makes a ridiculous prediction about a Knoxville AAA team winning the state and having the best talent in the state with the best coach in the state. Then she takes shots at other Knoxville coaches and programs. Then at the end of the year when Bearden, Karns, Farragut or any other team loses to Ravenwood/Brentwood or DB a few years ago she disappears. I would love nothing more than Maryville to win the state, but let's pump the breaks a little. I've seen every State Champion in the last 20 years and this Brentwood team is loaded. BTW, the Ravenwood team from a few years ago is the best TN high school team I have seen.

99% of their kids have either played club, or still do--over the past decade or more. Volleyball is an affluent game unfortunately. That is why certain school systems dominate volleyball year after year. Barbara is also a good coach, which makes that program even more impressive.

I can't believe K2 would actually say that a player is so great they don't need coaching. Completely ridiculous. Coaching matters a lot. There are some really bad coaches and some great coaches.

Bearden looked very average. Wasn't impressed at all. They have a couple of good players. As far as gold standard there is only one program that fits that bill. I hope Farragut wins but they better learn how to hit around a block and serve out of their mind.

After watching all the teams in AAA play, Brentwood is clearly better than everyone else. Doesn't mean they won't lose though. I was very disappointed in Bearden. Their serve receive/defense is not good. I expected their hitter...to hit. But they could never get in a groove. No way should Siegel beat that team. Siegel plays good defense, but is extremely limited on offense. Looks like Farragut is solid. I really liked #11. Their OH is so good, she just couldn't get around the block. The freshman outside for Brentwood is the most talented player I have seen in 20 years of TN high school volleyball. Unreal she is a freshman. Brentwood is very young. I still expect FHS and BHS in the final. Farragut's libero is good--like her a lot. If Houston could play any defense/serve receive at all they would be tough to deal with.

no one ever sleeps on OHS. They are good every single year. I have to think they will be in the final 4.

Congrats to White Station on making the tournament! That was certainly unexpected. So what do you all think? I say Brentwood and Farragut in the final. The bottom bracket has 3 good teams with OHS, Farragut and Brentwood. Siegel and Bearden in the second round might be interesting. But I think Brentwood and Bearden will face off in the bracket final setting up a Bearden Farragut battle in the losers bracket. Bearden struggled to win the Sectional while Farragut cruised--it will be interesting to see how they play in the state. Would love to see Farragut win this.

I would love to see those two in the Finals. Have to think it will be FHS and Brentwood again. It will be interesting to see how the seeding plays out.

I predict the exact same final from last year. For AAA

anyone know how this ended? Who was in the Gold? I know Ooltewah had a good tournament.