Osage

Thanks, Rockstar! TT, did you guys play this weekend?

Good luck this weekend to all teams playing at A-Game. Seems like just yesterday the kids were in Orlando. TT, is there anybody coming who is good enough to test you guys?

Maybe if she played at Brentwood, but mark Apostle's list: every 12AAA team lost both a libero and a DS except Franklin (?). She'd be in the mix to start for pretty much any of those. On paper, Siegel needs to replace a 900+ dig libero, and you'd think that would be a tall order (and if I were the coach, I'd be saying as much to anyone who'd listen). But this is high school, not the Big 10. She's plenty good enough.

Lots to unpack there, more than I have time today, but 2 quick things: First, have your WillCo and Rutherford County friends stick around! There are only, what, 4 or 5 of us here, a broader perspective will make it more interesting, more useful, more informative. Hi friends! Second, I know Siegel lost their senior libero, but they have a good one (one of your 16's kids, in fact) returning. I don't think they will lose anything there.

Well, did we learn anything?

That sounds suspiciously like "We win because we're Brentwood." No, you've won because you've had the best players, and you've had lots and lots of them. This is less true this year than it has ever been. I don't say that to denigrate the kids in the program now, but rather to remind you how good the kids were who are gone. It's mid-July. You guys are already in the gym, many are not, but either way, October is a long way off. I promise to come correct then if I am wrong.

I admire your certainty, but I am not persuaded by it. The bar Brentwood has set based on previous performance is too high. That success relied on a much more solid foundation (more talent and more depth) than you are describing with this year's team. I think (opinion, mind) you are under-valuing how much Brentwood has had to work with over this past decade. Also, I thought your setter moved from Illinois. Or did you also get a California kid? (Tongue slightly in cheek now...) I do think you are going about this the wrong way. The veteran move is to be doubtful and uncertain, then credit hard work or good coaching for overcoming insurmountable obstacles. Otherwise, you're just the incumbent who wins only because you are Brentwood. For example, suppose I were Ravenwood ... "We lost 6 seniors to graduation, all of whom were key players. Another probable returning starter (our best server) has given up volleyball. and we don't really have anyone to replace her. We're counting on kids who have a history of injury issues, plus our setter has very little net presence. Worst of all, we don't even start practice until the end of July, so everyone else is going to be way ahead of us once the season starts. We're in trouble." See how that works? And then when Ravenwood advances to State in October, expectations have been exceeded.

I don't recall ever not thinking it was going to be Brentwood holding up that AAA trophy, maybe not since Kat was at Ravewnood. But this year is different. Brentwood relied on Tori for 4 years, and I just don't think you'll be able to replace her leadership, size, consistency, and steady hand. Too many kids are going to be asked to do more than they ever have. Brentwood has always had 2 full teams' worth of kids who could compete for state. That depth, and that depth of experience, just isn't there. It's a very inexperienced group, by Brentwood standards: returning experience at middle and one pin (and not much else), and those kids will have to mesh with the newest influx of move-ins at setter and libero. Those kids do have some good experience, just not at Brentwood. Look, Brentwood is obviously the team to beat in 12-AAA, with Ravenwood just behind and... not much else. So the path to state is laid out, again, just like it is for Siegel. But Siegel is returning so much experience, and new urgency with a new coach. Like I said, this year is different. All opinions, obviously.

Hi, Apostle. If I understand your point correctly, I take away that this team finished in line with previous years. Adding the MVP libero, the K2 kid, and the Rutherford County kids, plus upgraded training from the Sports Performance model would have made your expectations higher, right? TT has made that point that you're going to not only keep that group intact for next year, but also see additional defections of 3 or 4 kids from Alliance top teams, which is very close to the # of kids you felt were worthwhile on the Alliance team. Maybe next year this group will break through.

This is Siegel's year. I know Williamson County has won AAA for, what 10 or 12 years running, but I think this is the year that streak ends.

Maybe I misunderstand how Ravenwood intends to use him, assuming they can, but do defensive ends usually compete in these events?

Agree, although younger Grimes wouldn't be participating, would he?

So in that case, was the issue that the kid HADN'T moved 25 miles?

Someone else earlier in this thread mentioned that the Grimes family lives in Davidson County... never lived in Mt. Juliet, and doesn't live in Williamson County. So while I am still curious about the specifics of the 25 mile rule, I don't think it applies in this case. Maybe I am complicating things by confusing 2 different cases, but this thread has wandered all over the place, so I didn't think it would be too much of a problem. So is the 25 mile clause for real? If I move >25 miles (I assume that means residence tio residence, not school to school), would I be immediately eligible at the school I am (newly) zoned to?

Best as I can tell, UT tends to think they're better off recruiting Nationally, especially for their skill players. They'll offer pretty much every 4 and 5 star kid no matter where they live, but then only offer the lower-ranked Tennessee kids once someone else shows interest.

Where did this land? Is the kid going to play this season? More generally, what is the actual rule? I had thought that if you moved >25 miles, you would be immediately eligible at the school you are zoned to with your new address. Let's start there... is that correct? If so, I understand there are exception conditions. For example, if your parent is full-time employed at a school, that entitles the kid to attend there as well, regardless of where they live. Is that all it takes? If Reggie Sr. is employed by Ravenwood, what is the issue?

Good stuff, TT, and that aligns with expectations, mostly. But that 15's / rising 16's group... I just looked how they did at AAU, and they finished 119th out of 151 in club. It doesn't make sense to me that one or more 2022's off this year's 16's group would join them, that's a major step backwards competitively for that / those kid(s). Or am I missing something?

Looking ahead to next year... I think K2 returns enough off its 18 Jota team to have some open success. I wouldn't ever rule out the rising seniors at Alliance. TPV's rising 17's and 15's kids should play Open and beat some good teams. That's about it, best as I can tell. Nothing in Memphis, and I don't have enough visibility into the younger K2 teams to offer a guess there. TT - do you have any insight as to whether you guys will play 17's or 18's next year? SPRI's model is to have their kids skip 17's, and compete for 2 years as 18's. Wondering if you will do the same?

I was going to say something along the lines of, "Clifford, you're a real agitator, aren't you?" But you walked it back. Hey, I get where you are coming from. But let me ask you: has that core group (last year's Alliance 15's kids) ever made the gold bracket at AAU? I don't know, honestly asking. If not, a Championship bracket finish should have been the ceiling of expectations here. I am pretty sure they didn't do that well last year, but between the upgrades from other Alliance teams (last year's 16 1's and 14 1's), plus the Rutherford county kids, plus the upgraded training, I understand why the expectations would have been higher. Maybe next year, with a year one more year of that amazing training, plus the Fall (I understand some of these kids are skipping the high school season), plus the 3 or 4 Alliance defections TT was talking about. Not sure who you boot off of this year's team, but I'm glad that's not my call. TT, I agree about your point regarding Open, obviously. But now that I harassed Clifford a bit, I am now going to back him (?) up: your team is one of only 2 teams in the entire state of TN (the other being the outgoing K2 18s) who has the physicality to keep up with that top tier of Open teams. (Dunno anything about the younger kids, but they're still developing anyway.) There isn't a single team at Alliance, this year anyway, who can physically keep up with the top teams in the country at their age divisions. Yes, the Alliance 17s and 18s competed at that level anyway, but that's despite their shortcomings. I don't think what they have been doing is repeatable. But the attention is on you guys now. Middle TN took a big step backwards competitively this year. So even people outside club volleyball, and outside TPV, we are rooting for you. So we share your disappointment that you didn't have a better finish. Safe travels home, and we'll see everybody in August. Or if you're Brentwood, we'll see you in a week or so.

TT, you sold yourself short... looks like it was a thrilling day for you guys. Congrats, way to stay alive for that top 10 finish you were hoping for! That aside, your comment makes me wonder... and it is a question I posed some weeks / months ago... who is left at Alliance that TPV would want? Don't they have everyone? Separate question: are the Alliance 16 Rens full strength? They are really having a rough time, judging by results. I didn't expect a great result from them, but I expected more than where they'll end up.

In answer to the other former Alliance kids I am talking about, they are the 18's kids (I think there were 6 of them?) and, I guess, pretty much the entire 14's team. Those are Open kids, most of whom are future D1 kids, many of them future power conference kids. They should be playing the top teams in the country. You're making my point for me on last week's 18's. I don't want to take away from Paragon's Apex championship, although I understand it might seem like I am. I am just saying (as you did) that 18 Open was last month. Open (especially National level events like AAU, JNC, Triple Crown, etc.) is a completely different animal from everything else! Last month's event had 5 top 20 teams (AES), including 3 of the top 6. I think TPV was the highest ranked (AES) team (Apex is 184). The Paragon kids are champions, I'd be excited for my kid if she were part of it, but Apex isn't Open. That's all I am saying. Which doesn't mean every Open team is better than every Premiere team. I don't doubt... actually, let me say it different. I am positive that most of the top 10 teams in 14 Premiere could have finished top half in 14 Open, and many probably could have even made the Championship bracket. Looking at the scores, 14 Zulu was in a different class from most of the teams they played on their way to the Championship bracket. TT... for reasons I mentioned earlier (most of the Open level kids have left Alliance for TPV), I mostly agree with you regarding where Alliance should be entering their teams. But the two older teams (17s and 18s) clearly belonged.

I just took a look at results. It's worse than you suggested... Middle Tennessee in general is not getting it done. 37 teams have finished their AAU tournament (TPV, Alliance and Ethos). How many finished top half of their division? TPV 18 Paragon (1st of 17 in 18 Apex) TPV 14 Zulu (2nd of 50 in 14 Premiere) TPV 18 Bravo (5th of 17 in 18 Apex) Alliance 17 Ren (20th of 59 in 17 Open) Alliance 15 Premiere (35th of 103 in 15 Aspire) 5 of 37 is not very good. I'm not going to go back and look at previous years, but wow, I'd be surprised if we've collectively ever done this poorly.

This has always been my complaint with AAU. The good news is, by the end of the 4 day event, you are likely matched with your peer teams regardless of what division you entered. But it weakens the quality of the event, in my opinion, that it takes so long to get to that point. USA JNC is not a perfect event, but at least you're matched and seeded against your peers from the start.

You might be right, especially for the kids who have enjoyed Open success in the past. But bear in mind, the exodus of Open-level players to TPV (as you know) created opportunities for Alliance kids who had previously been 2's and 3's kids to play Open for the first time. Imagine the season from their perspective. If you had told THOSE families back in January that their team wasn't going to finish in the top half of Open at AAU, do you think they'd have made a different choice? I'd bet a lot of of them were just happy to be there. Others might not have even really known what they were getting into ("What's Open?"). But now after a year competing against the best teams in the country, their standard for what constitutes high-level volleyball has now been re-calibrated. Bar is raised. That's not a bad result. I do wish more of the former Alliance kids who are now at TPV were playing Open at AAU. I'm glad you guys are, it will be a good barometer for you to compare with previous finishes this group has enjoyed. But I was surprised the 18's and 14's kids weren't. Those are Open-level kids, many of whom will play for Power 5 schools.

It would be a shame to be a really good team and enter a lower AAU division. The level of play falls very, very quickly. If you're going to travel 1000 miles (or however far it is to Orlando) and roll everybody, you've wasted the potential experience.