BBallExtreme

As I stated before, if their child is not enrolled in the local school that school does not receive funds to educate that child. A school's budget is based on enrollment. Imagine this scenario: There are fourteen spots on the girls bball team. 36 girls try out including several home schooled athletes. When the team is selected, thirteen enrolled students are picked, and one home schooled student is picked. I strongly feel that that last spot should go to the student who is enrolled in the school--yes, even if she is a less skilled athlete. Schools don't operate like a cafeteria, pick what you want and forget about the rest. Athletics is only a part of the school experience which is intended to promote fitness, character, sportsmanship, and pride. Families who are committed to the school should benefit from that experience above all others. I have no problem with home schooled students participating, just--as I stated before--on their own teams organized by their association.

I did read the bill and I am opposed to any student not ENROLLED in a public school participating on public school teams. Although all tax payers fund public schools, each school's actual working budget is based on enrollment. When enrollment is down for whatever reason, schools lose those funds. I don't feel it is morally proper for non public school students to further deplete limited resources. The students whose parents trust and rely on public schools should be the beneficiaries of whatever the school has to offer. Parents should not be able to pick and choose from public education resourses, if you want your child to play with the local public school band or basketball team then devote your time and energy into making the school a place where you would feel confident your child is getting a quality education. I speak from experience, I home schooled my own children for two years. I do not oppose, however, local home school associations organizing teams to compete under TSSAA. The local home school association would accept TSSAA bylaws and oversight just as any other local association (MIAA for example). That way home school students would be able to participate in athletics without public schools bearing the burden.

Public schools are expected to do what parents and religious institutions have failed to do--which unfortunately does include teaching children to respect the views and beliefs of others. Other things I, as public school teacher, am expected to do are promote a sense of self-worth to children who feel hopeless, provide school supplies to children whose families can't afford them or don't view school as a priority, motivate students who are failing, hug students who are emotionally and often physically neglected, provide a positive role model for students who don't know the value of education, provide structure to students who often feed, clothe, and supervise themselves, enforce dress codes, teach manners and respect, all while being told I need to limit my instruction to what will be taught on the state mandated TCAP--a test that will be used to determine my value as a teacher and my school's competence as an institution. I am proud of the work that I do as a public school teacher. I teach my students with love and passion everyday. I don't "teach to the test", in fact I inform my students that the TCAP proficiency levels are far below the level of proficiency they will need to compete effectively in college.I look forward to the challenge of reaching all of my students regardless of their race, socio-economic background, religion, learning ability or disability. I try to be the type of teacher that I want for my own children (whom I home schooled for two years). Yes, many of my duties stretch beyond the three R's and they include defending the meaningful work that I do everyday to someone who has the audacity to sit in judgement of my efforts and make blanket statements about my profession and colleagues, someone who probably doesn't do half of what I do to help children, yet feels smug enough to blog with impunity on Coach T. /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

Awww shucks ! /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" /> Yes, I am a motivational speaker...I'm a parent and a teacher. /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

Likewise /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

James of Bartlett.

The life lesson taught is that unfortunately life itself is not fair. The sooner our young people learn this and how to deal with it the better. Character is what allows us to persevere through adversity. Unfortunately it is adversity which builds character. While it is painful for us to see young people mistreated we cannot focus on what we cannot control. Rather than focus on what they can't control, like referees, tell them to focus on what they can control like rebounds, free throws, whatever. To do otherwise sends the message that "no matter how hard you work, it doesn't matter because someone else can steal your dream." That doesn't mean that they shouldn't write letters or send emails about the officiating, doing something proactive will empower them to stand up for themselves and demand fair treatment--something else our young women must learn to do. Remind them that one day they will have the opportunity to treat someone fairly or unfairly, will they remember this lesson when they decide how to act? Tell them that every athlete hates the trainer when he slaps another 10 pounds on the bar, but when she sees herself in the mirror 6 months later she thanks the trainer. Tell your daughter that the referee in that game is like the trainer--one day you may thank her for making your team play with enough skill and precision to compensate for all of her bad calls! Those of faith know that ALL things work for good for those that love the Lord and whatever God has in store for you no man can take away. If you live like you believe that, they will believe it too. Good luck to all our young ladies in all their endeavors.

Overton only lost to Southwind once, without several key players as mentioned earlier.

You didn't have to go THERE, Phil! /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

No slight against 14AAA teams intended, just an observation. Bartlett and Millington also represented this area very well last year.

Yeah Phil, I was thinking the same thing watching the Central vs. Bartlett game. It's not just that our district is tough, our region is also tough! Oh well... I do know that Central and Overton will both make a major impact at States and that's good news for all Memphis area teams. Good luck!

So.... using your logic, Millington should have played Central. If a team loses to the Regional Runner Up do they stand a better chance against the Regional Champions? I don't think so. Millington's Region is the weakest in the area so they've had excellent positioning to come even this far. Millington is a great team, and it's beneath the team to call for an overhaul of the system because they lost to a worthy opponent.

The IB (International Baccalaureate) Program is new to Ridgeway NEXT YEAR. Ridgeway will be one of only six high schools in the entire state to offer this rather prestigious learning opportunity. The admission to the program is highly competetive and the most rigorous of any public school program (and most private school admissions as well). Students completing the program will receive an IB Diploma. Seniors participating in this program are accepted to universities such as Vanderbilt and Duke at twice the admission levels of similarly qualified Honors and AP students. Here's a link: http://www.ibo.org/

Hey, I do my best, but I must be honest, it's always a lot easier to support a coach when it's not your own! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> BTW I can't imagine what a coach would have to do to make me give up the IB Program at Ridgeway, but nice try!

One of his players said that something happened at half time that caused several of his starters to sit out. I don't know what happened, but apparently he is willing to stand by his principles. Since his team will advance anyway, it may have been a good time to prove a point. Good luck to all Memphis area teams, we have some great talent and some great girls period. It will be hard to see anyone lose.

I have known Christian coaches to ask the family of a Muslim player, for example, if they feel comfortable joining in the prayer or would they like to say the prayer. I have known coaches who led a moment of silence for their team instead of a prayer when they knew this player was Muslim. I have known coaches who simply bowed their head and led a prayer, at which time the player too bowed her head and prayed because there is but one God who hears all sincere prayers. I am sure that a Hindu or Muslim coach would not take the liberty to lead a prayer in their faith tradition, but hopefully they wouldn't prevent their players from doing so.

I think any responsible teacher (Muslim, Hindu, or otherwise) or coach would be sensitive to the beliefs of their players or students and their families. I can't believe anyone would be so bigoted as to believe that the Supreme Court is wrong for preventing Christian coaches from praying with their team, yet would themselved prevent coaches of other faiths from leading their Christian children in prayer. This is why pilgrims fled England, why Puritans, and Shakers, and Catholics fled other parts of Europe. This is why the separation of Church and State is a rock solid principal of American democracy. These groups fled Europe to escape religious persecution. They were the minority and knew the importance of protecting minority rights from a tyrannical majority. It was CHRISTIANS that promoted the idea of Separation of Church and State, not atheists, or Jews, or Muslims, Hindus, or anyone else. Those early American Christians knew what it felt like to be ostracized, to lose businesses, to be ridiculed and mocked for their beliefs and they sought to bring an end to religious persecution in the New World. If we had prayers in school my only question would be whose prayer? The reluctance of so few to answer my earlier question speaks volumes.

You didn't answer the question. If you believe coaches should have the "right" to pray with their team, then that right must extend to all Americans, even those of a different faith. Just answer the question, please. Dragonmaster thank you for your honest and forthright response. There is enough common ground for all of God's children to stand in His light.

If your child's coach was Muslim or Hindu would you also want that coach to have the "right" to lead your Christian child in prayer? Or would you see it as him or her trying to impose their religion on your child?

As disappointing as our loss was, we still have some great games to look forward to--with all of the fun and none of the stress! /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

I think I'd trade your one for our three any day /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Well....Ridgeway threw the ball away at least fifteen times in the first half alone! Turnovers killed this game for us. Melrose was shooting the lights out from the 3 pt. line and we probably waited a little long to go man to man, but once we did we closed a fiteen point lead to 3. Once their lead shooter fouled out in the 3rd quarter I just knew we were poised to win, but we literally gave the game away. The coaching was good, the officiating was decent, but some of our girls played scared, no way you can win that way.

Commercial Appeal box scores are wrong. Final Score Ridgeway 73/Melrose 77 Muhammad 22 Sanders 17 Tate 12 Montgomery 10 Offiong 6 Cooper 4 Hamilton 2

Ridgeway loses to Melrose by four. Sorry too devastated to remember the score. /mad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":angry:" border="0" alt="mad.gif" /> Oh yeah, Lausanne upset by Bishop Byrne in the DII Championship. Avant held to 6 pts.

I agree wholeheartedly. I only quoted our Founding Fathers because their names were invoked in the defense of school prayer.