Coach Smelser

In Farragut's Defense, It has been a long time since my last post which I believe was my only previous post, but I will defend the Farragut camp on this one ironically after catching slack from the Farragut camp on our 26-0 win a couple of years ago over a district opponent. None of us were there that night, only the Farragut team and the William Blount team, just as noone really new the situation of the game when we won 26-0 over an opponent. A couple of years ago our district decided after the fact not to have junior varsity after I had already kept all of these players so I combined my team as a whole and made 1 big Varsity Team. That night we were winning 12-0 at the half, already well into our bench. Second half I started a Senior captain who I had set the entire first half for discipline reasons with what would be considered a JV team or even a Freshman team so he could work on his leadership ability etc. etc. At the end of the night 5 players which came off the bench scored 3 goals each and the Senior Captain who led the JV' ers had 5 goals and a bunch of assists working to set up the younger players. All 3 goalkeepers had plenty of time in the pipes as well as on the field. At the end of the game my team got one of the best compliments that a coach could ask for and it was by the opposing coach and his assistant coaches, it was not the 26-0 score, it was how they did it and how they handled themselves while they were doing it. So in Farragut's defense, it is not how many but how. Those of you that also Coach girl's soccer know that it can get up there pretty quick and I have been on my fair share of the other end of those as well as, the TSSAA has said there can be a 5-0 mercy rule if agreed by both coaches. That can be uncomfortable too when both Coach's agree and you end the game and parent's chime in from the stands from both teams "let the kids play." I have always felt as a coach it is not the other teams job to quit scoring, what are we teaching players then. It is all about the how...

From Coach Smelser, This is my first and will probably be my only post on this web-site but after letting the dust settle and sleeping on it I feel it is necessary to post the facts of this match. We set the time of this match at 7 on Thur. night at Morr. West after a very emotional win. I had no idea until later that evening when I spoke to another coach from Knox. that Farragut had graduation. The next morning I told my AD and called the coach at Farragut. Three years ago the same situation occured and the coach at Farragut lied that the TSSAA can set the time if we do not move it. After getting cussed out by the coach at Farragut Fri. morning I called the AD at Farragut who explained to me that they have had private ceremonies in the past with track athletes that made it to State. I told him that if we made it to the Champinship my 10 Seniors would be in that same situation as well. I also called Gene Beck with the TSSAA who told me that last year the TSSAA changed the by-laws and if both schools don' t agree they will set the time. I got together with my 5 captains and told them we had to set a time, we chose 10 a.m. I called Gene Beck back and told him 10 a.m. and he called Farragut. Mr. Beck totally agreed with me that my guys deserved to play the game when they wanted by taking care of their business in the Regional final. Now to the match itself and to the State Championships. I hope we never make it to the State Championships if what it takes is to allow players to urinate on a field and steal warm-up cones in the process. I am not pleased with the actions of some of my players during the course of this match. However the intent was evident from the start which explains the number of direct and indirect kicks we were rewarded. Farragut took advantage of their opportunities and we did not. I am a teacher first and a coach second, I spend 180 days with my players and everyday is a success story as I use the game to teach the lessons in life and through that process wooden plaques with metal on the front of them sometimes occur. We don't understand that in some parts of the world kids their age are fighting to the death for what they believe in. I will be the first to say that the game is getting ugly and in my opinion in some parts it is because we are allowing non-faculty coaches to coach. I encourage anyone involved in coaching to walk the halls of their school, see the kids day to day, give rides home from games or practice, make home visits and see what your players lives are really like and that is were games in my eyes are won and lost. As for my players they understand that the scoreboard is and always will be in your heart. Coach Smelser