SoccerDad2

I am all for All State teams and I also understand the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I also understand that these teams will not make everyone happy. But to leave Danielle Mayeaux off this team is a tradgedy. Capital T!!! I'm not certain she is the best player in the state, but as they say " she's in the team picture". Certainly one of the top two or three midfielders. The TSWA team was announced as well. Is there anyone who can supply a list of that team or a link to where we can look at it?

I have posted a couple of times and hope that I continue to be consistent in my thought. HIGH SCHOOL COACHING/SEASON is absolutely not worthless. For anyone to suggest that it is, doesn't understand the game very much. My daughter had very good high school coaching. They were ( are) very knowledgable both in the tactical and technical part of the game and communicated very well. As a matter of fact, probably communicated the game ( substitute communicated with taught) better than some club coaches. Please don't misunderstand me. Club coaches are very good as well. But HS is special. My daughter would never give up the experience she had in HS. As a matter of fact, if forced to make a choice, she would probably give up club for HS. Her HS coaches made it a great experience for her and motivated her in ways her club coaches never did. Club soccer was a means to an end. Yes, college coaches had more contact with her club coaches than HS but that did keep them from working with the HS coaches as well. HS was FUN for my daughter. She enjoyed it everyday. Her HS team was fortunate to make to state finals three out of her four years and she was able to participate in each of them. That is an experience her HS coaches gave to her and made her a better player at the same time. Club soccer was sometimes as effort. A necessary effort, but an effort nevertheless. ( club coaches helped make her better as well) I hope she enjoys playing for her college coach as much as she enjoyed playing for her HS coach. I also hope her college coach communicates the game as well as her HS coach. High School coaches are the very best value out in the soccer community. As parents we need to realize their value and support them more than we do. I know that I will miss their influence on my daughters life, now that she prepares to move on and do other things.

I would like to read the article you menitoned. What is DNJ? Is there a website? Just to comment on the match. There was no way that Siegel was "run over". The match was close. I agree that after the first goal there seemed to be somewhat of a let down on the part of Siegel. ( could be wrong, just what it looked like) The two goals that were scored after the first, we balls boucning in the box that got tapped in. ( most soccer observers would say "unlucky") The 3-0 score does not reflect the quality of the match. I do believe that Collierville was the better team. ( at least on that day) #1 for Siegel is a very good player in the midfield but just couldn't get things moving because of the #18 for Collierville. Again, to say that Siegel was run over, is a big overstatement.

I will reply and absolutley congratulate BEARDEN HS as the 2006 TN AAA STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONS. Anytime you put together three wins in a row as they did there is no doubt that they deserve to celebrate their championship. My daughter played in the match saturday and since she is a senior, I won't be posting anything more after today. So here's my two cents worth ( and that's about what it's worth) For anyone to think that simply because you lose in a regional match that you don't deserve to be at state and have a chance to be a "true champion" is a complete joke. Bearden played like champions in every match in the state tournament. They persevered against three good teams. I have watched and been involved in both club soccer and high school soccer for many years. While it is true there are very good club coaches who possess a great deal of knowledge and skill it would also be a mistake to write off high school coaches so easily. My daughter has been blessed to have a HS school coach who simply coaches differently than her club coach. He is more than just competent and I would put him on the same level of many of our club coaches. He doesn't have the time time to "develop" players. I don't know of many HS coaches who do. But he instills confidence, attitude, respect for the game and much more. At this point I will say that HS soccer has been the highlight of my daughters soccer career. She has enjoyed coming to the state finals a few times She has enjoyed playing for her HS coach every bit as much as her club coach if not more. ( doesn't mean one is better than the other, just different) To close, I like the state tournament as it is unless someone can come up with a better format. I fully support the HS coaches who work so hard for little money and almost no recogniftion. They truely "do it for the kids". I like HS soccer because my daughter will take away such great memories that she will carry away with her for a lifetime. AND I CONGRATUALTE BEARDEN HS AS " TRUE STATE CHAMPIONS"

siegel is a very good team and it was a much closer match than the score shows. There was a terrific struggle in the midfield between #1 for siegel and #18 for Collierville. Both are extraordinary players and it was a pleasure to watch them battle the entire match. The first goal that was scored was not because "someone got behind the defense". That was the result. Siegel was pushed up but two defenders met the Collierville player at midfield and they each ran with her to the goal. She was just faster than they were. It was just a good soccer. The remaining goals were also not because players were pushed up. Not great plays ( balls bouncing in the box that got kicked in) These were two good teams who both deserved to be in the final four. siegel had a great year. Saturday we'll see what Collierville does.

Riverdale will play Hendersonville at 4:30 PM on Nov. 1st at Baylor HS in Chattanooga. Has anyone heard about Franklin/Clarksville or Cordova/Houston?

Collierville 5 Bolton 1

Collierville will play Memphis Central on Tuesday Regional Semi Final Houston will play Melrose - Regional Semi Final IF things work the way they should Houston & Collierville should meet in Regional Final on Thursday. The Sectional on Sat. should involve a combination of Houston & Collierville from Region 8 vs. some combination of Cordova/Bolton/Arlington from Region 7.

I had decided not to respond as well, but since the officiating was brought into play I will. It is true that "most" schools in the Memphis area use a referee assignor. ( done to prevent preceptions that occur like the one mentioned) I am certain that Collierville would have preferred that there be three refs there as well. I agree that teams need to rise up against bad calls. Officials should not be able to keep a truely better team from winning. And they didn't in the SAA-Collierville match. There are always going to be calls with which players, parents and students disagree. There were several that I did see the same way as others did. However, I was standing next to an official who does nothing but college and PDL matches. He has never had a child attend either school that played. He had no dog in the hunt. He made several observations. That the run of the play was very fast paced and physical and that three refs would have been better. That there was NO foul in the box ( as indicated by another reply) that there was just physical play. The fact that a player falls down does not indicate a foul in and of itself. That the last player to score was clearly offsides and was simply a missed call by the referee. ( "it happens" he said) Lastly, the comment that if the game had been at SAA an assist would have been given to a player for the last goal scored. It would have bee wrong. The player did not score because of the original pass. That shot was blocked and play went on. It was only because of the extra effort by the scoring player that the goal was made. ( a great effort and a good goal) The original passing player had nothing to do with it. ( a good way to pad statistics, by wrong nevertheless) SAA is a good team. They worked hard and came back from being scored on. They certainly deserved to win. I hope they go all the way and win their first state championship. Again, many good kids as well as good parents.

I'm a little familiar with the rule, but doesn't this put HUGE pressure on HS coaches. Say if there are 7 players who play club together, isn't it then up to the HS to chose which 5 players he will use on the HS team? ( it's not that all 7 would be inelgible) Also, has there been any thought about soliciting support from other sports which will be affected by this and band together in order to increase numbers? And lastly, I would appreciate some direction from a HS coach who can explain the TSSAA rationalization for this proposed rule. I realize that some coaches could put all their HS players on one club team and get a someone to coach them. I'm from a metro area so there are at least some opportunities for a couple of teams in each age group. But what happens to areas where critical mass is such that only one club team could be formed. I have been heavily involved in club soccer for a while and just don't see the logic in what they are trying to do. Can you imagine what could happen if there were seven to eight VERY GOOD players on one HS & club team team ( all D1 caliber), and were forced to split becasue of this rule. Knowing that college coaches view teams who get into the best club tournaments based on their quality and now you could possbiy keep a player from being seen by a college coach because she is relegated to a second club team in order to play HS soccer. ( or quits HS soccer all together to play on the club team) Doesn't make sense.

I have no "dog in this hunt" either, but a goal scored against St. Agnes will not bother them between now and the end of the regular season. They have GREAT players and all are good kids as well. I've watched them play many, many times and they will react when the pressure is on them. They just don't do well with pressure. ( one loss and you're out) They've had one of the very best teams in the state for the past four years and cannot seem to get the job done when it comes to playing in Chattanooga. Pound the big forward and she'll quit. However, they have more weapons that her. The other forward ( Ryan) is very quick and very good. Their defense is outstanding. It will be good to watch them in Chattanooga.

Certainly my mistake. Hendersonville is a team that I haven't seen play yet. But I will make it a point to do so soon. Beating Franklin was a huge step. Seems like teams in the middle of the state continue beat up on each other. Unfortunately all of them won't make it to state. Good teams for certain. West TN doesn't have that many in AAA.

What do you consider "not making state"? Not playing in the final game? Or does making it to Chattanooga qualify? Houston made it to the semi-finals last year and lost in PK's. The final four in pretty impressive. They were physical last year and are again this year. They have challenges scoring, but are VERY WELL coached. They will find a way to win. Maybe not state, but they will be there at the end with the final eight teams. Maybe final four again.

Houston was the best team throughout the year. There really wasn't a question about that. Collierville was a very good team and played better at the time of the state tournament. But Houston was better. They had a problem with players wanting ( or not wanting) to take PK's in the semi-final. Wrong players went to the mark. Otherwise they could have won two in a row. this is going to be an exciting year. Oak Ridge, Collierville, Brentwood, Houston, Franklin, siegel have all proven they can be beaten. Makes for a great seven matches in Chattanooga.

Bearden and Farragut are good teams but I doubt that they can advance in state. One of them may make it there but will be beaten in the first round. Just not strong enough this year.

The idea that there are no really good teams in AAA is probably correct. I have been able to see most of them play this year and none of them are terrific teams. Maybe "good teams" but not certainly not terrific ones. Strength of schedule has to count for something. Oak Ridge was 8-0 coming into the weekend. They got beaten three times. There are probably five or six teams in AAA that would win the state title this year. Certainly Brentwood and Franklin. Perhaps Siegel ( might be a stretch) Collierville or Houston ( but would need the stars to line up right). I don't believe there are many others. Time will tell. It will come down to who is playing well at the end of Oct. Best team doesn't always win. Collierville certainly wasn't the best team last year.

I agree that rankings ( even until late Oct) are subjective at best. This year I have watched teams from east ( Greenville, Farragut, Bearden, Oak Ridge others) from the central area ( Brentwood, Franklin, Centenial, JPII others) and from the west. And it is clear that with injuries, young players developing and teams coming together that you just cannot determine who will defeat whom on any given evening. From the West, Collierville and Houston are not playing very good soccer right now. They will probably play better later and be able to compete with some of the better teams in the state. However, there is one team that is clearly better than most in the state and that's St. Agnes. They are just VERY STRONG. Virtually no weaknesses. Quality players and very good bench. This should prove to be a very wide open year in Division One. But Division 2 is over. Send the trophy to St. Agnes and same travel expense.

Be careful what you ask for? I have no interest in St. Agnes, but they are going to be a huge force this year. Solid from top to bottom. Two players committed to Vanderbilt, one to Texas A&M, one to Memphis, one to Austin Peay. ( they also have couple of seniors that could play D1 if they wanted, but have chosen to not to. Very tough opponent!

Time will tell!!

Houston will be very good. Their coaching is excellent. They only graduated two of their back line. The remaining players are very good. As you said they have some good players that played roles last year who will step up as seniors and do very well. They should actually be back in Chattanooga in Nov.

Collierville plays four teams ( one 2X) in the AAA top 25 and 3 teams in Division II( St. Agnes, BGA and GPS) Certainly not as tough as Oak Ridge, but should be a good test. Collierville should be ok this year.

I would be surprised if the rule proposed by TSSAA would survive a legal challenge. This would mean the TSSAA would be dictating to students completely outside of their jurisdiction, what teams they could join which could have a direct impact on how they are ( or not ) recruited to by college coaches. TSSAA chooses to have girls soccer in the fall during the same time as NCAA womens soccer. Coaches simply do not have the time to adequately recruit during this time. To then say that girls have to limit themselves to certain teams of perhaps lesser quality simply because 5 players from the same HS want to play together doesn't make sense. NOW, if the HS coach is coaching the the club team, thyat could make a difference. They are inviting a class action suit.