Notre Dame dropping into 6A/AA fair or unfair?

[dougw]

Public vs. Private revisited?

[Bledsoebtheboys]

Public vs. Private revisited?

825708921[/snapback]

This is fair........This is one of the toughest districts in the Chattanooga area.......With East Ridge, Bledsoe, and Hixson and now Notre Dame.........That just makes it even tougher........

Edited August 3, 2005 by Bledsoebtheboys

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Perfectly fair. ND won't roll all over their district. From my own experience, I think some private schools switch to Division I to help broaden awareness of the school, and therefore increase enrollment.

[ComPassion]

Doug,

-Good topic, but mostly moot in this case.

-My understanding was that this was a football-driven decision.

-The vb staff at the time these decisions were being made definately didn't want to move here.

-So, football goes where ever the money wants them to go and the other sports are drug around with them with little regard for thier best interest, that's just how it is.

-Can't speak for current ND VB outlook on recruiting, but none of the current players were inticed to come due to anything illegal or grey, certainly not with money.

-So, ND VB is "just another team" with no unfair edge over anyone.

 

 

Bledsoe,

Do you go to any of the matches in Chattanooga and see the other teams, or just see the ones who drive out to you?

[just4fun]

I think their A.D. gave a good explaination for why a private school would want to move into Division I, or why some of them are already there. He was quoted in the Chattanoogan.com article:

 

Changes Bring Excitement To Notre Dame Volleyball

 

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Notre Dame’s athletic director, Howie Sompayrach feels the move will be good for his athletes.

 

“I am very excited about the change to Division I.” said Coach Sompayrach, “Our region in Division II only had five teams and two of them were in Knoxville. We are excited to play more local schools and not have to travel so much. It's tough to have a true rivalry against teams that are 100 miles away and it gets old seeing the same three or four schools all of the time.”

 

Coach Sompayrach believes the level of competition to be comparable between the two divisions. In the past Notre Dame had to battle teams like Baylor, GPS, and Knox Webb in region championships. Now he expects them to battle teams like East Ridge, Boyd-Buchanan and Hixson for region titles.

 

“It will be exciting to foster these new rivalries.” said Sompayrach.

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I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons they decided to make the switch but I think travel would be HUGE. Just think about the expense, time, etc... Notre Dame isn't as big as schools like GPS and McCallie. They don't have the kind of money they do either. Traveling all the time can get expensive. These are high school kids too. I can't imagine how many classes they miss and how hard it is to get homework done, get enough sleep etc... if you have to drive to Nashville or Knoxville at least once almost every week.

Edited August 3, 2005 by just4fun

[ComPassion]

I think their A.D. gave a good explaination for why a private school would want to move into Division I, or why some of them are already there. He was quoted in the Chattanoogan.com article:

 

Changes Bring Excitement To Notre Dame Volleyball

 

--------

Notre Dame’s athletic director, Howie Sompayrach feels the move will be good for his athletes.

 

“I am very excited about the change to Division I.” said Coach Sompayrach, “Our region in Division II only had five teams and two of them were in Knoxville. We are excited to play more local schools and not have to travel so much. It's tough to have a true rivalry against teams that are 100 miles away and it gets old seeing the same three or four schools all of the time.”

 

Coach Sompayrach believes the level of competition to be comparable between the two divisions. In the past Notre Dame had to battle teams like Baylor, GPS, and Knox Webb in region championships. Now he expects them to battle teams like East Ridge, Boyd-Buchanan and Hixson for region titles.

 

“It will be exciting to foster these new rivalries.” said Sompayrach.

--------

 

I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons they decided to make the switch but I think travel would be HUGE. Just think about the expense, time, etc... Notre Dame isn't as big as schools like GPS and McCallie. They don't have the kind of money they do either. Traveling all the time can get expensive. These are high school kids too. I can't imagine how many classes they miss and how hard it is to get homework done, get enough sleep etc... if you have to drive to Nashville or Knoxville at least once almost every week.

825709123[/snapback]

 

Just4fun,

Wow. I can see how a person could assume all that you do.

And, it is telling that the AD says what he says.

BUT, ND will have to travel MUCH more in this division than they did in DII.

They only played the Knox tms ONCE per season, 35 min away at Lee Univ.

Now there are 8 tms in the district that are farther away than that! Their travel time will go up (and expenses if they take the van) to play a much lower quality of matches.

ER and Hixson are the only tms they would choose to play, and Boyd from the other district, and they played them in the past anyway!

So.... you decide the spin from the FB-driven reality of the situation.

[Bledsoebtheboys]

Doug,

-Good topic, but mostly moot in this case.

-My understanding was that this was a football-driven decision. 

-The vb staff at the time these decisions were being made definately didn't want to move here. 

-So, football goes where ever the money wants them to go and the other sports are drug around with them with little regard for thier best interest, that's just how it is.

-Can't speak for current ND VB outlook on recruiting, but none of the current players were inticed to come due to anything illegal or grey, certainly not with money.

-So, ND VB is "just another team" with no unfair edge over anyone.

Bledsoe,

Do you go to any of the matches in Chattanooga and see the other teams, or just see the ones who drive out to you?

825709122[/snapback]

Last year I missed one game and it was at home against CSAS(Chattanooga School for Arts & Sciences)...........Other than that I go to all the games.......I plan on going to all the games this year too........Why do you ask??????