State Pairings

[wiredtowin]

The skill set for a volleyball player is much less complex than for a soccer player. A good athlete can be made into a good volleyball player in HS--a good athlete who has never played soccer faces much more of a challenge because the skills required for soccer are more demanding. Somewhat like swimming--the feel for the water is developed at an early age, technique is acquired and repetition sharpens those skills. Let me choose 5 good players off the basketball team and I can make them into good volleyball players but I'm in big trouble if I put them on a swimming or a soccer team.

[Indian]

I'd think there should be enough teams for three classes in Division I volleyball. I noticed Anderson County has nearly 1,100 students now, they shouldn't be competing for a state title against teams with a third or a fourth of that. Soccer, not sure if there would be enough.

[MVM]

I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to answer that one. Small A/AA public schools are for the most part in rural areas where there is less access to club soccer in terms of distance and per capita income. Private schools are in areas where there are club opportunities and per capita income allows for kids to play year round soccer. Though 25% of the teams in last years state playoffs A/AA were public their performance was dismal when matched against private schools with their depth of experience and numbers.

 

Wired you are dead on. These Great HS soccer programs that think their so great, is nothing more than a direct result of who has the most club players win, plain and simple. So why don't more public school girls play club..two reasons short sightedness from the parents, thinking rec. soccer will be enough to get little Suzy on the HS team. And COST.

 

Between coaches fees, Tourny fees, hotel, gas, food one tourny could run a family $300.00. For alot of blue coller folks that would blow their budget.

 

Soccer is not about how many kids attend your school, or who has the best athletes, but who has the better skill.

[DonCChatt]

These Great HS soccer programs that think their so great, is nothing more than a direct result of who has the most club players win, plain and simple.

 

 

Soccer is not about how many kids attend your school, or who has the best athletes, but who has the better skill.

 

 

If anybody thinks that the top soccer schools take raw untrained students and turn them into great soccer players, they are fooling themselves. Yes, you need a good pool of talented soccer players, and for the most part these will come from club players. Club players, choose to play soccer almost year round, and put the sweat equity into their game that others can not or do not. Having said that, the high school soccer program has to pull players together that don't play together for the most part (different ages, different teams), and pull them into a TEAM that "plays as one, wins as one." If they don't come together, then you don't have a team out their, but rather just a bunch of individuals. Those teams don't win games.

 

Yes, playing club ball isn't cheap, though $300 a tournament for an individual is on the high side. Many teams do a number of fundraisers, find sponsors, etc. that help hold down the costs of the team.

 

What is the solution? Throw the privates out of TSSAA Division 1? Even if you did that, you'd still have the haves of soccer (mostly suburban schools near the 4-5 biggest cities), and the rural schools. It's all a matter of perspective. From Rhea County or Cumberland County's perspective, Soddy Daisy has unfair advantages in terms of quality recreation programs near the school, plus several club players to draw on that they almost never have.

[wiredtowin]

$300 for a weekend tournament is a reasonable estimate--two nights in a hotel/gas/4-5 meals and you're there.

 

One possible solution is to encourage teams like FRA, ND, CAK to play up in AAA. There can't be any great satisfaction for those teams to beat A/AA public schools in the state tournament by scores such as 12-2, 8-0 (ND), 6-0 (FRA), 12-1, 5-0, 5-0 (CAK). Basically, these strong private schools have excluded themselves at tournament time from being tested by strong public schools by staying at A/AA. Wouldn't an Oak Ridge-CAK or ND-Ooltewah match at sub state be a bit more exciting (and challenging) than CAK-Pigeon Forge or ND-LA?

[oknative]

$300 for a weekend tournament is a reasonable estimate--two nights in a hotel/gas/4-5 meals and you're there.

 

One possible solution is to encourage teams like FRA, ND, CAK to play up in AAA. There can't be any great satisfaction for those teams to beat A/AA public schools in the state tournament by scores such as 12-2, 8-0 (ND), 6-0 (FRA), 12-1, 5-0, 5-0 (CAK). Basically, these strong private schools have excluded themselves at tournament time from being tested by strong public schools by staying at A/AA. Wouldn't an Oak Ridge-CAK or ND-Ooltewah match at sub state be a bit more exciting (and challenging) than CAK-Pigeon Forge or ND-LA?

 

No great satisfaction - other than a state title??? The last 3 years its been CAK (06), FRA(05), FRA(04). I'd call that pretty good satisfaction and a pretty good reason for them to want to stay in A/AA. Alcoa has that figured out in 2A football. Why would they want to move up where there is more competition. State titles are great advertising nuggets.

[MVM]

If anybody thinks that the top soccer schools take raw untrained students and turn them into great soccer players, they are fooling themselves. Yes, you need a good pool of talented soccer players, and for the most part these will come from club players. Club players, choose to play soccer almost year round, and put the sweat equity into their game that others can not or do not. Having said that, the high school soccer program has to pull players together that don't play together for the most part (different ages, different teams), and pull them into a TEAM that "plays as one, wins as one." If they don't come together, then you don't have a team out their, but rather just a bunch of individuals. Those teams don't win games.

 

DonC I'll take 11 individual club players that don't play together year round and KILL a Rec team everytime.

 

It's easy to say what you did when N.Dame is ALL CLUB PLAYERS and their bench is ALL CLUB PLAYERS and their JV is ALL CLUB PLAYERS.

 

Maybe thats why N.Dame can't help but run the score up on some folks.

[MVM]

What is the solution? Throw the privates out of TSSAA Division 1? Even if you did that, you'd still have the haves of soccer (mostly suburban schools near the 4-5 biggest cities), and the rural schools. It's all a matter of perspective. From Rhea County or Cumberland County's perspective, Soddy Daisy has unfair advantages in terms of quality recreation programs near the school, plus several club players to draw on that they almost never have.

 

Some Soddy Daisy parents found out years ago that a few club players mixed with rec. players will only get you so far. After all its been 9 years since they have made an apperance in state. And alot of great players have come through there (Kelly Downs for one)

 

Again HE WHO HAS THE MOST CLUB PLAYERS WIN.

 

MOST private schools are loaded with them. MOST public schools that are in the state tourny are loaded with them.

 

My solution for soccer only let the privates have there own division. Oh sorry you do its called the Tennessee State Tourny.

[MVM]

In soccer A/AA, until a multiplier moves the FRAs, NDs, CAKs, CCS, up to AAA, yes the smaller public schools are at a monumental disadvantage. Access to club play is the main problem for smaller public schools. This is magnified when you compare a well-paid private school coach with soccer experience to the coach at a A/AA school who receives a meager "supplement" and may or may not have a soccer background.

 

Wired again you've hit on the nail,

Lets take that a step futher, with club players in mind. Alot of your Private school coaches are CLUB coaches. Not their own players thats illegal, but the younger age groups....They are grooming their next incoming class. I WISH MORE PUBLIC SCHOOL COACHES WOULD FOLLOW SUIT. This goes back to my earlier comment that they (private school coaches and parents) have the foresight to know whats coming when they get to HS.

 

BUT>>Don't get me wrong I'm happy that those coaches are coaching club. It makes for a better players and those coaches need to be praised.

 

But you private schools...don't feed me cow dung and tell me its steak.

[DonCChatt]

DonC I'll take 11 individual club players that don't play together year round and KILL a Rec team everytime.

 

It's easy to say what you did when N.Dame is ALL CLUB PLAYERS and their bench is ALL CLUB PLAYERS and their JV is ALL CLUB PLAYERS.

 

Maybe thats why N.Dame can't help but run the score up on some folks.

 

 

 

MVM, it sounds like you are saying that teams with full or near-full rosters of club players should be, what, punished? Should there be a limit of club players on a high school team? I guess, also, that you would apply your same logic to Franklin, Brentwood, Bearden, and a bunch of other top AAA teams that are full of club players. They have as many, probably, as we do.

 

Also, what about my earlier comments to you on the rural counties. From where most of them stand, they probably feel the same way about you that you might feel about us.

 

In spite of your comments, I will still be pulling for Soddy Daisy against Collierville on Wednesday.

[MVM]

MVM, it sounds like you are saying that teams with full or near-full rosters of club players should be, what, punished? Should there be a limit of club players on a high school team? I guess, also, that you would apply your same logic to Franklin, Brentwood, Bearden, and a bunch of other top AAA teams that are full of club players. They have as many, probably, as we do.

 

Also, what about my earlier comments to you on the rural counties. From where most of them stand, they probably feel the same way about you that you might feel about us.

 

In spite of your comments, I will still be pulling for Soddy Daisy against Collierville on Wednesday.

 

Punished, NO. Hey N.Dame, Baylor, CAK ect. have done a great job building their programs from the feeder system of select teams and not rec teams, which is where the rural teams are now. Through foresight and the ability to afford putting your daughters on club teams the private schools have left most everyone behind, and that includes most AAA schools.

For example, I know Hixson has the best talent they have ever had this year, several good club players and some good rec players, but even with upsurge in talent their not even close to your talented team. True?

 

Punished NO. Admired Yes....Put the privates together (in soccer only), your together anyway come post season, it wouldn't change a thing other than give the Hixson's of the world a shot.

 

Oh by the way. I'm with you, I would love a Chatt. three way sweep.

[MVM]

Also, what about my earlier comments to you on the rural counties. From where most of them stand, they probably feel the same way about you that you might feel about us.

 

In spite of your comments, I will still be pulling for Soddy Daisy against Collierville on Wednesday.

 

Don you have ask me in several post to comment on the rural counties. Don't forget not that many years ago Soddy would have fallen under that term a rural team north of the river, so to speak. We have worked hard on the north end of the county to FIND and bring along club players. For example, the last select team I had broke down this way...2 players CCS, 1 player Siverdale, 2 players Baylor, 4 players Soddy, 1 player Hixson, 1 player I lost to Cheerleading( Don't know what happened there? /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> )We've come a long way, and are closing some gaps, We should have 3 to 4 club players rolling in to Soddy for the next 3-4 years. But its been hard fighting with Redout, N.River, E.Ridge,& S.Mtn. Select programs.

 

Other Rural counties will find there way, No doubt...But the privates are so far ahead of the game I don't think anyone will catch you.