Claiborne back on track!

[bat20]

The majority of the talented players have quit and from what I understand there are a few more getting ready to leave the team as well. It may sound like a bunch of crap to you, but the truth is, that a lot of the girls on the team now would have never seen the varsity bench much less get any playing time. I'm not knocking the players, most of them are just very young and haven't matured enough physically or mentally to play at the varsity level and shouldn't have been forced into this situation. If Cook hadn't ran off all her talent, the team and the girls program wouldn't be in the shambles that it is in. I hope she is proud of the job that she has done, not only here but at Union Co. as well. It takes a lot to singlehandedly destroy one program much less two in two years.

 

 

Yes, I agree. This is well said. Its not the players who are playing now fault. Its actually very unfair to them to have to be placed in the situation. Cook has to be starting to realize that everywhere she goes, she ruins a program. One would think that she would save herself, and just step down.

[rSquared]

She coached at Union Co. She had the same situation there. Alot of the girls also quit there, I don't know the situation as to why there, all I know is that the people I have talked to were extremely glad to get rid of her. As for why she was hired here when she left Union Co. in the mess it was in, I have no idea. Thats a question we find ourselves asking the administration. She was coach at Union for two years(I think) and only won like 2 district games. Seven girls have quit the Claiborne Varsity team since she has been hired. Four of them would start. Im not getting into all the details about what she did to these girls, but just know that your right, and no veteran player would quit after getting yelled at. These girls have definately been hurt! I don't know about the administration supporting her, I do know that if she had anything about her, she would step aside. If she wouldn't do it for the sake of embarassment, you would think she would for these kids. I hope I have helped answer some of your questions.

 

 

Actually, Cook was 0-20 in regular season district games in her two years at Union Co., and I'm pretty sure she didn't win a game either year in the district tournament as well, which would make her district record 0-22.

[coachh17]

It could be the coach, it could be the parents, it could be the administration, or it could be a combination of some or all of them. I do not assign any blame to the players, especially since it has been a group of them. Clearly, the Claiborne Administration is asleep at the wheel or has some motive for allowing this soap opera to continue. Otherwise, they would have stepped in an mediated some type of win-win solution for all involved. If I were a parent or citizen in Claiborne I would be demanding some answers.

[BBBalls]

It could be the coach, it could be the parents, it could be the administration, or it could be a combination of some or all of them. I do not assign any blame to the players, especially since it has been a group of them. Clearly, the Claiborne Administration is asleep at the wheel or has some motive for allowing this soap opera to continue. Otherwise, they would have stepped in an mediated some type of win-win solution for all involved. If I were a parent or citizen in Claiborne I would be demanding some answers.

 

 

While some of us have demanded answers, none have really been given. I think you are right, the administration at Claiborne is asleep at the wheel. These questions have even gone in front of the school board with no results. They should remember that they are elected to the board and there are a lot of voters that are pretty upset with them right now for doing absolutely nothing to resolve this matter. It is absolutely rediculous to let someone not only destroy a winning program like CCHS had, but to also run off the talent that she had when she took over as coach. She had the talent on that team to win a district title at the very least and now they'll be lucky to have 3 wins this season. I guess the best we can hope for is that her contract is not renewed next year. Thank God for one year contracts!

[DaveAAU]

I post on other major boards but haven't checked this one out in awhile. I was told by some parents that there was a thread on here about CHS and thought I'd check it out and offer my two cents.

 

I'm somewhat close to the situation given I've been around these players for several years and have a kid attending CHS now who keeps me informed.

 

I frequently sit near the bench and observe the team and coaches, and given that I've played in high school and college and coached on/off for several years can make an educated analysis of what I'm looking at.

 

1. All of the players in question that left the team had valid reasons for doing so. I'll defend Taylor to the end because up until this year she was on track to be a truly outstanding player for CHS. She didn't have to even attend CHS - she had options just like Raegan did in transferring to Oak Ridge, and really wanted to have a good career at CHS. According to TSSAA rules, each player only gets four years of eligibility and the turmoil that has spread within the team this year is costing her dearly in terms of Rivals/Scout ranking and potential college scholarship offers.

 

2. Given that Kellie Rosenbalm, Beth Turner, Lindsey Parker, and other senior starters and key reserves have chosen not to play reinforces the perception that there is something amiss more serious than one or two players that were singled out. All of these girls are competitors and would be playing this season if the coaching staff had not changed.

 

3. I have not seen the CHS athletic director at a home game yet this season. Maybe I've missed him but I've been looking also, and perhaps he has taken another job elsewhere. In any event, he did attend every game last season.

 

4. The school board will probably not take any action until a civil suit is initiated. It usually takes something on public record before they get their heads out of the sand. There have been rumors of at least one lawsuit in the works related to mental anquish and suffering experienced by at least one player. If there is a preponderance of evidence to prove administrative neglect and incompetence, we as taxpayers may end up footing the bill over this mess. The next school board election, which is in 2008, should be very interesting to say the least.

 

5. The Boys team and coaching staff, top to bottom, is almost as bad as the girls' side. Harville is borderline decent, but he has surrounded himself with less than adequate assistants and they are on a slide that will take years to rebound from (currently 1-8 with no prospect for a win in sight going into district play.) This is not as much from lack of talent but an inability to get the players to respond effectively and play sound fundamental basketball. I also know several talented boys at CHS that will not play for these coaches as well.

 

Even with all this going on, I still support both teams at every game and hope things get better. I feel bad for the kids though because they have very little choice in how things are playing out and basketball is not very enjoyable for any of them right now.

[BBBalls]

I post on other major boards but haven't checked this one out in awhile. I was told by some parents that there was a thread on here about CHS and thought I'd check it out and offer my two cents.

 

I'm somewhat close to the situation given I've been around these players for several years and have a kid attending CHS now who keeps me informed.

 

I frequently sit near the bench and observe the team and coaches, and given that I've played in high school and college and coached on/off for several years can make an educated analysis of what I'm looking at.

 

1. All of the players in question that left the team had valid reasons for doing so. I'll defend Taylor to the end because up until this year she was on track to be a truly outstanding player for CHS. She didn't have to even attend CHS - she had options just like Raegan did in transferring to Oak Ridge, and really wanted to have a good career at CHS. According to TSSAA rules, each player only gets four years of eligibility and the turmoil that has spread within the team this year is costing her dearly in terms of Rivals/Scout ranking and potential college scholarship offers.

 

2. Given that Kellie Rosenbalm, Beth Turner, Lindsey Parker, and other senior starters and key reserves have chosen not to play reinforces the perception that there is something amiss more serious than one or two players that were singled out. All of these girls are competitors and would be playing this season if the coaching staff had not changed.

 

3. I have not seen the CHS athletic director at a home game yet this season. Maybe I've missed him but I've been looking also, and perhaps he has taken another job elsewhere. In any event, he did attend every game last season.

 

4. The school board will probably not take any action until a civil suit is initiated. It usually takes something on public record before they get their heads out of the sand. There have been rumors of at least one lawsuit in the works related to mental anquish and suffering experienced by at least one player. If there is a preponderance of evidence to prove administrative neglect and incompetence, we as taxpayers may end up footing the bill over this mess. The next school board election, which is in 2008, should be very interesting to say the least.

 

5. The Boys team and coaching staff, top to bottom, is almost as bad as the girls' side. Harville is borderline decent, but he has surrounded himself with less than adequate assistants and they are on a slide that will take years to rebound from (currently 1-8 with no prospect for a win in sight going into district play.) This is not as much from lack of talent but an inability to get the players to respond effectively and play sound fundamental basketball. I also know several talented boys at CHS that will not play for these coaches as well.

 

Even with all this going on, I still support both teams at every game and hope things get better. I feel bad for the kids though because they have very little choice in how things are playing out and basketball is not very enjoyable for any of them right now.

 

 

 

I just wanted to say that you hit the nail on the head with your observations. It is truly sad what has happened to the CHS baskerball program, especially on the girls side. Going into the summer, they really had a good chance at at least a district title, but Cook took care of that quickly by running off most of her talent before the season even started and then Taylor only 3 games into the season. I haven't seen Richie at the games either, but there is no athletic director position anymore. Even with that said, you would think that he would be there to support the team and the "coach" that he hired, I guess he realizes what he's done in hiring Cook and may be ashamed or embarrassed or both.

[coachh17]

Now, we are getting somewhere. It may take some major house cleaning to right the situation.

[DaveAAU]

I just wanted to say that you hit the nail on the head with your observations. It is truly sad what has happened to the CHS baskerball program, especially on the girls side. Going into the summer, they really had a good chance at at least a district title, but Cook took care of that quickly by running off most of her talent before the season even started and then Taylor only 3 games into the season. I haven't seen Richie at the games either, but there is no athletic director position anymore. Even with that said, you would think that he would be there to support the team and the "coach" that he hired, I guess he realizes what he's done in hiring Cook and may be ashamed or embarrassed or both.

 

 

Thanks. I think there are a lot of frustrated parents, students, and players right now.

 

I did a little research and discovered a court document from 2001 that may shed some light on why the school board may be hesitant to take action. You may recognize the plaintiff as a current asst. coach on the boy's team, which also begs the question why she is employed by the school system if she lost this appeal.

 

The school board prevailed in this case, yet the prospect of being sued might make them tentative, or maybe they are being advised along those lines. here is the URL to the document: TN Court of Appeals Docket

[BBBalls]

Thanks. I think there are a lot of frustrated parents, students, and players right now.

 

I did a little research and discovered a court document from 2001 that may shed some light on why the school board may be hesitant to take action. You may recognize the plaintiff as a current asst. coach on the boy's team, which also begs the question why she is employed by the school system if she lost this appeal.

 

The school board prevailed in this case, yet the prospect of being sued might make them tentative, or maybe they are being advised along those lines. here is the URL to the document: TN Court of Appeals Docket

 

 

Thanks for the info on the court case you were speaking of, that sheds a light on the reason nothing has been done so far this season. I certainly hope that the powers that be have realized the mistake they made in hiring Cook and DO NOT renew her contract at the end of the year. My question now is, did they not research the problems she had at Union Co before they hired her? I understand that there was a very qualified applicant for the job with some college coaching experience that didn't even make the final three in concideration for the coaching job. Why? The top three were: Cook, Cooper and the coach of the boys team at Union Co.? After seeing what Cook has done at Union and Claiborne and what Cooper has done with the JV team at Claiborne, I really don't know why either of them would have been anywhere near the top of the list of applicants for the job. Neither of them have done anything for either program, except for the destruction of the girls program by Cook.

[coachh17]

Check their bloodlines. I bet you will find they are closely related to a powerful board member, the Director, or an administrator. It could be a direct blood relation or by marriage.

[oldindian]

i have been reading this subject matter for almost a month or longer and i am going to put my 2cents in. to start with coach cook did not destroy any program at union co. before she got there they could'nt play dead in a john wayne western. she worked her but off trying to get the program up to speed, started with the middle school program that had been a joke forever. started to teach the fundamentals that had been lacking for so long. and yea maybe they did not win alot of games but if they are having any success today it is from the ground work she had done. anyone who knows anything about sports, knows that the season you are having is from the work you have done in the past. this can also be said for an unsuccessful season as well ie claiborne. and sometimes you can't measure by wins and loses for example unionco. for as long as i can remember they were not exactly a powerhouse. i do know they made great improvements in the middle school program while she was there and she directly had a hand in that. speaking of middle school does anyone realize why claioborne has been so successful for the last ten or so years in high school?i do, coach cook was the middle school coach of one of the feeder schools that go into claiborne. i know what your going to say that middle school and high school is a different ballgame but, the last i checked the complaint is not over her x's and o's it's over knee pads and yelling. anytime a coach leaves a program behind you have to look did they leave the program in better or worse shape from the time they got there. and maybe some of her problems at claiborne could be linked to the last coach that was just recently in the same building. divide and conquer!

[BBBalls]

i have been reading this subject matter for almost a month or longer and i am going to put my 2cents in. to start with coach cook did not destroy any program at union co. before she got there they could'nt play dead in a john wayne western. she worked her but off trying to get the program up to speed, started with the middle school program that had been a joke forever. started to teach the fundamentals that had been lacking for so long. and yea maybe they did not win alot of games but if they are having any success today it is from the ground work she had done. anyone who knows anything about sports, knows that the season you are having is from the work you have done in the past. this can also be said for an unsuccessful season as well ie claiborne. and sometimes you can't measure by wins and loses for example unionco. for as long as i can remember they were not exactly a powerhouse. i do know they made great improvements in the middle school program while she was there and she directly had a hand in that. speaking of middle school does anyone realize why claioborne has been so successful for the last ten or so years in high school?i do, coach cook was the middle school coach of one of the feeder schools that go into claiborne. i know what your going to say that middle school and high school is a different ballgame but, the last i checked the complaint is not over her x's and o's it's over knee pads and yelling. anytime a coach leaves a program behind you have to look did they leave the program in better or worse shape from the time they got there. and maybe some of her problems at claiborne could be linked to the last coach that was just recently in the same building. divide and conquer!

 

 

 

I agree with one thing you said, she did do a good job at the middle school level, but since moving up to the high school level she has had problems both communicating with the girls and making sound affensive and defensive decisions. A big part of the reason she had so much success at SMMS stems from the coaching at the elementary level. I know that the coaches at Springdale, which if you look back at the players that played for Cook at SMMS you'll know that is where the majority of them came from, stress fundamentals. Cook had little to do with that, she just took good players and did a good job with what she had. Even at SMMS, she had a hard time getting the girls to give it their all. The year that Reagan Thompson and Taylor Hall played for her, she should have won state, but didn't. The following year she went to Union Co. and Jackson took over as coach at SMMS and with far less talent, they won the state. She was able to do what Cook couldn't, she got the girls to play above their level. The girls that Cook has now were the same girls she had at SMMS and she still isn't getting the job done and most of them have left the team, not over yelling or knee pads, but pointing them out individually and running them off. I'm not sure what has happened to her, whether it has gone to her head that she's a "high school coach" or what but she has lost the respect of not only her team, but the community. Sure there are a few that are going to back her because they are family or friends, but if you look at the job that she has done coaching in the past 3-4 years, you can only see that she has done absolutely nothing, but kill two programs. If you'll open your eyes and see the talent that has left the Claiborne squad since this summer when she took over, you'll see what I mean. Seven very good players are gone now because of personal issues with her that had little to do with basketball. If you have any inside knowledge of the situation at all then you know what I'm talking about and if you don't have any knowledge of what is going on there then maybe you should dig a little deeper.