William Blount

[ETNbballfan]

I tried to stay away from this one, but just cannot do it. I was at the game last night and there were several things worth noting.

 

1) EFFORT: The girls put a TON of effort into the game. They do not lose because of lack of effort. That in itself is something to be proud of. If you have a daughter on this team, you can tell her that GatorBill said to hold her head high. It is tough to lose, tougher to lose badly, and even tougher when it happens often. I feel for them.

 

2) EXECUTION: I am in favor of it. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> Seriously though. You lost last night because you don't/can't execute some of the simpler things in the game of basketball. Screens, backdoor cuts, etc. There were very few screens that were set correctly all night. It was a combination of:

a.) not knowing where to set the screen

b.) not knowing how to use a screen once it is set

There were cutters coming into the lane that just did not know how to get open. There were post players that could not post up and recieve a pass, and guards that did not know how to get the pass into them.

 

Am I saying that your kids are horrible, or that they lack talent? NO. Not at all. I am saying that they are lacking proper coaching. They are not prepared to play when they come into the gym. I have read the posts on here that mention your teams attitude, that is something that comes from the top and works it's way down.

 

Now is the time that I guess I need to qualify something. Losing stinks. We all know that. I hate losing more than anyone on this planet. Period. I have played baseball, football and basketball for my entire life. I coached baseball, football and basketball for a total of 15 years. I have been a part of some very successful teams as both a player and a coach. I have also been a part of some lousy teams as both a player and a coach. Then only thing that is harder to do than winning, is keeping your head up while losing badly.

 

Your coach needs to do his yelling and screaming in practice, and let the girls play. Look at it this way. They scored what? 7 pts in the first half. If those kids went out and played street ball for the first half, they would score 7 points by accident.

 

They have zero confidence. You can see that clearly. They are getting their hats handed to them on the court, and then getting berated on the bench. They are afraid to make a play, because they are afraid to make a mistake. I don't need to know any of the players or the coach to see all of this. And I am not trying to judge your coach as a person. Im sure he is a fine human being, and means well. But he needs to shut up and coach. (If my kid were on your team last night, it would have been her last night on that team. If she wanted to play basketball, she would have to find another place to do it)

 

All of this being said: Last night you were up against at least 2 kids that are certain D1 Prospects. And a team that is very disciplined, and extremely well coached. If not for a horrendous 1st quarter of shooting by UHS, that game would have been much worse.

 

I wish you all the best of luck, and success in the future. Tell your kids to keep working hard. Listen to the words that are being said, and not the tone of voice that is used. There is plenty of information coming out, try to catch as much of it as they can. Lighten up, loosen up, and play their tookis off. If they do that, and leave everything they have on the court, every second, of every minute, of every game, then they are winners no matter what the score is.

 

GB

 

I couldn't have said it any better.............Or anybody else for that matter. Thank you for response and input!

[gatorbillmsu]

I couldn't have said it any better.............Or anybody else for that matter. Thank you for response and input!

 

 

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[volunteerfan]

What was the score of last night's game?

[gatorbillmsu]

What was the score of last night's game?

 

69-17. Upperman had the end of the bench in for the 4th quarter.

[ETNbballfan]

This season's team:

 

ONE SENIOR ... great player (not quite at Puleo's level) who teams are keying on like crazy

SIX JUNIORS ... 2 of which have any "starting varsity experience" ... one starter already out with ACL ... one who has missed more practices than she has made because of sickness ... one in her first year of varsity action recovering from back surgery ... two who are great hustlers and great role players

TWO SOPHOMORES ... one who would have started as a freshmen before tearing acl ... reinjured the knee week before season started, is at best 70- 80%, has played in 4-5 varsity games ever -- the other a solid back-up, but still only a sophomore

THE REST FRESHMEN ... being forced into varsity action in one of the toughest districts around

 

That maybe sounds like a lot of excuses, but as "painful" as our results are right now ... I would say they are very "excusable". If everyone will stay with us and ride this out, we'll have you a good girls basketball team before it's all said and done.

 

Our girl's program didn't get to where it was overnight, and it's not gonna get back to where it needs to be overnight. But we've got a great coaching staff and a bunch of young, young girls who work hard and who will eventually succeed. Stay with us folks.

 

How good do you think the "great coaching staff" would have done without Angela on the team for the previous 4 years?(one extremely good player that is starting for Georgia this year as a freshman) I'm thinking they would would be about where they are now.

[gatorbillmsu]

How good do you think the "great coaching staff" would have done without Angela on the team for the previous 4 years?(one extremely good player that is starting for Georgia this year as a freshman) I'm thinking they would would be about where they are now.

 

 

I have never seen her play (Im a transplant) but I am guessing it would have been pretty much the same thing you are seeing now.

 

I wish your kids the best of luck from here out. I will be keeping an eye on the scores. I have a weak spot in me for kids that bust their tails.

 

as I said before, tell them to give every thing they have for every second, of every minute, of every game and they will be winners. No matter what the score.

 

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[volunteerfan]

With last night's loss, WB has now been outscored 730-455 on the season, with their only win coming against a winless South-Doyle team. I now know why people are telling me I should send my daughter to Heritage if I want her to play for a winner. They seem to always have a good team, whether they have a superstar or not.

 

I just wish WB could somehow get their program turned around like the football team has done.

 

GovMan - where are you to help me feel better about the program after reading the criticism on this thread.

[FLMS]

I know very little about william Blount but I think coach fowler is a good coach a fine person. It is hard to understand but maybe WB is running and pressing to prepare for the future even if it may cause them to lose by a lot more now. They could slow the game down but that really doesn't develop players but the scores would be much closer. Also it is easier for a young team to try and get easy buckets by getting to the foul line or scoring in transition when you have numbers 3 on 2 or 4 on 3 etc. It is really hard for a team with less talent to compete 5 on 5 in a half court set against a team with better talent. Plus you get to play more players and get young kids experience. I said all of that by not knowing anything about WB girls basketball. Just wanting to put a positive spin on things. good luck wb girls and coaches you will be fine!

[easttnball11]

Ah! Finally, FLMS is getting it. Does anyone else realize this team has ONE player with any amount of significant varsity time? Kelley is the only one who has even been in this atmosphere for more than a few games. Also, this year is the first year Coach Fowler has had a whole team of girls he and only he has coached. Last year with Pueleo, she had been coached by a different coach her freshman year, and didn't play under Fowler's head coaching until her sophmore year. With a whole team and all four classes being coached up by him since their freshman years will get this thing going.

 

And those of you who might think he is running around as a "madman" or "general of a war", this is what gets these girls going and ready to play. Up in their face, with a sense of urgency brings out the best of them.

 

Volunteerfan, you say "I just wish WB could somehow get their program turned around like the football team has done." Well, as you may know, it's taken our football team longer than just a year or two. Last year, there was virtually one freshman (Stinnett out with ACL), so it's as if there haven't been any freshman in two years. It will take longer than just a few games for this program to get up and running, maybe even a few years, but we can't expect it overnight.

 

 

I've got a pretty good idea about the team, you could say I was pretty close with the program, and I know the girls all work well together and have the best chemistry WB has seen. They all get along, and click with eachother excellenly.

 

After these past few days, I would probably expect a different type of play for the Lady Govs in future games. Just wait and see.

[midtnbb]

I'm sorry but you need a coach who does not storm the sideline like a madman general in a war yelling and screaming and subbing girls in and out of the game with no reasoning to it. And get a coach that is smart enough to understand that when you are playing against a team that is quicker and faster than your team, you stop trying to press them and get your butt back on defense instead of watching them shoot lay-ups all night long! Sorry but those girls gave plenty of effort and had some tallent but it was miss spent by a coach who did not have a good game plan and made no adjustments to help his team and was just plain lucky that Upperman had a poor night shooting or that score would have been much worse!

 

 

Someone from Baxter giving advice on head coaches?

[gatorbillmsu]

I know very little about william Blount but I think coach fowler is a good coach a fine person. It is hard to understand but maybe WB is running and pressing to prepare for the future even if it may cause them to lose by a lot more now. They could slow the game down but that really doesn't develop players but the scores would be much closer. Also it is easier for a young team to try and get easy buckets by getting to the foul line or scoring in transition when you have numbers 3 on 2 or 4 on 3 etc. It is really hard for a team with less talent to compete 5 on 5 in a half court set against a team with better talent. Plus you get to play more players and get young kids experience. I said all of that by not knowing anything about WB girls basketball. Just wanting to put a positive spin on things. good luck wb girls and coaches you will be fine!

yes, you have a lot of young players, and it is going to take time to get them the experience they need, but let's hope that the coaching "style" does not burn them out on the sport. I do not know the guy, I would never wish anyone out of a job, but I would sure wish a couple "coaching clinics" for his christmas stocking.(ok.....maybe there is a chance that I could wish someone out of a job, ......)

Someone from Baxter giving advice on head coaches?

/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> give me a break.... /bored.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":bored:" border="0" alt="bored.gif" />

[easttnball11]

yes, you have a lot of young players, and it is going to take time to get them the experience they need, but let's hope that the coaching "style" does not burn them out on the sport. I do not know the guy, I would never wish anyone out of a job, but I would sure wish a couple "coaching clinics" for his christmas stocking.(ok.....maybe there is a chance that I could wish someone out of a job, ......) /sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> give me a break.... /bored.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":bored:" border="0" alt="bored.gif" />

 

 

 

Gatorbillmsu, it seems to me like you've met this coach? You seem to know what a horrible coach he is, and can go far enough to wish him out of a job.

 

 

I know him personally and he is a wonderful coach, and guy. He loves those girls more than anything and would do anything for them. His coaching "style" is welcomed by the girls and as crazy as he goes when they do something worng, he goes just a crazy and is just a loud when they do soemthing right.