Wonderful night at East Ridge High School

[RogerHBrock00]

Tonight East Ridge defeated Hixson 3-0 in their opening match of the district tournament. More importantly it was the 1300th career victory for coach Catherine Neely. She is still ranked 3rd in the nation in wins and doesn't appear to be slowing down.

 

But lets look back at her career which is basically the history of high school volleyball in the state. The first few years girls only played volleyball in gym class or after school in an intermural type setting.

 

Then the powers that control high school sports let the schools have organized teams, but they only played a handful of games each year. I think it started at 15 and went up to 20-22 over the years. Just like 3 on 3 basketball. My wife remarked to me one day that the men in charge were trying to prevent harm to female reproduction systems by not letting them play organized sports.

 

The sport that we know and love did not resemble what we have today until 20-25 years ago. What I'm saying is the Coach won the bulk of her games in the last 20-25 years. Had the girls been allowed to play what girls now are allow to play then Coach Neely would have 2250-2500 wins today.

 

Now lets factor in one more stat. I talk to her tonight after the game and asked her how many players she has had recruited away by the other schools and she estimated between 40-60 over her career. Funny how they only take the good players and leave behind the others. How many wins did this cost her? NO clubs sending her players over her 45 years, how many wins did that cost her. And in all my years at good old E.R. I do ever remember any players transfering to E.R. that was a good female athlete. Ooltewah had a 6' transfer in at the start of vb season this year. This stuff doesn't happen at E.R.

 

The next time you go to a high school volleyball game just remember everything you see has been copied from Neely or another coach who copied it from Coach Neely. I dought that there is another sport that owes so much to one individual in this state.

 

It will be a very sad day when she retires from coaching. I have 4 girls who played for her and my wife has been her assistant for 22 years.

[mtnman]

what do you mean by no clubs sending her players? How do clubs send players? She has had club players play for her.

 

I think most schools have had kids change schools after middle school. It doesn't necessarily mean they were recruited.

 

This is to take nothing from coach Neely. She is a legend and has to be considered one of the best coaches in the nation.

 

I think maybe what you are trying to say is that she has built a successful program with the kids at East Ridge which is probably true for her more than any other coach in the state. I would agree with that.

[RogerHBrock00]

what do you mean by no clubs sending her players? How do clubs send players? She has had club players play for her.

 

I think most schools have had kids change schools after middle school. It doesn't necessarily mean they were recruited.

 

This is to take nothing from coach Neely. She is a legend and has to be considered one of the best coaches in the nation.

 

I think maybe what you are trying to say is that she has built a successful program with the kids at East Ridge which is probably true for her more than any other coach in the state. I would agree with that.

 

 

 

You sir are correct. The first line doesn't mean what I was trying to say. The last ten years the teams we were playing all started kids that played club. We had none. My two kids played club but the club had nothing to do with their careers. They were raised by a volleyball coach and were ready to launch before they were old enough to play vb in club and school. this past year we actually had 6 kids play club which was great. The hard part is the money 70% of the school is on free or reduced lunch. But she still won anyway.

 

Your second line is incorrect. It would be the best time to change if you were going to change but East Ridge only has one feeder middle school and the its amazing that all of the good athletes change to the same few schools. We lost 3 last year. I'm happy for them all. All middle school students are zone to ER High unless you fit in the transfer rules. We have lost athletes to public schools also. With 1 or 2 exception they were not the above average athletes.

 

As for the last line I believe it would correct to say that she has done well with what middle school players that made it to the high school. Our last state championship team was the exact starting line up at the middle school that never won the Hamilton County league or end of year tournament. That's why I believe they all made it to the High School.

Loftis dominated everything and they feed Soddy Daisy.

[Indian]

How often has East Ridge had students living in North Georgia attend the school and succeed in sports?

[PHargis]

You sir are correct. The first line doesn't mean what I was trying to say. The last ten years the teams we were playing all started kids that played club. We had none. My two kids played club but the club had nothing to do with their careers. They were raised by a volleyball coach and were ready to launch before they were old enough to play vb in club and school. this past year we actually had 6 kids play club which was great. The hard part is the money 70% of the school is on free or reduced lunch. But she still won anyway.

 

Your second line is incorrect. It would be the best time to change if you were going to change but East Ridge only has one feeder middle school and the its amazing that all of the good athletes change to the same few schools. We lost 3 last year. I'm happy for them all. All middle school students are zone to ER High unless you fit in the transfer rules. We have lost athletes to public schools also. With 1 or 2 exception they were not the above average athletes.

 

As for the last line I believe it would correct to say that she has done well with what middle school players that made it to the high school. Our last state championship team was the exact starting line up at the middle school that never won the Hamilton County league or end of year tournament. That's why I believe they all made it to the High School.

Loftis dominated everything and they feed Soddy Daisy.

I would like to pose a question to you that would give this poster some of your thoughts. Discounting your own school as i have seen it play, could you give me 3 players that have impressed you this year the most, after playing them or seeing them play. i appreciate your help.

 

 

You sir are correct. The first line doesn't mean what I was trying to say. The last ten years the teams we were playing all started kids that played club. We had none. My two kids played club but the club had nothing to do with their careers. They were raised by a volleyball coach and were ready to launch before they were old enough to play vb in club and school. this past year we actually had 6 kids play club which was great. The hard part is the money 70% of the school is on free or reduced lunch. But she still won anyway.

 

Your second line is incorrect. It would be the best time to change if you were going to change but East Ridge only has one feeder middle school and the its amazing that all of the good athletes change to the same few schools. We lost 3 last year. I'm happy for them all. All middle school students are zone to ER High unless you fit in the transfer rules. We have lost athletes to public schools also. With 1 or 2 exception they were not the above average athletes.

 

As for the last line I believe it would correct to say that she has done well with what middle school players that made it to the high school. Our last state championship team was the exact starting line up at the middle school that never won the Hamilton County league or end of year tournament. That's why I believe they all made it to the High School.

Loftis dominated everything and they feed Soddy Daisy.