State Tournament Schedule

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Am I reading correctly that the state tournament will be held exclusively at Blackman and Siegel this year? While they are most worthy hosts, I find it a bit unusual that MTSU isn't listed. Anyone have any insight?

 

http://www.tssaa.org/2008Champions/StateVo...ll/schedule.htm

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Also, the championships are being run on two courts. Not your mother's state finals.

[clifford20]

Also, the championships are being run on two courts. Not your mother's state finals.

 

 

I am hearing the same. it comes down to money, MTSU is charging a lot of money for facility use. Plus TSSAA always has the bright idead to start the state on a weekday and the finals are early on a Friday. No wonder they don't make money.

 

A state championship at noon on a friday......wonder why no one comes? Hmm, maybe we can hire a consultant at $100,000 a year to give us some help on that.

[bd4vols]

Maybe it's time for some of the Smaller Colleges around Nashville to step up and offer their facilities. If I were coaching a Belmont, or Lipscomb, I'd be on the phone right now with the TSSAA trying to woo the tournament for next year. Money for the school/program and a leg up in recruiting...sounds like a win-win situation to me.

[LAMBA3]

Lipscomb and Belmont both have great facilities for hosting such an event. It seems somewhat anti-climactic to play the state tournament in a high school gym. Although, Siegel and Blackman both have wonderful facilities and certainly know how to host a great tournament.

[TheGreatLineJudge]

If I were coaching a Belmont, or Lipscomb, I'd be on the phone right now with the TSSAA trying to woo the tournament for next year.

 

 

I would love to see either or both of them get it. Both are great hosts with excellent facilities... and the ideal courts to play on. The amount of free space surrounding the court and high ceilings are ideal for volleyball. Plus, it's not as massive as Murphy Center, so there is a more intimate setting for the fans.

[5-Sport Dad]

Very disappointing news...especially this late in the season.

 

Lipscomb's Allen Arena or Belmont's Curb Center would be better, though, in my opinion and almost as central. Yep, either or both would be win-wins (for the student-athletes and the schools).

 

Now you know why some of us always call them 'T$$AA.'

[Guest TheChosenOne]

Look at the Division 2 AA.....Someone is going to have to play back to back matches on the first evening. They could have separated that a little better.

 

Additionally, looking at the schedule, the appears to be no if necessary game....thus I am assuming that the team that goes 2-0 on day 1 will no longer be afforded the opportunity to lose twice (unlike the format from last year where GPS has to double dip the previously unbeaten Ryan squad to win the Championship).

 

Poor Planing

[tricitiessportsfan]

Wonder what it would take for the TSSAA to make sense, not cents?

[TheGreatLineJudge]

One of my chief complaints about format is that there is no consistency. One year it's traditional pool plus full playoff, next it's traditional pool plus #1 and #2... before you know it, we'll be doing super sectionals and send 4 teams to play a round robin or even a three match regional-style series.

 

I see the current format as an attempt to trim costs. Fair enough. I can respect that. But the best way to change the financial statement is to bring more people through the door by offering a Thurs-Fri-Sat style format. Put semis and finals on a Friday night and Saturday, respectively. Or better yet, split up sites and put Division I at one site and Division II at another. No more rushing volleyball. Is it not a state championship, same as a "championship" in other sports, worthy of the time, effort, and respect that other sports have?

 

All of us agree that a better way must exist. Doesn't playing a championship on a half-court signify it's only getting half-respect (or worse)? Would basketball have to make do with only half the court? Would two football games go on side by side? Over the Board of Control's dead body! Why should we be any different?

[PHargis]

Am I reading correctly that the state tournament will be held exclusively at Blackman and Siegel this year? While they are most worthy hosts, I find it a bit unusual that MTSU isn't listed. Anyone have any insight?

 

http://www.tssaa.org/2008Champions/StateVo...ll/schedule.htm

Something is a little unusual about this. Tying up a facility for a State Tournament for the next year is not something you wait till just before the event and make an announcement. It usually is done by contract at least a year in advance and is pplaced for more than one year for the scheduling to be arranged for the host location. Again, the total story hasn't been told and someone does know why this had been done. Except of some space, either or both of these school would be gracious hosts and I so posted. Parking would be no problem and the Boro and area's around have places to stay. But something fell thru with the MTSU situation whether it be rent, schedule, miscommunication or something else.

This sport has come a long way in the past 4 years and is now attracting crowds it never did a few years back. it is true, if no local schools qualify the crowds diminish drastically. But the same is true with Basketball. It is a difficult situation to have to contract a site and not know where a majority of teams will come from. It is less expensive for the site to be in the middle of the State.

The two schools in Nashville are good locations except for parking and likely Hotel/motel space is some more expensive for fans and players. Details of this has not been given out nor has the operations been discussed with any one and it would be good not to be prematurely judging events. Tournaments this school year were very hot. There seemed to be more than can be remembered . But the facilities bugs for the sport made some realize that school architects, could have, but had not taken in account Volleyball play in some of the schools. They had not realized that a District tournament held at a school in Nashville, in october on a Thursday night would have standing room only of students and fans and a lot of the aux facilities, while good, has not enough seating. Some of the facilites in the aux do not have enough room for two scourts across BUT usually there is enough room for 3 courts in the main and aux facility with only adequate seating in the aux facility.

Volleyball is a sport in transition IMO and watching its popularity closely, it does need growing room. Murphy Center looked like a facility too large for VB right now. The story was let out by the TSSAA that leasing the facility from a larger point of view was cost effective with all of the sports it was concentrating in the area. Something happened. But I can assure all of this, if it has been decided to do this, the schools involved will and can do it right with the facilities they have. It may not be exactly with the Grandeur it has been in Murphy but some bells and whistles can be added that can make it more attractive except for some of the space and the TSSAA should be willing to do that and that includes merchandising the product and changing the schedule to make it more attractive to attend. Change happens and it should be accepted but the attractiveness of schedule should be part of the deal. It likely seems to be cost effective.

One last thing, and i think this comes from a lot of hard core fans in VB in the State, a majority of this sport is paid for by some hard work of parents, players and coaches who find some way to make it work without much financial input. It has looked from within and without to generate means and ways to be frugile but have a FIRST CLASS SPORT. Part of that is to have a finale that will do that and I know the TSSAA will do that.

[VballBruins]

Wonder what it would take for the TSSAA to make sense, not cents?

 

I think it's a shame it won't be at MTSU this year,Every year the teams try to make it to the big stage and now the powers that be have taken it away. Also any championship match deserves the whole court to themselves.If you have feelings on this, send them too sspeicher@tssaa.org,I actually got a response in a couple of hours.