Another Solution being discussed!

[swamp]

Trousdale's enrollment would have put them in 2A, not 1A. The only privates they avoided by playing up were Lipscomb and Goodpasture.

 

I will credit the Milans, Sweetwaters, Tyners, etc. of the world who didn't use Lipscomb and Goodpasture as an excuse to play 3A.

[RealGoEagles]

Well, pujo, here's a point we can make and I don't know who it serves better.

 

About the other schools putting out recruits. How many stories have we heard about guys from Trousdale needing to go Juco and then deciding they didn't want to play anymore. If you think that Michael Scruggs, Thomas Payne, Lamont Calhoun and Detric Woodmore weren't DI prospects you've got another thing coming.

 

Also South Pitt, two of the best athletes in that town's history were arrested this summer.

 

Now, these D-I recruits haven't just been popping up. Ezell has sent 6 or 7 girls D-I in softball over the past 13 or 14 years with two or three turning down offers. DCA had Jon Stark a quarterback that ended up in the NFL. Goodpasture had Ron Mercer and Drew Maddux, FRA has the alltime leading scorer in college basketball history in John Pierce, CPA had all of their studs since kindergarten and Chad Speck, Zontray Lewis, and David Wallace were all presplit ( Lewis and Wallace's senior year was the year of the split so I consider them pre.) So they aren't just popping up. USJ had Trey Teague, our fullback my senior year turned down Vandy and Memphis to go to Tech.

 

You sir are so incorrect. I guess it's a combination of kids and environment because South Pitt and Trousdale have had plenty of kids that could have gone D-I, so if they didn't it's not the privates fault.

[Bighurt]

moonie,

Your post was well stated and insightful. I agree that 1A school are the ones feeling the brunt of the split.

 

Would a multiplier which would move most 1A privates to 2A and some to 3A be an answer?

[pujo]

I really wish that one of the private supporters could make a case that would convince everyone that they had no advantages.Some say that people just don't like private schools,as for my part of it,I have nothing against them.I have nothing but respect for the kids and the parents who send them there.But with the natural draw of the good atheletes going to these schools,I don,t think anyone is going to be able to make a case.Ithink they have one disadvantage,whitch is having to pay to attend.The advantages I think are enormous .First of all they tell us they have better coaches'so they must have more money to spend on coaches.On the whole,they have easier kids to coach because they don't allow uncoachable kids in thier schools.They say they work harder and maybe they do,but that goes back to the same thing,they don't accept kids that won't work.They have no zones ,and a huge area to draw from.They can afford better equipment and more coaches such as weight trainers.They have alot more to offer than most small 1a public schools.We have four sports in our school,football ,baseball, basketball and softball.If we and other small schools could offer wrestling and track it would definately help our other sports.I know nothing about work study but I hear people talk about it alot.If it does exist that could be anouther huge advantage.I'm not trying to be mean or say anything negative about private schools,just stating what I believe to be advantages.On anouther note no one is running or scared of the private schools.Every coach,player and fan in Roan Mountain wants to play Ezell .We are going to have a tough road and so are they .but thats our dream.GO LANDERS

[ELA]

I just popped my head in here to see how the debate was going. Yes, I've heard about this current movement and I have been contacted about it. Let me state for the record this is not my idea and I did not start this movement, but I do support it in theory! Either bring everyone back together, a total split, or a multiplier... anything is better for 1A schools than what we have right now.

 

Moonie... I just read your post and I agree. Very few people outside of coaching 1A and 2A public schools can understand what is really going on in high school athletics in Tennessee. When you try to explain this to most people, they don't understand. I think you have a great grasp of the situation and I admire you for the courage to post your comments on here. I have been the only head football coach who has been speaking out on here, but I know of at least three others who post on here but not everyone knows who they are. Please continue to make comments along the way! We need more public school coaches who are willing to speak out on the subject! Thanks again!

 

Gentlemen... I will see you guys again in November!

[pujo]

I like the multiplier much better and I think it would be the fairest thing to do for the time being.The problem is what Brentwood Academy done in the past and then the TSSAA had no control over the situation.Pessonaly I don,t think this would happen again and I believe the multiplier would be perfect.I think we would get to enjoy some great evenly matched state championships.The good private schools know they would have no problem competing .

[silverpie]

Posted by pujo:

I like the multiplier much better and I think it would be the fairest thing to do for the time being.The problem is what Brentwood Academy done in the past and then the TSSAA had no control over the situation.Pessonaly I don,t think this would happen again and I believe the multiplier would be perfect.I think we would get to enjoy some great evenly matched state championships.The good private schools know they would have no problem competing .

 

I tend to agree--and the really tiny private schools would not be forced to play above their level (although strange things can happen--the smallest school in Division II, Elliston Baptist, holds the state championship in girls bowling, and their pinfall for the final was only 22 lower than what Mount Juliet racked up in winning the girls final).

 

I say bring everyone back together with a multiplier--the 1.5 for non-aid and 2 for aid is a reasonable choice--with the current Division I number of classifications in each sport (except wrestling, where the duals should go back to 2 classes).

[VolunteerGeneral]

Posted by pujo:

I really wish that one of the private supporters could make a case that would convince everyone that they had no advantages.Some say that people just don't like private schools,as for my part of it,I have nothing against them.I have nothing but respect for the kids and the parents who send them there.But with the natural draw of the good atheletes going to these schools,I don,t think anyone is going to be able to make a case.Ithink they have one disadvantage,whitch is having to pay to attend.The advantages I think are enormous .First of all they tell us they have better coaches'so they must have more money to spend on coaches.On the whole,they have easier kids to coach because they don't allow uncoachable kids in thier schools.They say they work harder and maybe they do,but that goes back to the same thing,they don't accept kids that won't work.They have no zones ,and a huge area to draw from.They can afford better equipment and more coaches such as weight trainers.They have alot more to offer than most small 1a public schools.We have four sports in our school,football ,baseball, basketball and softball.If we and other small schools could offer wrestling and track it would definately help our other sports.I know nothing about work study but I hear people talk about it alot.If it does exist that could be anouther huge advantage.I'm not trying to be mean or say anything negative about private schools,just stating what I believe to be advantages.On anouther note no one is running or scared of the private schools.Every coach,player and fan in Roan Mountain wants to play Ezell .We are going to have a tough road and so are they .but thats our dream.GO LANDERS

 

 

Pujo..enjoyed your post. I felt you were stating your honest opinion. I don`t think your entirely right though. For one thing, the schools (at least the ones that I`m aware of) don`t spend money on athletes. That comes from donations and booster club fundraisers and not the school itself. People whose kids don`t play sports aren`t going to pay thousands of dollars so it can be turned over to buy weight equipment for the football team. I know USJ has all kinds of fundraisers. Even at JCM which is the school I support, The parents and players have been bombarded by fundraisers since before school started. We have a budget of around 35,000 dollars to raise. It`s hard work, but it can be done. Part of that money goes to use private charters for road trips. Is this excessive? Probably. They could ride on a yellow bus but the parent`s want to provide a nicer one for the team. There are ways to raise funds even in the small communities. You may have to be creative, but with hard work and effort small schools can provide nice things too. Maybe I`m wrong.What kind of fundraisers has Cloudland had this year?

 

Another thing is this misconception of having limitless bounds. This is true in theory, but let`s take a closer look and please have an open mind on this. The private schools in madison County don`t get kids from all over the state. Some people would like you to believe this, but it is simply not true. There are a few ( and I mean few) that will come from a small bordering county such as Gibson or Chester, but the majority of the student population at these schools are Madison County kids. Madison County has a population of 90,000. There are 3 private schools hewre who compete for the same kids, so that gets it down to 30,000 per school. Now you have to eliminate those who live at or below the poverty level and those who simply can`t afford it and you`ve probably at the least split that number in half again. Take into effect kids that can afford it but choose not to go (such as myself) plus those who would never have a thing to do with private schools even though they could send them there (such as a lot of the whiners)and you`ve split it in half again. That leaves around 7500 population per school of finacially eligible and motivated families who would or could send their kids to a private school. It isn`t easy as some people make it out to be. And there isn`t that big of a potential private market as it would seem.

 

Now contrast this to the new magnet school in Jackson. Their zone is Madison County. That`s 90,000 people. They won`t have to pay a dime to go there. they will have to maintain grades once they are there, but it is open to anyone in the county. Now they may never have a good sports team there, but it isn`t because they don`t have the opportunity to. At least based on your reasonings as to why private schools should have a multiplier.

 

 

That`s one reason why I think the whiners are being hypocrits if some public schools are not considered along with the privates. Otherwise, it just seems like sourgrapes to me and just a bigoted vendetta against private schools.

 

VG

[Edited by VolunteerGeneral on 9-25-02 3:19P]

[Edited by VolunteerGeneral on 9-25-02 3:21P]

 

[southernpride]

Posted by VolunteerGeneral:

Posted by pujo:

I really wish that one of the private supporters could make a case that would convince everyone that they had no advantages.Some say that people just don't like private schools,as for my part of it,I have nothing against them.I have nothing but respect for the kids and the parents who send them there.But with the natural draw of the good atheletes going to these schools,I don,t think anyone is going to be able to make a case.Ithink they have one disadvantage,whitch is having to pay to attend.The advantages I think are enormous .First of all they tell us they have better coaches'so they must have more money to spend on coaches.On the whole,they have easier kids to coach because they don't allow uncoachable kids in thier schools.They say they work harder and maybe they do,but that goes back to the same thing,they don't accept kids that won't work.They have no zones ,and a huge area to draw from.They can afford better equipment and more coaches such as weight trainers.They have alot more to offer than most small 1a public schools.We have four sports in our school,football ,baseball, basketball and softball.If we and other small schools could offer wrestling and track it would definately help our other sports.I know nothing about work study but I hear people talk about it alot.If it does exist that could be anouther huge advantage.I'm not trying to be mean or say anything negative about private schools,just stating what I believe to be advantages.On anouther note no one is running or scared of the private schools.Every coach,player and fan in Roan Mountain wants to play Ezell .We are going to have a tough road and so are they .but thats our dream.GO LANDERS

 

 

Pujo..enjoyed your post. I felt you were stating your honest opinion. I don`t think your entirely right though. For one thing, the schools (at least the ones that I`m aware of) don`t spend money on athletes. That comes from donations and booster club fundraisers and not the school itself. People whose kids don`t play sports aren`t going to pay thousands of dollars so it can be turned over to buy weight equipment for the football team. I know USJ has all kinds of fundraisers. Even at JCM which is the school I support, The parents and players have been bombarded by fundraisers since before school started. We have a budget of around 35,000 dollars to raise. It`s hard work, but it can be done. Part of that money goes to use private charters for road trips. Is this excessive? Probably. They could ride on a yellow bus but the parent`s want to provide a nicer one for the team. There are ways to raise funds even in the small communities. You may have to be creative, but with hard work and effort small schools can provide nice things too. Maybe I`m wrong.What kind of fundraisers has Cloudland had this year?

 

Another thing is this misconception of having limitless bounds. This is true in theory, but let`s take a closer look and please have an open mind on this. The private schools in madison County don`t get kids from all over the state. Some people would like you to believe this, but it is simply not true. There are a few ( and I mean few) that will come from a small bordering county such as Gibson or Chester, but the majority of the student population at these schools are Madison County kids. Madison County has a population of 90,000. There are 3 private schools hewre who compete for the same kids, so that gets it down to 30,000 per school. Now you have to eliminate those who live at or below the poverty level and those who simply can`t afford it and you`ve probably at the least split that number in half again. Take into effect kids that can afford it but choose not to go (such as myself) plus those who would never have a thing to do with private schools even though they could send them there (such as a lot of the whiners)and you`ve split it in half again. That leaves around 7500 population per school of finacially eligible and motivated families who would or could send their kids to a private school. It isn`t easy as some people make it out to be. And there isn`t that big of a potential private market as it would seem.

 

Now contrast this to the new magnet school in Jackson. Their zone is Madison County. That`s 90,000 people. They won`t have to pay a dime to go there. they will have to maintain grades once they are there, but it is open to anyone in the county. Now they may never have a good sports team there, but it isn`t because they don`t have the opportunity to. At least based on your reasonings as to why private schools should have a multiplier.

 

 

That`s one reason why I think the whiners are being hypocrits if some public schools are not considered along with the privates. Otherwise, it just seems like sourgrapes to me and just a bigoted vendetta against private schools.

 

VG

[Edited by VolunteerGeneral on 9-25-02 3:19P]

[Edited by VolunteerGeneral on 9-25-02 3:21P]

 

$35,000? THIS IS EXACTLY OUR POINT! Most small public schools football budget is somewhere between $5,000 and $12,000. Give me a break, you can't see any difference here? You have just proved our point to the whole state. You simply don't have a clue. Don't you dare say these small schools just need to work harder, raise more money, etc., etc., etc., the answer is for the private schools to move up or out into their own division! Private coaches to every away game, Can we say, "ELITE?"

[VolunteerGeneral]

Caesar....your a freak of nature! Why don`t you reread my post? GEEZ!!!!

[nonews]

... LOL! Even I know that VG was referring to the FB budget of Jackson-Central Merry, a 5A (about to be 4A) school...

... however, I do have a question for you, VG...

... why is your kid attending JCM? I know you are an alumnus of USJ and are (or perhaps were) an active supporter of their program, so what is the deal with your kid(s)? J/C, this is not a flame...

[VolunteerGeneral]

Posted by nonews:

... LOL! Even I know that VG was referring to the FB budget of Jackson-Central Merry, a 5A (about to be 4A) school...

... however, I do have a question for you, VG...

... why is your kid attending JCM? I know you are an alumnus of USJ and are (or perhaps were) an active supporter of their program, so what is the deal with your kid(s)? J/C, this is not a flame...

 

 

Here`s the short version...after a divorce he was put in a public school in 2nd grade. When he reached Middle School he had the option of where he wanted to go to school. He decided to stay in public school because he had so many good friends there. I knew most of them because I always stay really involved with his school plus I had coached most of them in baseball or basketball at one time or another. He hangs around with a great group of kids. Actually I don`t support USJ financially. I try to keep up with them and wish them well because I went to school there many years ago. I`m really telling the truth when I say that I`m a public school supporter. I have been for about 8 years now. I have given a lot of money and time to the schools my kids go to. I just happen to disagree with the change.

 

Thanks for asking nonews. Good to hear from you.

 

It`s also nice to see you can read too....LOL!!!