PRIVATE SCHOOL DOMINANCE

[bigredone83]

great and interesting comments, but now we must wait until the spring to whine more.

[MVM]

I like it the way it is...4 State Champs. Big Schools, Small Schools, and two for the recruiting schools (big and small). It is what is, an imperfect system in an imperfect world.

[Canesoverhere]

How about just a national champion? or global? and dont just limit it to high school or girls. The one soccer trophy given every year should go to the special one all others are watered down victories.

 

You could run for president with those credentials!!

 

Yes, they all are watered down. Sharing you were the state champion, used to mean you were the best team in the state. HAH!! Imagine that. Now it, well, I'll just stop there, you got the point.

 

The play off would be very simple.

1. The season would now mean something

2. Replaying teams in your district for a district champion and then a region champion would be history.

3. We amy also negate the need to go to distant tourneys if there were a competitive playoff.

 

MVM...your lazy

[Impactdad22]

It is quite amusing reading the back and forth arguments in this thread regarding this "crisis" in high school girls soccer. The public v. private, club v. non-club, rich v. poor, catholic v. other religions, 1 state champion v. 4 state champions and other scenarios could go on and on. There are sooooo many factors (including puberty, boys, homework, injuries, friends, family, etc...) to consider when playing any high school sport and parents get all wrapped up in the drama and forget that these girls are just out there, having fun and playing their hearts out in hopes to play as long as they can during the season. Does it really matter who has the best facility or how far some team has to travel or who has the most money?? Really? What about having a really good coach that can provide leadership and get the best out of their players?

 

My daughter plays for Ensworth, a Division II private school that did not make the State tournament this year. That's ok. According to this Coach T website, they had the toughest schedule of any team (AAA, AA, Division I and Division II) in the State and they enjoyed the competition! They played all the Williamson County PUBLIC schools loaded with travel players (beat AAA State Finalist, Franklin 1-0; tied AAA State Semi-Finalist Ravenwood 0-0; tied Independence and lost to Brentwood 0-1). They also tied 2 of the AA State Semi-Finalists, Page and CPA. Not to mention they had to play Baylor, JPII, BGA, Father Ryan, Brentwood Academy and so on in their division. Our so-called "rich" school had roughly 4 travel players that started and 2 of those were freshmen! We might have done somewhat better (although they did an amazing job) had we not had 4 girls go out with concussions and lose our goal keeper for the season in the second game with a shoulder injury. They played public, private, big and little schools and to them, it did not matter. They showed up and played whoever was on the other end of the field. I never heard any of the girls say it was not "fair" to play a certain team.

 

Let the girls enjoy the competition at the high school level. For those girls that want to play at the next level, travel ball and ODP is where they will get the attention. Most coaches and parents know that fact.

 

Just my two cents worth from a proud parent!

[uniden]

Very well said, Impactdad.

 

Unfortunately, I think most of us are simply responding to the constant drone of complaints. Your approach is much more sound.

[Rabble Rouser]

It is quite amusing reading the back and forth arguments in this thread regarding this "crisis" in high school girls soccer. The public v. private, club v. non-club, rich v. poor, catholic v. other religions, 1 state champion v. 4 state champions and other scenarios could go on and on. There are sooooo many factors (including puberty, boys, homework, injuries, friends, family, etc...) to consider when playing any high school sport and parents get all wrapped up in the drama and forget that these girls are just out there, having fun and playing their hearts out in hopes to play as long as they can during the season. Does it really matter who has the best facility or how far some team has to travel or who has the most money?? Really? What about having a really good coach that can provide leadership and get the best out of their players?

 

My daughter plays for Ensworth, a Division II private school that did not make the State tournament this year. That's ok. According to this Coach T website, they had the toughest schedule of any team (AAA, AA, Division I and Division II) in the State and they enjoyed the competition! They played all the Williamson County PUBLIC schools loaded with travel players (beat AAA State Finalist, Franklin 1-0; tied AAA State Semi-Finalist Ravenwood 0-0; tied Independence and lost to Brentwood 0-1). They also tied 2 of the AA State Semi-Finalists, Page and CPA. Not to mention they had to play Baylor, JPII, BGA, Father Ryan, Brentwood Academy and so on in their division. Our so-called "rich" school had roughly 4 travel players that started and 2 of those were freshmen! We might have done somewhat better (although they did an amazing job) had we not had 4 girls go out with concussions and lose our goal keeper for the season in the second game with a shoulder injury. They played public, private, big and little schools and to them, it did not matter. They showed up and played whoever was on the other end of the field. I never heard any of the girls say it was not "fair" to play a certain team.

 

Let the girls enjoy the competition at the high school level. For those girls that want to play at the next level, travel ball and ODP is where they will get the attention. Most coaches and parents know that fact.

 

Just my two cents worth from a proud parent!

I've never claimed to be smart, but I don't understand the point of this post. Has high school soccer in Tennessee become the equivalent of rec? Are you saying the girls should approach high school soccer in Tennessee as they would intramurals or Y-league Saturday morning get togethers. You point out with much pride, and rightly so, that Ensworth took on all comers, but then ask that it should just be for fun and that travel or ODP is where it should be taken seriously.

 

I don't mean to ask to argue with you. I'm just confused. If your point is simply that sports should be fun and we should all be proud of our girls no matter if they got a trophy or not, I agree, but they do keep score for a reason, right?

Edited November 10, 2010 by Rabble Rouser

[akula21]

I still think the best idea I have heard was the Merit system that G has proposed. Yes, it would take some work to form the proper criteria for where you are placed, but if you are very successful over the course of a 4 year period, you move to a higher level. If you are rebuilding, you could move to a lower class and still be competitive. I think we lose sight of the fact we want the players to be competitive as a team and grow from the lessons a good coach will teach about hard work leading to success. I know some teams that work very hard only to be pitted against much tougher competition that would make it difficult to ever advance. A lot of those players go into an entire season knowing they will never advance. If we could find a way to level it all with disregard of size and put the best against the best regardless of size or scholarship and work our way down as far as a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd divisions it seems that is most fair to the student athletes. I know it's a long shot, but I would be willing to help on a committee to iron out the details. Unfortunately I know this is highly ambitious and unlikely to pass through TSSAA, but we did beat the 50% rule as a group. Just my 2 cents.

 

P.S. Just think of how much better the matches would be at state in all classes.

[Impactdad22]

I appreciate the response, but don't think I ever mentioned that the girls should treat high school soccer like a Rec league and not try to win. I am sure every athlete at the high school level sets a goal to ultimately play in the State Championship and wants to give their best effort to achieve that goal. The competition is awesome and this past season has been very exciting!! However, it seems it is often the PARENTS that do all the complaining about the competition being unfair or having to play against the big schools, or playing in a pasture instead of some super stadium and so on. At the end of the day, it is 11 girls on one side and 11 on the other trying to score more than their opponents! It doesn't matter who or where they play. The girls CAN be competitive and still have fun at the same time.

 

As my daughter has participated in both high school and travel ball, my comments regarding travel and ODP come simply from my observations of both. It is my understanding, that a substantial majority of college players come from the travel/ODP path. The competition at that level is amazing and understandably much greater. Playing against the top teams from Texas, North Carolina, Michigan and Georgia is a little different than playing against the top AAA, AA-A and Division II teams in Tennessee. Nonetheless, my daughter loves playing soccer at all levels, is very competitive in her play and actually has FUN doing it!!

[Rabble Rouser]

I appreciate the response, but don't think I ever mentioned that the girls should treat high school soccer like a Rec league and not try to win. I am sure every athlete at the high school level sets a goal to ultimately play in the State Championship and wants to give their best effort to achieve that goal. The competition is awesome and this past season has been very exciting!! However, it seems it is often the PARENTS that do all the complaining about the competition being unfair or having to play against the big schools, or playing in a pasture instead of some super stadium and so on. At the end of the day, it is 11 girls on one side and 11 on the other trying to score more than their opponents! It doesn't matter who or where they play. The girls CAN be competitive and still have fun at the same time.

 

As my daughter has participated in both high school and travel ball, my comments regarding travel and ODP come simply from my observations of both. It is my understanding, that a substantial majority of college players come from the travel/ODP path. The competition at that level is amazing and understandably much greater. Playing against the top teams from Texas, North Carolina, Michigan and Georgia is a little different than playing against the top AAA, AA-A and Division II teams in Tennessee. Nonetheless, my daughter loves playing soccer at all levels, is very competitive in her play and actually has FUN doing it!!

Gotcha, and agree 100 percent re: the parents. Two things: it is the parents and administraters who have whined loud enough to get the multiple-division system. Every player worth their salt knows if they have won a watered-down trophy and most want to compete against the very best to see where they measure up.

Second, I've said on here many times, sports, but soccer especially, has over-regulated itself to a point of taking the fun out of it for many, many people.

 

When was the last time your child played a pick-up game of anything? I believe I can count on one hand the number for both of my kids.

[DeKalbsCoachK]

As the Coach of rural public DeKalb County Soccer, I have seen a great level of disparity in my nine years coaching both girls and boys soccer. We started out making it to region competition to face Portland and then Station Camp (who was a much bigger school thus the move to AAA) and then when the reclassification came along we thought we had a chance at going further than Region Semis. However we were moved to face CCS and ND another group of perennial powerhouses. As far as how much work we put in, we practice, play, and condition every allowable min. Although I feel that we have enjoyed success, generally or goal is just to make it to Region Semis, knowing that the competition goes (state champions) from there. But, all that being said, how sweet it will be when we finally beat them. I am working as hard as I can to see that it happens.

 

Congrats to Coach Schermerhorn and the rest of the Lady Irish, you run a classy program.

[ChattanoogaCannon]

As the Coach of rural public DeKalb County Soccer, I have seen a great level of disparity in my nine years coaching both girls and boys soccer. We started out making it to region competition to face Portland and then Station Camp (who was a much bigger school thus the move to AAA) and then when the reclassification came along we thought we had a chance at going further than Region Semis. However we were moved to face CCS and ND another group of perennial powerhouses. As far as how much work we put in, we practice, play, and condition every allowable min. Although I feel that we have enjoyed success, generally or goal is just to make it to Region Semis, knowing that the competition goes (state champions) from there. But, all that being said, how sweet it will be when we finally beat them. I am working as hard as I can to see that it happens.

 

Congrats to Coach Schermerhorn and the rest of the Lady Irish, you run a classy program.

 

Effort is never in question when Dekalb County plays. I have a tremendous amount of respect for what you are doing and hope that your program will be in the state tournament at some point. If only Sequatchie County would follow your lead...

[Canesoverhere]

Gotcha, and agree 100 percent re: the parents. Two things: it is the parents and administraters who have whined loud enough to get the multiple-division system. Every player worth their salt knows if they have won a watered-down trophy and most want to compete against the very best to see where they measure up.

Second, I've said on here many times, sports, but soccer especially, has over-regulated itself to a point of taking the fun out of it for many, many people.

 

When was the last time your child played a pick-up game of anything? I believe I can count on one hand the number for both of my kids.

 

GREAT POST. Perhaps another with more information can share this data with the group here. Can someone share the number of teams in each division? Once this information is absorbed it really sheds a lot of light on the value of all of this.

 

AAA = x number of teams

A/AA = x number of teams

D-2 = x number of teams

D-2 A = x number of teams