Bearden Volleyball

[bigbluevolley]

Here is the situation as I see it. I have been watching girls sports around this county for more years than you can imagine. I've had girls that played and I've coached it. The Bearden Volleyball situation is absolutley absurd. The coach HAS been there for a while. She is the dept head (which shouldn't mean a hill of beans) and she unfortunatley has been like this for quite some time. The program had and HAS some very very good players and inspite of her lack of coaching, they are successful. I happened to be at the Webb play day watching some of my favorite girls play and I saw the phone conversation first hand. 2 straight MATCHES on the bench talking on the phone. These girls do not deserve this from their coach. I was so intrigued by this that I went to the KIL tourney at Bearden. She did it again. This time leaving the bench to talk on the phone. She does NO coaching what so ever on the sidelines.As a matter of fact it looks like she is sleeping for most of the games. I don't know how the parents put up with it. I dont know how the AD puts up with it. What a shame for those girls. There is a whole lot of talent on that team too. BTW..The only administartion that was there was from Farragut on the second day of tourney. Someone at Bearden needs to wake up and understand what's going on over there. I just feel terrible for those girls..

[PHargis]

Well.......I'm not sure you are looking for a response to your post or just making a comment. Yours is the second mention of this on this site the past 24 hours. I am unsure your post is from a parent at Bearden or was the other post. It does make a difference and school policy certainly has a major bearing on any response from anyone. Certainly posted on this site as late as yesterday was an article from the Knoxville paper that Bearden was expected to compete for second place behind Farragut for District 4AAA. Looking at their recent scores, they have scored little in their matches so far. It is likely of some concern not only to parents, I would expect, but for teams that they show up to play who spend their money and time at this point. There is an asst. Coach at Bearden.

 

This, unfortunately, is a situation which comes up in HS Athletics more often than one might think. Its caused by a number of situations. It likely is a personnel problem that the solution would be from the AD or School Administration. It might not be something that is a confrontational issue but a matter of a sit down discussion with the AD or school administration depending on the policy if anyone at Bearden has the same concern that is expressed here. IMO, its totally between parents of players on the team, the Coach, the AD or the Administration, either a vice principal or Principal. If this is coming from Schools Bearden is playing and the lack of a competitive team and fans traveling only to spend a few minutes to return home, a coach to coach discussion could help if indeed there is communications.

 

As you have described it, likely somthing else is going on. Someone intentionally does not do this without something else going on. The AD and the administration likely knows what that is. That is something that can't be hashed out here with any resolution. There is another side to this. You being a coach previously can understand the issues here but also are looking only strictly as it effects the players and as you mentioned, its a parent, player coach situation.

 

One last thing, if you would like to see how other schools handle this situation, the best I've seen is the Athletic handbook with Williamson County Schools signed off on by the schools. It lays out the responsibility of the AD, the Coaches, the players and the parents and put on their web site. Look at the Ravenwood High School and you will find it on their Athletics section.

[bigbluevolley]

Thanks for your post. You bring up Very good points that should be thought about.

[bigbluevolley]

Did anyone go to the Bearden/Grace game tonight. Just wondering if the Bearden coach was talking on the phone again....Anyone??

[reddevilfever]

Did anyone go to the Bearden/Grace game tonight. Just wondering if the Bearden coach was talking on the phone again....Anyone??

 

I got a call from someone that was there and they said the coach literally walked outside or into the hallway as the game was going on and the assistant coach had to call a time out as Grace was making a nice run while the Head Coach was nowhere to be found.

 

I did not witness this as i stated.

[AdmiralGlasgow]

When this was first mentioned I made a joke about it, but later thought, "What if she had something serious or personal going on." Hearing that it has happened again, and about her general lack of interest in her team's matches is very disturbing. These players practice hard so that they can represent their school and their classmates on the court. As a fan, I would not be able to observe this silently.

[bigbluevolley]

Bearden Won both of their matches last night in spite of the coaches lack of coaching. It's so pitiful watching their coach on the bench. If my girls played there I would be furious. You can tell that they have a bunch of girls that play club ball. That's why they win. Because the club girls know the game and have great fundamentals. I was talking to one of their parents last night and they told me that the coach doesn't like club ball and she would rather play the non- club girls becuase they don't get to play much during the year. All I could say to that poor parent was "WOW". It's a shame that some coaches don't embrace Club ball. This is what "helps" make their team better. Club ball and high school ball should feed off eachother. I am so glad our coaches both in club and high school have a great relationship. I've talked to all the club directors in the area and they all agree. They would love to help the high school coach in any way possible. The poor girls at Bearden get NO instruction from their coach. She literally sits on her chair with her legs crossed the whole time. They have a Libero on their team that played for the USA national team for the past 2 years and the coach has NO idea how to use her.It literally looks like she uses her as a free substitution!! She plays 3 rotations. That's a shame for that girl and the team. I see them loosing to a good serve/receive team because the coach NEVER(at least when I have seen them) plays her best 6 players together. It really seems like she doesn't want to win. It bogles my mind how a coach can be on the sideline and not care. The ultimate goal here in State volleyball is to win the state championship, but unfortunatley that is not her goal and that's a shame for such a talented group of girls...She is NOT doing the girls any favors whatsoever. The message this sends the girls is that it doesn't matter if you are good or not, you still get to play as much as the good players do. My question to their coach would be this. Why should a not-so-good player try to get better when she knows she will still play as much as the good players do??? Why would the good players try to get better when they know they only play half the game no matter what??

Edited September 9, 2011 by bigbluevolley

[PHargis]

Well........like it or not, evidently the whole school may have the same attitude in all of their athletics. I am not familiar with the school but by name. For fans and parents, seeing this would be particularly disturbing. High School athletics, as I know it, works just like the rest of a school and changes dramaticly when a student/athlete changes from Middle School to High School. High School is meant to make the person the best they can be to compete in life they best they can. The High Schooler and their family may wish for the player to have special training such as club, AAU, or other training. It has really nothing to do with representing their school in competing with other schools in the District. On the other side, High School is not rec ball and never will be. In this case it is and will be unless its decided differently.Its possible the coach might not have the technical ability to coach.

The responsibility for the actions of the Coach of the athletic teams is purely the responsibility of the adminsitration of a school. The parents are the only ones that have a sayso in changing it. The AD has some input. I would hope enough delegating of operations might be given to an asst coach to allow the program not to be hurt. Something is going on at the school that no one else knows. All of the schools have a District Office I believe and maybe information about a school can be given there. If it is a Knoxville school, the District office likely is in Knoxville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited September 9, 2011 by PHargis

[AdmiralGlasgow]

Farragut hosted West and Bearden tonight so I made a point to observe the Bearden bench during the matches. Same ole same ole out of the Bearden head coach, but they had an assistant on the bench who I had not seen previously. She was active on the sideline engaging her players and encouraging them to play hard. She seemed to be working some schemes with them in the time out huddles as well. Hopefully she can help coach that team up to their potential becuase even though they were missing several key players to injury they showed some flashes of raw talent and athleticism.

 

Farragut in 3.

[bigbluevolley]

Couldn't make it over to farragut last night. Thanks Admiral for the update. Wonder why all of a sudden an asst coach shows up for Bearden? Who won the catholic bearden game?

[PHargis]

Farragut hosted West and Bearden tonight so I made a point to observe the Bearden bench during the matches. Same ole same ole out of the Bearden head coach, but they had an assistant on the bench who I had not seen previously. She was active on the sideline engaging her players and encouraging them to play hard. She seemed to be working some schemes with them in the time out huddles as well. Hopefully she can help coach that team up to their potential becuase even though they were missing several key players to injury they showed some flashes of raw talent and athleticism.

 

Farragut in 3.

For those who have interest and may not know how things happen, many read this site and have interest in each sport. Doesnt mean this site has anything to do with play and shouldn't. Things happen for the best of all sometimes.

[AdmiralGlasgow]

Couldn't make it over to farragut last night. Thanks Admiral for the update. Wonder why all of a sudden an asst coach shows up for Bearden? Who won the catholic bearden game?

I'm not sure if she has shown up all of a sudden or if I just had not noticed her previously. Didn't see the final of bearden/cath.