Recruiting middleschoolers?

[GWAVE1]

What about private school coaches who have no dog in the hunt start attending your feeder schools football games? They aren't there because of the middle schools mascot.

[nashrancher]

Let me give another side to the story. Living in Williamson County, everyone thinks it is the pot of gold academically and athletically. The problem we have is very poor organization of the zoning and constant changes in zoning. Many kids have been moved two or more times in whatever level of school they are in, except later years in high school. For instance, you may purchase a home due to current zoning and then be moved to another zone without your approval. This is absurd. Secondly, let's say you have an exception student and he wants to study a certain curriculum that only one school offers. Then you can appeal to attend that school. But, if you have an athletic prodigy, you cannot receive an appeal to attend a certain school. Not making excuses but this is why the Brentwood program is so strong. Yes, they have great coaching and tremendous parental support but, the kids play together from rec ball, through middle school onto high school without change. All of the new schools have been built south of Brentwood and have diluted the talent pool. For instance Page middle had the most talent in middle school last year. These kids were then moved to Page, Centennial, Summit and Indy. I think there should be a first come, first serve rule allowing say, 30 kids to open zone due to athletics or academics to whatever school they choose. It could be performance qualified and this wouldn't hurt anyone.

 

We were zoned Ravenwood and our older son graduated from there. We were lucky since they allow a certain number of kids who are zoned to Ravenwood to only transfer to Centennial. Knowing what we knew about Ravenwood, we chose to move and it is the best experience of our lives. More importantly, we didn't hurt Ravenwood or Centennial by the move. I think there are far more solutions than the ones given to us. It would be apparent if athletics were important in is county. I believe it takes both athletics and academics to build a well rounded person.

[STARSNBARS]

Most folks that live in the city pay city and county taxes. I live in the city and I am paying for the county schools. I believe as a taxpayer I should be allowed to enroll my child at any county school, provided I provide the transportation I don't expect the county to run a bus into the city. (Mandatory transportation is probably one of the primary reasons for the zones.)

 

Now, as far the county to the city goes. A person in the county is not paying for the city schools, thus a tuition fee- Maryville $2000 a year... Alcoa $500 i think. The counties ought to love this economically, for every county kid that goes to a city school, the county gets the money but doesn't have to educate, transport or in some cases feed the student -"free" money.

 

This only creates a problem in Athletics. If I have academically gifted children (potential to raise those TCAP scores), there is not a school in the county who would not take my kids. There is very little, if any, complaining about academic OOZ'ers that I know of (except what is happening in Memphis). To me it is a taxpayer rights issue. I wanted what the city offered my children academically, so I moved to the city. But I pay county taxes, so I still feel I should have the right to take them to another school in the county. The only reason they should be allowed to turn me down is if they are overcrowded by the kids that are zoned for that school.

 

Now, that Maryville is AAA/6A, I think all tuition schools should have a multiplier-just to make it fair.

 

Spoak vurry ellyquent ....uhh ellowqent ...... uhh vurry good oldhick76......Eye start recrootin' way befour middull skool tho....Eye start inn tha church nursrey orr pree-skool......and then chek tha momma's and diddy's bloodlines and paypurs....

[Governm]

 

 

Spoak vurry ellyquent ....uhh ellowqent ...... uhh vurry good oldhick76......Eye start recrootin' way befour middull skool tho....Eye

 

start inn tha church nursrey orr pree-skool......and then chek tha momma's and diddy's bloodlines and paypurs....

 

 

 

 

you can't forget the garbage service either.

[OldRebel2]

Like I said it is a very complicated subject.

I believe we often get school zones confused with TSSAA rules. I don't think TSSAA rules care about zones initially. In Sever County, for years players attend Pigeon Forge, Sevier Co or Seymour by their choice. The way I understand it, the TSSAA doesn't care where you start playing in 9th grade, it's just once you start, the TSSAA governs transfers (moving included), eligibility, etc. I live in the city of Maryville but my kids could have gone to William Blount. I think school zones are set by counties and cities and govern where a child must attend school. As I said, once they're at a school, the TSSAA governs the eligibility. For example, Knox County has school zones BUT allows students to attend outside their zones in certain cases. I know of at least one case where Farragut was is only school to offer Russian. The student was zoned for Harden Valley but got Knox County's permission to attend Farragut for the Russian class. So, he lived in the Harden Valley zone but attended Farragut and played sports there. While we sports guys look at the sports angle, the bottom line is that the school system sets up the zones, not the TSSAA. Several kids living in Blount County attend schools (and play sports) in Sevier County. Recently because of economics, Sevier County has stopped this process. As you say Govman, it's a complicated issue that probably won't change anytime soon. Edited September 6, 2012 by OldRebel2

[REDSMAN]

Can't stop it, private school coaches have the right come to games. Of course they are there for the athletes. It's a fact of life that sometimes better options are available. Are the rules often broken? Sure they are, but that's true in every institution you can think of...

[chattacane]

Can't stop it, private school coaches have the right come to games. Of course they are there for the athletes. It's a fact of life that sometimes better options are available. Are the rules often broken? Sure they are, but that's true in every institution you can think of...

You are correct......

[2seamfastball]

Before we get to deep into blaming Private Schools...................dont think for 1 sec that these Public Schools are nt recruiting these kids as much or worse!!! There s a couple of kids i know for a fact that are as 7th & 8th graders and believe it or not a 11yr old was getting wore out by coaches in Chattanooga and ended up at a small private school instead.

[gettozero]

Situation for yall....in Maury county 3 small schools don't offer football because their isn't enough interest...so the few middle schoolers who want to play were allowed to co-op with other schools in county...well this will no longer be an option superintendent ruled today effective immediately if your school doesn't offer it you can't play you are ineligible

[GOOSESDAD]

Situation for yall....in Maury county 3 small schools don't offer football because their isn't enough interest...so the few middle schoolers who want to play were allowed to co-op with other schools in county...well this will no longer be an option superintendent ruled today effective immediately if your school doesn't offer it you can't play you are ineligible

I think that is terrible..maybe the super should learn how to communicate with his fellow board members and city leaders and learn how to judge growth areas and figure out how many schools are needed,instead of ruining a bunch of kids dreams.

[countryREB]

Situation for yall....in Maury county 3 small schools don't offer football because their isn't enough interest...so the few middle schoolers who want to play were allowed to co-op with other schools in county...well this will no longer be an option superintendent ruled today effective immediately if your school doesn't offer it you can't play you are ineligible

That is just wrong. If that is the case, he should have no football at any of them. I'm sure he is saying it is a finacial issue. If the economy doesn't turn around, I think all sports, bands, art classes etc will start taking a hit. With all the pressure to perform on these new standards in education, I think alot of hard decisions will be made in the future with sports being in the bullseye first.

[Space3]

We go after little leauge players.....