Walker Valley Mustangs 2013

[piratetom]

As you can see by my name, I am a South Pittsburg Pirate Alum and have closely followed Pirate football over the years. Now I embark on a new journey. My son will be a freshman at Walker Valley next year and will become a member of the Mustang football team. The future at Walker Valley looks very bright building on a successful 2012 season. Would like to get everyone's thoughts on the upcoming year. Not sure how many people actually post on a Mustang thread but I hope to really get it up and going and do my part to help enhance the excitement of Mustang Football. Looking forward to some great memories at the Corral.

[hootowlhollow]

As you can see by my name, I am a South Pittsburg Pirate Alum and have closely followed Pirate football over the years. Now I embark on a new journey. My son will be a freshman at Walker Valley next year and will become a member of the Mustang football team. The future at Walker Valley looks very bright building on a successful 2012 season. Would like to get everyone's thoughts on the upcoming year. Not sure how many people actually post on a Mustang thread but I hope to really get it up and going and do my part to help enhance the excitement of Mustang Football. Looking forward to some great memories at the Corral.

Look at the games u won and teams lost to. remove any one of those W's and insert EH which will equal another game in the L column along with Rhea moving to a new region. The mark of a program wanting to step up is quality of competition. Drop the East Ridges of the world and play tougher non district matchups.

[piratetom]

Look at the games u won and teams lost to. remove any one of those W's and insert EH which will equal another game in the L column along with Rhea moving to a new region. The mark of a program wanting to step up is quality of competition. Drop the East Ridges of the world and play tougher non district matchups.

My vision to the program begins in 2013. I understand the fuss about schedules and all that mess but you play the games you have and try to win as many as possible. With the recent losing seasons this school has endured, the need to schedule games you can win was needed to help instill confidence and excitement back into the program. With the playoff appearance this year, that has been done. Now let's talk about where it leads from here.

 

What school do you follow?

[Preacher210]

piratetom: Walker Valley has has some tremendous struggles. It is still a relatively young school, and football has not been its strength so far (basketball and band have far outpaced it). The coaching change prior to this season was watched with a degree of skepticism, since the new coach was elevated from assistant in the old system. However, the Mustangs did make some positive strides this year. It is hard to gauge with a single year, but so far it looks like the new coach is moving them in the right direction.

 

As hootowl noted, there are challenges ahead. WV moves up to 6A next year, which pits them against Bradley and McMinn for playoff chances (not sure that is any worse than fighting Cleveland and Ooltewah for it, but it is a difference). Trading East Hamilton for Rhea County appears to be an added difficulty in the district.

 

Assuming the promising start of the coach is an accurate indication of his intentions and approach to improve WV football, I believe that the program would benefit greatly from having someone like yourself providing support (being from S. Pitt, you know what winning tradition is all about, obviously). I would encourage you to try and find a way to become actively involved as a booster, and help others understand how they can support a team toward becoming stronger.

 

Realistically, your son will probably face some discouraging seasons (despite the positives from this past season, their losses were all very ugly - except for the Bradley game). There is potential for success, but it will not come easily, or immediately. With parents like you (who are passionate about the process), that potential will be easier to reach. I salute you for your interest in making your son's experience the best it can be.

[tnmustang01]

Hey piratetom welcome to the WV family.Hope to see you at the meetings and help make this program great and to be playing with those teams.

[piratetom]

Hey piratetom welcome to the WV family.Hope to see you at the meetings and help make this program great and to be playing with those teams.

Yep I will be there! Looking forward to doing my part!

[ChattanoogaFBFan]

From what I have heard Rhea and Walker Valley will continue to play even though Rhea has been moved.

[CheckerboardEndzone]

I'm with the posters above... Good to see WV do better, but you have to weigh how that happened last year. They won the games they should have, against lesser opponents, but didn't surprise anyone or come out with a signature victory.

 

Now comes East Hamilton to the mix, which will most assuredly be a contender.

 

WV's schedule next year still includes East Ridge and Rhea, with Sequoyah added and Polk County Continued. The rest are district games with the rest of the region. Things will have to improve substantially for WV to take their game to the next level, especially after losing the contributing seniors they do.

 

As I understand, WV's freshmen program looks pretty strong. How the varsity holds out will determine if they can keep those freshmen together to contribute later.

 

Good luck!

 

P.S. Piratetom...if you're accustomed to Vic Grider and his ways of coaching, WV will be a bit of a difference for you...

[alt1958]

I'm with the posters above... Good to see WV do better, but you have to weigh how that happened last year. They won the games they should have, against lesser opponents, but didn't surprise anyone or come out with a signature victory.

 

Winning the games they were supposed to was an improvement over previous years. I thought they had the talent to win the year before, but just didn't get it done, more on their own mistakes than anything else.

 

The next step is to win a game or few they are not supposed to.

[chattacane]

We are new to the mix in 5AAA next year, I really do not know how good or bad we will be. There are some returning folks but need to replace some key starters. As for WV, I think this past year was a hump for them and they made it over.... I see good things comming from them the next few years.... They have a great coach. I think the next big step for them is to beat Bradley and Cleveland and or both.. when this happens they could be the next big thing. Bradley has to rebuild some and Cleveland will be strong..... Look for Cleveland to be pre-season #1.

[polkalumni]

I look for WV to continue to improve, and I agree with the statement above that their next step is to win against a team they are not expected to beat.

 

On a related note glad to see that Polk will continue to play the two Bradley County schools, but wish Cleveland was also on the schedule. Maybe one day.