Region 7AA Tournament

[pioneer42]

I will tell you this. I have 2 family members in the program. So I talk to players and families regularly and know what he is telling players. I know for a fact the high school players and parents are looking on their own to play with the Dyersburg's, Westview's, and Gibson County's of the world in the summer. I hope he does well. They did improve and make it to the Region. I just feel like if the coach got serious and started pushing this program it would be very good. I see Gibson County's coach and others pushing there's. I just don't see it with SGC's coach. Nothing personal.

[sls]

Do you know what his administration is telling he can and can not do? Is coach Greer doing the same for the boys? I do know from past experience, he did encourage his players, contacted AAU, travel team coaches, etc to get them on teams. Ask Heavy D. Kids that want to play will find a place to play. Not all are as dedicated as everyone may want them to be. Not all parents can afford the cost. Believe it or not kids do need a physical and mental break. They are kids. Wonder why TSSAA inserted the dead period.     

[pioneer42]

Word on the street is some of his girls are practicing and playing with GC and Dyersburg. Also word is he is not going to do anything outside of work hours. And this comes from a player who ask me questions on playing summer ball. Dead period don't stop kids from playing ball. Their is ways around it. Nothing would surprise me with his administration. Basketball obviously is just another sport to them and certainly the tradition and passion is not there like other schools. GC, Westview and Dyersburg are very active in playing year round. That is the reason they are successful every year. I know the girls he has is very self motivated and will play somewhere regardless if he has anything to do with it or not. They will be pretty good just from talent alone. Just wish he was more involved.

[sls]

Sounds like he is obeying the rules set forth by the school & TSSAA. Sounds like he has made some contacts for the kids and got them hooked up, as is he has done in the past. If you sit back and watch, he is really quiet. He does not get into all of the hoopla & politics that seem to be at every school. He also does not want all of that crap inside of his program. Nor does any coach. It doesn't do anyone any good. If you ever get to know the man you will be very surprised at how much he does for the kids, behind the scenes. Parents don't know it, most of the time the kids just think things happen. Don't believe that, check with Chantel Poston, Tenna Carter, Shaniqua Gray, Dequasha Simpson, K Brooks, S Hamm, J Joyner, P Glenn, etc, etc. Most of these girls think of him as their father figure. Reference Purdue archives for the amazing story C Poston wrote about him. He does not like newspapers, radio, TV, all the hype. Just quietly goes about his business. People especially momas in which very few even know the rules of the game do more harm than good, just stirring the pot. He does his job, just maybe not with a bunch of blinking lights, trying to call attention to him self.

[pioneer42]

Kids parents are getting them set up playing somewhere else in the summer. I know that for a fact. The big thing that made the parents calling for his job last year was subbing five players every 40 seconds. I will say his substitution pattern was better in the last half and they started playing better. He is going to have a lot of talent the next couple of years if they all stay at South Gibson. I hope he makes another run like he did at Milan. I seen all three games that Milan played the year they were Runner-Up. Marshall County had the refs on their side the whole tournament that year.

[sls]

Look at the substitutions a different way. With the young talent that is there, no way they could compete for a district, region or state title the last 2 years. So why not get as many kids in the game as you can. that have a chance to play in the future? If kids think they will play in the game, they practice harder. The young kids typically also do not have the endurance seniors do. By subbing on a regular basis, the kids know they can go all out. It teaches them to play hard. Or he can play what the parents want and play his best 6 and the team as a whole does not get the experience they need. Then the know it all parents and fans will be mad because their little pro player is not getting any playing time. Folks need to wake up. His efforts to build a PROGRAM not a team will be rewarded in the coming years. Will it take some time, sure. Does the 1st half of the year really matter? Teams try to get better by the end of the year to peak at tourney time. From all the things I read in this post, SGC has gotten better by the end of the year both years.

[pioneer42]

We will see what happens. I hope he does well and I will be rooting for him. I know all of his girls and they are all good girls. I have told every one of them they had a good run at the end of the season and to work hard in the offseason. Let's hope he does well.