Where Has Riverdale's Once Proud Program Gone?

[Lost Old Dad]

Well, this is more anecdotal evidence about team size and work ethic rather than team accomplishment.

 

If your assumption is true, who do you think it harms?

Yes it is work ethic. Now exactly WHO is trying to inspire them to have a better one?

 

I know you do NOT want to hear it, but in the days of old NOBODY stood around during practice. Everybody worked the entire time. That is what the assistants are suppose to do. Work the players so the head coach can see what he really has.

 

Frankly there has been more standing around this last 10 years than seeing that there needs to be another place for a new Gold Ball. Heck at this stage I would settle for a silver one!

[Hubbard]

Yes it is work ethic. Now exactly WHO is trying to inspire them to have a better one?

 

I know you do NOT want to hear it, but in the days of old NOBODY stood around during practice. Everybody worked the entire time. That is what the assistants are suppose to do. Work the players so the head coach can see what he really has.

 

Frankly there has been more standing around this last 10 years than seeing that there needs to be another place for a new Gold Ball. Heck at this stage I would settle for a silver one!

 

Lost, thanks for your insights. Don't assume you have the monopoly on the days of old.

 

My response was specifically related to Riverdale but I think you are helping my point. This is not a Riverdale-only issue nor does it reflect specifically on that program.

 

We will sound like a couple of old geezers but it is true. We have allowed the current generation to believe you get something for nothing. The concept of earning is slipping away. This may be related to our transition away from an agricultural society. I remember (old geezer talk here) having to grow most of what you put on the table. Kids don't see that now and that helps with the disconnect between work and reward.

 

To get back to the topic, the issue of work ethic and long-term rewards are not isolated to just one program. Some coaches are blessed with a community of work ethic, some are better motivators, some are better at helping the players see the short and long term benefits of effort. The X's and O's don't mean much without players that work hard as a team. It takes a different kind of coach today than yesterday.

 

It gets back to the adage that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Hubbard

[PIONEERS12]

Tell that to the Maryville folks...

Their reign will eventually come to an end too.

[pepvol]

Their reign will eventually come to an end too.

 

 Well I guess that depends on which path most schools take ... right here on the Riverdale threads are two prime examples of two different ways to go about building a Strong Program ... on one side you have Lost Old Dad .... Old School , Hard Work , great work ethic .. nothing Given , everything earned ... take on all challengers , build depth , work out year round , establish good relationships with middle Schools and support area youth leagues ... hmmm , that actually sounds just like Maryville ..... then on the other side of the spectrum you have Warrior82Dad ... Whine about other schools who beat you , try to change rules so your little boys don't have to take on those Bullies ... Eliminate any Competition which might have any kind of advantage over your School at all .... Cry loud enough to where the squeaky wheel gets greased and your team is given every advantage they can get ... hmmmmm The sad thing is , everything Lost Old Dad says is true , but in our society today a lot of People look down on the Values LOD preach , and worry about having too much pressure on their Little boys and want everything made easier for them ... sad world we live in .... 

[Blaze45]

 Well I guess that depends on which path most schools take ... right here on the Riverdale threads are two prime examples of two different ways to go about building a Strong Program ... on one side you have Lost Old Dad .... Old School , Hard Work , great work ethic .. nothing Given , everything earned ... take on all challengers , build depth , work out year round , establish good relationships with middle Schools and support area youth leagues ... hmmm , that actually sounds just like Maryville ..... then on the other side of the spectrum you have Warrior82Dad ... Whine about other schools who beat you , try to change rules so your little boys don't have to take on those Bullies ... Eliminate any Competition which might have any kind of advantage over your School at all .... Cry loud enough to where the squeaky wheel gets greased and your team is given every advantage they can get ... hmmmmm The sad thing is , everything Lost Old Dad says is true , but in our society today a lot of People look down on the Values LOD preach , and worry about having too much pressure on their Little boys and want everything made easier for them ... sad world we live in .... 

What is truly lost is the ideal the once great bastian of high school  football, where you earn it all, has given way to the self-entitled society. That does not fall on the shoulders of the coach alone. That falls more squarely on the parent and player relationship.Take my son for example. He never played a down of football in his life until he joined his middle school team. He was ridiculed and given a hard time that year and he came home and dedicated his whole winter and spring to lifting and working out. 

That was an 7th grader deciding he wanted to be better, not a parent asking for"fair" treatment. He played every down as an 8th grader and continues to work hard as a Sophomore at Blackman still. He doesn't play as much as he would like, but he knows that  it is on him to continue to work if he wants to play more. I have told him a number of times its not about being just the best on the field, it is about learning to be your best always

When kids understand that as parents we expect their best, not that we want everyone to take a half @ssed  effort  and accept it, they begin to deliver . My son may never be the stud I hoped for on the football field, but he gets it and he will be a stud in the game of life. 

Edited August 27, 2015 by Blaze45

[Hubbard]

What is truly lost is the ideal the once great bastian of high school  football, where you earn it all, has given way to the self-entitled society. That does not fall on the shoulders of the coach alone. That falls more squarely on the parent and player relationship.Take my son for example. He never played a down of football in his life until he joined his middle school team. He was ridiculed and given a hard time that year and he came home and dedicated his whole winter and spring to lifting and working out. 

That was an 7th grader deciding he wanted to be better, not a parent asking for"fair" treatment. He played every down as an 8th grader and continues to work hard as a Sophomore at Blackman still. He doesn't play as much as he would like, but he knows that  it is on him to continue to work if he wants to play more. I have told him a number of times its not about being just the best on the field, it is about learning to be your best always

When kids understand that as parents we expect their best, not that we want everyone to take a half @ssed  effort  and accept it, they begin to deliver . My son may never be the stud I hoped for on the football field, but he gets it and he will be a stud in the game of life. 

 

If all a player takes away from sports is the team's W-L record, they have lost as a player.

[pepvol]

What is truly lost is the ideal the once great bastian of high school  football, where you earn it all, has given way to the self-entitled society. That does not fall on the shoulders of the coach alone. That falls more squarely on the parent and player relationship.Take my son for example. He never played a down of football in his life until he joined his middle school team. He was ridiculed and given a hard time that year and he came home and dedicated his whole winter and spring to lifting and working out. 

That was an 7th grader deciding he wanted to be better, not a parent asking for"fair" treatment. He played every down as an 8th grader and continues to work hard as a Sophomore at Blackman still. He doesn't play as much as he would like, but he knows that  it is on him to continue to work if he wants to play more. I have told him a number of times its not about being just the best on the field, it is about learning to be your best always

When kids understand that as parents we expect their best, not that we want everyone to take a half @ssed  effort  and accept it, they begin to deliver . My son may never be the stud I hoped for on the football field, but he gets it and he will be a stud in the game of life. 

 

 Congrats on your Son for deciding to work hard and become the best that he can be . That's the great thing about Football , you don't have to be a Stud to help your team win , even if by giving your all and the best you can accomplish is being a tough player on the Scout Squad and giving the Starters all they can handle so they get better .... then you have succeeded at Football . I definitely wasn't a Stud , but I still remember my Coach thanking me for all the hard work I did for our team .... I wish nothing but great things for you and your Son , enjoy it , it's the best years of both of your Lives !! 

[ccraider99]

If all a player takes away from sports is the team's W-L record, they have lost as a player.

That's the post of the day!!!

[Blaze45]

 Congrats on your Son for deciding to work hard and become the best that he can be . That's the great thing about Football , you don't have to be a Stud to help your team win , even if by giving your all and the best you can accomplish is being a tough player on the Scout Squad and giving the Starters all they can handle so they get better .... then you have succeeded at Football . I definitely wasn't a Stud , but I still remember my Coach thanking me for all the hard work I did for our team .... I wish nothing but great things for you and your Son , enjoy it , it's the best years of both of your Lives !! 

Thank you for the kind words... he embraces doing whatever he can to help his team . We have been blessed for sure. 

[Lost Old Dad]

Blaze45, please take the time to enjoy the time you get to watch him. I say this as a Dad who loved watching my son the 4 years he started at R'dale. I thought that was pretty good seeing he never played any organized sport until he started Spring practice at R'dale.

 

Yes, the coaching staff worked with the incoming Freshmen after school every day until they could start them as regular practicing players.

 

Seeing things like this being gone is just one other thing that has me disappointed with the current program. YES, the T$$AA is part of the problem with their making a once great sport into something girls could play.

 

Yes, I am also NOT a fan of the T$$AA!

 

It is h...eck getting old and seeing the world I loved and grew up in going away. I do love the ROUND bales of hay though. Putting 2000+ of square bales a day into a hot hay loft was a royal pain! The LINE Coach that ran our haying crew loved it though. He got to drive the tractor and truck!

[wingman10]

Lost, thanks for your insights. Don't assume you have the monopoly on the days of old.

 

My response was specifically related to Riverdale but I think you are helping my point. This is not a Riverdale-only issue nor does it reflect specifically on that program.

 

We will sound like a couple of old geezers but it is true. We have allowed the current generation to believe you get something for nothing. The concept of earning is slipping away. This may be related to our transition away from an agricultural society. I remember (old geezer talk here) having to grow most of what you put on the table. Kids don't see that now and that helps with the disconnect between work and reward.

 

To get back to the topic, the issue of work ethic and long-term rewards are not isolated to just one program. Some coaches are blessed with a community of work ethic, some are better motivators, some are better at helping the players see the short and long term benefits of effort. The X's and O's don't mean much without players that work hard as a team. It takes a different kind of coach today than yesterday.

 

It gets back to the adage that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

I played a long time ago at a small county school. Players had to walk home from practice and games. Some lived several miles a way and hitched a ride when they could

[ccraider99]

I played a long time ago at a small county school. Players had to walk home from practice and games. Some lived several miles a way and hitched a ride when they could

What school did you play for?