Exciting Soccer Season

[AlcoaDad]

This is not anything but a personal opinion on my part, but I have thought about it a great deal. It is from the point of view of playing in the "A" Public Division. 

Regardless of what the opinion is of the private vs public or reclassification debate, I can tell you that this year has been wonderful for so many schools. For so many of these schools that never had even sniffed a Region game, much less a Region Final this season was exciting and thrilling. We had a huge crowd for the District Finals (against a young and talented Cosby team) and the Region Semis (vs a University High Team with lots of class and determination) at our place. We traveled to Chucky Doak (a wonderful facility and well-coached team I may say) and another huge crowd. The Sectional at Alcoa (vs a fine Polk Count Team) had to have overflow parking available. At just at one gate, more people came in then we have ever seen attend a soccer game at our school. Based on what I have heard from other teams in "A", the story is the same everywhere. There was so much excitement. So many of these teams were "first time in history" to a District Title, Region game, Region Final, or Sectional. This is nothing but good for our sport. I did not mention it above, but we are going to state for the first time in the history of the girl's program. 

Here is what all this excitement will cause. More coaches will get formal or even informal training because they have had a taste of success and will want more. More girls will be so excited they will work on their game, play club and actually watch soccer and learn from that experience. More excited girls will talk their athletic friends into playing soccer and the level of play will rise. Kids will want to play on teams that have success. Over the long run, more "A" schools will add soccer. Parents will actually start to learn the rules of soccer (I may be wrong on this one!)!!! 

I expect it to be the same in the Spring in the Boys "A" Class. This year has been great for "A" soccer in Tennessee, and that is great for our sport!

 

[DCBoysfan]

5 hours ago, AlcoaDad said:

This is not anything but a personal opinion on my part, but I have thought about it a great deal. It is from the point of view of playing in the "A" Public Division. 

Regardless of what the opinion is of the private vs public or reclassification debate, I can tell you that this year has been wonderful for so many schools. For so many of these schools that never had even sniffed a Region game, much less a Region Final this season was exciting and thrilling. We had a huge crowd for the District Finals (against a young and talented Cosby team) and the Region Semis (vs a University High Team with lots of class and determination) at our place. We traveled to Chucky Doak (a wonderful facility and well-coached team I may say) and another huge crowd. The Sectional at Alcoa (vs a fine Polk Count Team) had to have overflow parking available. At just at one gate, more people came in then we have ever seen attend a soccer game at our school. Based on what I have heard from other teams in "A", the story is the same everywhere. There was so much excitement. So many of these teams were "first time in history" to a District Title, Region game, Region Final, or Sectional. This is nothing but good for our sport. I did not mention it above, but we are going to state for the first time in the history of the girl's program. 

Here is what all this excitement will cause. More coaches will get formal or even informal training because they have had a taste of success and will want more. More girls will be so excited they will work on their game, play club and actually watch soccer and learn from that experience. More excited girls will talk their athletic friends into playing soccer and the level of play will rise. Kids will want to play on teams that have success. Over the long run, more "A" schools will add soccer. Parents will actually start to learn the rules of soccer (I may be wrong on this one!)!!! 

I expect it to be the same in the Spring in the Boys "A" Class. This year has been great for "A" soccer in Tennessee, and that is great for our sport!

 

Congrats to coach Corley on a great season.  I spoke with Shane after we played early in the season as well as just before district tournament and told him the same thing both times...."go ahead and book your rooms at Murfreesboro." Very solid team and I definitely think the Lady Tornadoes will bring it home.  We'll be pulling for you guys. 

[1925Kee]

18 hours ago, AlcoaDad said:

This is not anything but a personal opinion on my part, but I have thought about it a great deal. It is from the point of view of playing in the "A" Public Division. 

Regardless of what the opinion is of the private vs public or reclassification debate, I can tell you that this year has been wonderful for so many schools. For so many of these schools that never had even sniffed a Region game, much less a Region Final this season was exciting and thrilling. We had a huge crowd for the District Finals (against a young and talented Cosby team) and the Region Semis (vs a University High Team with lots of class and determination) at our place. We traveled to Chucky Doak (a wonderful facility and well-coached team I may say) and another huge crowd. The Sectional at Alcoa (vs a fine Polk Count Team) had to have overflow parking available. At just at one gate, more people came in then we have ever seen attend a soccer game at our school. Based on what I have heard from other teams in "A", the story is the same everywhere. There was so much excitement. So many of these teams were "first time in history" to a District Title, Region game, Region Final, or Sectional. This is nothing but good for our sport. I did not mention it above, but we are going to state for the first time in the history of the girl's program. 

Here is what all this excitement will cause. More coaches will get formal or even informal training because they have had a taste of success and will want more. More girls will be so excited they will work on their game, play club and actually watch soccer and learn from that experience. More excited girls will talk their athletic friends into playing soccer and the level of play will rise. Kids will want to play on teams that have success. Over the long run, more "A" schools will add soccer. Parents will actually start to learn the rules of soccer (I may be wrong on this one!)!!! 

I expect it to be the same in the Spring in the Boys "A" Class. This year has been great for "A" soccer in Tennessee, and that is great for our sport!

 

Well said. Agree 100%.

[MoonDogRex]

What is going on in the West, though? Several forfeits with teams there. Is it a numbers thing?

[DIIA]

Public v Private aside, we've been asking for 3 classes in Division I for years.  While we're now Division II and it doesn't directly impact us, it is good for soccer.  Yes, the quality of play in Class A ball is not what AA has, just as AA while the play of I think 3 teams in the state is up close to the AAA level, the AA schools just don't have the depth that AAA schools enjoy.  This is why we have multiple classes and this is a good thing.

AlcoaDad is correct with what he is saying.  It's going to take time, but with schools and programs starting to win district titles and moving on to Region, Sectional, and State, there will be more interest in students playing soccer at those schools.  More players translates into better soccer, more community and parent involvement and better coaching.

It is not going to happen in 6 months or even in a year or two, but given time, it will happen and this is good for soccer.

Just look at what Greenville has done.  It took them close to a decade, but they have gone from "the team that gets out of a really bad region" and gets pounded at state to the first public school to win Class A/AA in close to 15 years, and both the boys and girls programs did it in the same year.

As for the West, unfortunately there were multiple forfeits.  One team from District 13 got a literal free pass to state the night they won their district semi, and the other team run ruled their only post-district opponent 10-1.  This is just poor.  These schools which are (a) not fielding teams and/or (b) refusing to play postseason matches submitted paperwork to the state declaring they had soccer programs. 

Quad 1 = 20 teams

Quad 2 - 21 teams

Quad 3 = 19 teams

Quad 4 = 8 teams (4 of which are in District 13). 14 has 2, 15 has 2, and 16 has 0.  The two from 14 refused to play as did the one from 15

Back to something good.  Of the 12 teams in sectionals from Regions 1-6, 10 had never been to that point... EVER.  Additionally, Madison and Martin Westview are the only teams at state in the Class A state tournament which have previously been there, so there are 6 programs where this is a milestone and hopefully something to build on for soccer in their respective communities.

Just remember, this is a crock pot not a microwave.

[17SoccerFan]

Given the number of teams that are not fielding teams in A and AA would TSSAA look to adjust the classifications after the first 2 year cycle? Schools in Class A and AA that are not fielding teams would have an effect on which teams end up being classified in AA or AAA as well since the breakpoint for each classification would change.  Just curious if that would be revisited if these schools do not field teams next year as well.   

[kazam37]

This happened up in Oneida as well.  I will speak of the competitive spirit of the games and how down to the wire a lot of our games. (fortunate to have won several of them)  We moved one game to the football stadium and virtually packed one side of it.  When does that happen in women's soccer?  All of our playoff games (district and region) had fans three or four deep and temporary bleachers the length of the field.  I guess as a bonus, they were all treated to great competitive soccer as our results were (2-1...1-0....5-1....2-1 in game decided by PK's and finally 2-3 in a sub state game that had THREE LEAD CHANGES)  The first game was decided on a goal with 28 seconds left.  District championship game we scored fairly quickly then both teams just missed on a lot of looks.  The region final coming down to PK's... well it was riveting to say the least.  We finally broke to a solid Chucky Doak team but the fans up here got a treat they won't soon forget.

Kaz

[AlcoaDad]

Well......WOW......The Alcoa Lady Tornadoes are the Class "A" State Soccer Champions!! I was at State years ago when my son was a Freshman and again as a Sophmore and being there has lost none of its "WOW" factor. I read in another thread that because of the change in classification, somehow the State Titles were not as legitimate as they were because of the split. I think that is silly and is trying to take away from what the young ladies have accomplished. Trying to put teams into the proper classifications, is nothing but trying to level the playing field. We played Madison Magnet and Merrill Hyde and both were quality sides that could have easily ended up in the finals instead of us. Chucky Doak was at State and I have a tremendous amount of respect for what that program has accomplished. I did not see the other teams, but I am positive that those teams were excited and left all they had on the field regardless of the score. 

As we went through the handshake line after the game, there were tears. Tears of joy for Alcoa. Tears of sadness and frustration for Signal Mountain (a well coached, determined, hardnosed team). I would bet if you asked the girls on both sides how important this was, they would not have mentioned changes in classification or public vs private. They would have told you how much it meant to them and how much they wanted to win. I saw lots of good soccer this week from those in class "A", especially in the finals. There were lots of skilled players on the fields this week from class "A". No, "A" is not, "AA" or "AAA", there is a reason for that, school size. This is just as important to the girls at each level and they all play as hard as they can. This kind of excitement and effort is nothing but good for our sport. We should all rejoice at this and be glad that more kids are getting more opportunity on a level playing field, even if we don't all agree on how it was done. I was so excited to see teams like Greenback and Cosby get into the regions. I know those schools are excited about this past season, but also about the prospects for the future.

For three weeks I have watched young ladies sing, dance, laugh and cry because of our great sport, soccer. I would not have traded this for the world!

I will end as I started.....The Alcoa Lady Tornadoes are the Class "A" State Soccer Champions!! "Go Lady T's"!!!

[DeKalbsCoachK]

Well put, and congratulations.

 

[AlcoaDad]

1 hour ago, DeKalbsCoachK said:

Well put, and congratulations.

 

Thank you, my friend!

[1925Kee]

Congrats, Alcoa! Great season! 

[AlcoaDad]

On 10/29/2017 at 7:21 PM, 1925Kee said:

Congrats, Alcoa! Great season! 

Thank you so much!