I miss the public/private debate!!

[somewhereinmemphis]

I really miss the public school/privates school discussions that took place every year!!  Things have gotten so boring - I loved Booger's emojis....

Happy for the small public schools actually playing their peers now.  Also, the small private school division is really good now with schools from across the state competing against each other.  The final split a couple of years ago seems to have been good for everyone.

[Catsby100]

I agree. However I hate to see teams make it to the state in the smaller classifications and then get beat 7-0 or 6-0.  There needs to be a better tournament format for the smaller schools.  The state tournament is no longer a true representation of the best 8 teams in the state.  TSSAA needs to look at moving to a region tournament much like football. 

[Red Rebels]

28 minutes ago, Catsby100 said:

I agree. However I hate to see teams make it to the state in the smaller classifications and then get beat 7-0 or 6-0.  There needs to be a better tournament format for the smaller schools.  The state tournament is no longer a true representation of the best 8 teams in the state.  TSSAA needs to look at moving to a region tournament much like football. 

I wish the bracket played out east to west just like football. I hate the blind draw. The same thing happens in basketball too. 

[PJM]

The blowouts at the state tourney are not fun to watch as a fan of soccer, but I think it provides a unique experience for those teams and players that they will cherish all their lives, despite the outcome of the game. And perhaps, the blowout losses will be exactly the thing those kinds of teams need to experience to know what it takes as a program to move forward in their development in order to win at state.

[AlcoaDad]

6 hours ago, PJM said:

The blowouts at the state tourney are not fun to watch as a fan of soccer, but I think it provides a unique experience for those teams and players that they will cherish all their lives, despite the outcome of the game. And perhaps, the blowout losses will be exactly the thing those kinds of teams need to experience to know what it takes as a program to move forward in their development in order to win at state.

I think there is a great deal to be said for the experience and learning what it takes to compete at the state level. I was so proud of Polk County, from our end of the State, making it to State, getting a win and having a strong showing in the second game. I think if we give it time, "A" will grow and get straightened out. There is some work to do at getting the Districts right, but this all takes time. Splitting and having an "A" Division was the right thing to do.