Girl's Basketball in Chattanooga

[Pitino]

If anyone has ever wondered why Girl's High School basketball is so weak in Chattanooga look no further than the Chattanooga Times newspaper. A tremendous event, the 16 and under National Tournament, taking place here this week and you would never know it from looking at the Times. Surely I overlooked it, but I have found no schedules or sites, no boxscores of the local Tennessee teams, really hardly anything of significance. A few quotes from some coaches just to fill space. The Host team is not even from Chattanooga for goodness sake. As I mentioned earlier Chattanooga High School basketball is very weak. It does not have to be that way. But this is a real example of why it is.

[RHill93354]

You are Right. Just ask the Tx Jammers Coach about the girl that PLAY HIGH SCHOOL in Chattanooga that put up 29 pts 6 steal 8 rebounds on his team that was 3rd in the National last year. Everyone in the State know who she is BUT NOT IN CHATTANOOGA. Thank's for NO Help CHATTANOOGA TIMES.

[CPGB06]

The CT is no different from the Tennessean. The reporters are more concerned with their own image and who they rub shoulders with rather than what would sell newspapers. It is not usual for reports to consider themselves at the "Elite". (No slight to the players in Lebanon!)

 

Last year, the Nashville City Paper at least did a report on the "then" 15U Team Pride team. However, it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever read. There was no correlation from the interviews to the written word. The reporter wanted to create some drama rather than tell the positive interesting stories of the players. And two members of the team were not even mentioned!

 

I am afraid that it is futile to expect your local paper to be a responsible citizen. This is why I would never buy a paper.

 

However I would spend a mere $12.00 a year for a great Plus Membership on CoachT. The best value in Tennessee, and perhaps everywhere else!

[Pitino]

Well who is she, and what High School? So far all I am getting is quotes by Wes Moore (who is great), and talk of Pat Head Summitt and Geno. Today a story about the girl that signed with Tennessee that can dunk. I assume she is playing here this week but where and when is a mystery. Otherwise, why is she in the Times this week? If I want to read about the Lady Vols I will buy a News Sentinel. A good story this week would have been "Prospects in the Chattanooga area" and what AAU team they play with and where you can see them. "Top prospects in the Tournament and how our Tennessee girls stack up". Something like that. I guess tomorrow will be different since it is Sunday edition. Maybe a section on Pat Head's favorite deserts, or Trail biking in Greeneville with Lynn Burkey. Maybe a list of Wes Moore's favorite quotes. Man I can't wait.

[RHill93354]

NO again,The Chattanooga Times is just flat out sorry when it comes to Chattanooga Girl Basketball. You may get one article a year about a team or 1 girl in CHATTANOOGA.You have girls playing..... From Chattanooga on teams from as far as Nashville to Atlanta in this 16u AAU National Tournament . I bet only a hand full of people and their parents that make that drive to Murfreeboro and Atlanta(Good Luck JG And AH)to practice ONLY KNOW.WE All know about The Shooting on MLK and who they are and their parents. We are Just Parents trying to get the Best for the Kids in CHATTANOOGA,A College to look at them and know there is GIRL BASKETBALL IN CHATTANOOGA TN.

[RHill93354]

LaCondra Mason is the girls that plays for team pride and that put up 29 pts 6 steal 8 rebounds on the TX. Jammers, she also play for Chattanoga Christian School. The times free press only wrote about her in tenth grade year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go Team Tennessee Pride

Edited July 11, 2004 by RHill93354

[mtnman]

I asked the same question when I moved to Chattanooga. It doesn't seem that there are even enouph girls to field a decent AAU team. I think it has to do with softball and soccer. Chattanooga has some really strong softball and soccer teams. Not so many girls specialize in basketball. Not sure why.

 

Besides Mason ( and Lacy Thompson for Xtreme) are there any other Chattanooga girls playing?

 

I know some from Cleveland area and N. Georgia but ANY others from Chattanooga?

[GottaHaveHeart]

Ashley Strickland - Tyner Academy - Xtreme

[HUCK]

I wonder if the coverage would be different if some of the girls attended GPS or Baylor?

[mtnman]

I think it is a matter of numbers. Two girls from the city of Chattanooga. About 5 from Cleveland and 2-3 from N. Georgia. I agree they should have done a better job of highlighting those girls but the numbers are pretty low.

 

It seems that last year when the softball tournament was here, they did a better job.

[volntn]

Cleveland/Bradley county is loaded with talent on the girls side and boys as well.I to have always been perplexed as to why Chattanooga pretty much stinks when it comes to developing female talent.When say Ocoee middle or cleveland middle plays one of the teams from Chattanooga,Its always a slaughter. I am talking 30 to 60 points. In all age groups you probably have 100 girls or more playing AAU from the cleveland Area,some talented teams..Some not.For example the Liberty 15u from cleveland played into the second round of the nationals,This isnt a recruited team,it is all local girls from within 10 miles of downtown.You also have the TopGuns,and a few play for the extreme etc etc.

 

So why an invisible line ,known as the county line, would make that much difference is a guess on my part.But all in all..Chattanooga parents dont seem to take the time with the girls when they are young and push them to softball.