Is parady good for the sport?

From what I have read on this site, it seems there is alot of parady in volleyball throughout the state this season. It appears that there are alot non-traditional programs that are getting better(mostly talking about AAA like princton, greenbriar east, ripley and others) and other than PHS some of the traditional powers are down this season (i.e. G.W., Woodrow, Park So., Hedg.)or maybe this is just the perception (being down)because alot of other programs have caught and in some instances past these programs. I have two questions for the viewers 1. Do you think this is good for the sport? 2. What are some of the reasons the playing field is more balanced this season than others? Personally I think it is good for the sport, and I think the popularity of volleyball in our state is growing and with the increase of club programs across are state more teams are able to compete with the traditional powers. Anyone have some thoughts??

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Great topic. Where to

Submitted by sinjin on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 22:09.

Great topic. Where to start?

Parady this season - Parady is always good for a sport. I can't say it's more so this season than last.
The last couple of seasons could have witnessed any one of the top 5 teams taking the title at states.

Parady around the state - There are stronghold areas in WV where off-season programs or youth programs enrich the talent pools. Ex. Pkbg, Chas., Htg, Beckley, Eastern Panhandle.
Just as in basketball, rural areas will continue to struggle to keep up with urban for lack of facilities and pool of knowledgeable coaches. There are a few exceptions.

Speaking of discrepancies in programs - show me a consistently good HS vball team and I'll show you ONE coach that goes over and above to build interest in the sport. Same for any team in any sport. They sponsor camps for beginning players and push their current players to get better.
There just isn't enough of these kinds of coaches available for every school.

That being said, let me point out that I believe parody is better achieved by MORE RESTRICTIONS not less.
After coaching for nearly 18 seasons, I found that the demand of a 50-60 match season with ongoing Saturday tournaments that lasted all day asked too much of myself away from my own family.
I was not alone in this decision. During my years I witnessed many quality coaches leave the sport because they couldn't keep the demand.
Some coaches can and those are typically the schools that consistently are doing well.
The more you play the better you're going to be.
A check of those coaches will reveal that they aren't trying to raise a family.
But there is no way a school like Logan is ever going to catch a Philip Barbour without a coach coming in that devotes most of his or her life to building the program over several years. That is the cost.
And what about what's asked of players and parents?
Some are willing to pay and sacrifice whatever it takes in time and money. Others don't have it to give.
Saturday after Saturday. Trips across the state. Travel teams. Serious cash. Pressure on players.
I don't know. Where does it stop?
I'd rather see a limit on total matches played instead of dates, just like basketball. Each contest would mean so much more.
Also limit Saturday tourneys to 3, including conference tourney.

And the entire summer to practice? I know several prominent basketball coaches that led the charge to kill that idea. Who was going to pay them for the extra time? Who decides who gets the multisport athletes?
Just more problems for the schools.

Now for HS coaches being able to coach club teams? I guess that can be good IF you have a coach willing to sacrifice even more of their life for minimal compensation. However, as I pointed out above, most rural schools don't have experienced coaches to start with. A out of season coaching rule would just allow the rich to get richer meaning LESS parody.

In closing, let me say that your ideas have merit if you are looking for some of WV best programs to get even better and stay on par with other states. But I suspect they wouldn't help parody at all.

interesting points

Submitted by tapout on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:57.

Sinjin you bring up some valid points some of which I agree with and some I would argue against. I agree good programs are fostered by dedicated coaches who stay in one place for a long time and build a program from the ground up. And your points about family and life are valid. I would think that if a coach gets tired of 50 to 60 match seasons they should have enough input with thier ADs to scale back their schedule and play more dual meets and less tournaments. I believe their are only a few programs in the state that play that many matches. I don't think the state should mandate less matches it should be a program/coach decision. That is one of the few positive differences between WV and some state like Va. and Md. where they are only allowed to play in one or two tournaments, and their coaches complain about it all the time.

I would argue that the present restrictive policies in WV actually hurt the more rural areas. If you think about it, those areas theoritically have a smaller pool of qualified/knowledgable coaches and these coaches are most likely already involved with H.S. programs so who is left to help train kids who want to get better on the off season?? In more populated areas this isn't as much as a problem with a potentially larger pool of coaches. I'm not advocating for allowing all summer practices, I'm talking about allowing coaches to volunarliy work with kids who desire additional training and have dreams of playing at the next level. There is a fine line between pressuring kids/enire teams to train on the off season and providing opportunities for individuals to train and potentially open doors for their careers at the next level.

I'm with Mntbiker, we are light years behind other states. Because of our small population we will always have less college level players but I think the percentage of these players compared to the total number of kids playing volleyball in WV can greatly increase. If you look at some of our surrounding states like PA, MD,VA,OH, they all allow their coaches in all sports to coach non-H.S. affiliated teams on the off-season
to some degree. Is it a coincidence that their percentage of college level players (in all sports not just vball) is far greater than WVs?? I don't think so!!

I personally think it is unamerican and possibly unconstitutional to tell a coach they can not coach a team that is not affiliated with any school or WVSSAC and is made up of various players from different schools. That would be like telling a lets say a teacher that they could not teach a night school class to supplement their income. Or by not allowing coaches to work a camp, like telling a proffesional they could not do any proffesional developement. In any other proffesion these types of career developement opportunities are encouraged not denied!!

Nothing to do with parady

Submitted by wvmtnbiker on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:12.

I agree that too much time focused on a sport takes away from being with family whether you are a coach or player. So with that being said how do you propose WV players get to a point where they are competing for volleyball scholorships nationwide (and I am not talking low level Division I or Division II) if they are prohibited from spending the extra time to catch up with the rest of the country? Are we to accept that WV will always be a second or third tier state with regards to volleyball and only prepare for that? Over the years there have been players (Capito, Wherry, O'Malley, Waldie, Yoho) that breaks the rules and gets the opportunity to play for a Division I school with an average program but those are few and far between. Top talent gets recruited early. Penn State has already recruited a setter who is still a freshmen in high school and they are willing to take the risk of her getting pregnant, hurt, or change her mind. When do WV players start getting recognition? How does someone like Erica Manor, who is probably the top recruit in WV this year increase her chances to play for the top schools? Manor started getting attention when she was a Junior probably because of the way volleyball is perceived in this state. It is still considered a secondary sport after football, baseball, and basketball. I would like to know how much effort Manor puts into developing her skills and how much more she would be willing to do that she does not get the opportunity to do. WV has to start thinking big for the sport to grow. WVU does not even consider WV players and their program is currently in the gutter.

I think...

Submitted by wvmtnbiker on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 15:42.

I think you are correct that some of the "powers" are down this year. Talent seems to go through unpredictable cycles. You cannot point fingers at the program or coach because these are quality programs with quality coaches. I have seen the GW JV and they will be tough when they get older if they continue to develop.

1. Do you think this is good for the sport?
I think that volleyball is finally growing in West Virginia which is still ten years behind everywhere else. Having club teams emerge and grow has helped the cause tremendously. Players are getting better and the playing field is leveling out as you have pointed out. I also think that the WVSSAC needs to get off their high horse, change their thinking, and get caught up with the times. There are many States that allow players and coaches to practice year round, play high school and club at the same time, and promote the sport as an actual sport and not just a Title IV kickback.

2. What are some of the reasons the playing field is more balanced this season than others?
I think the schools in more heavily popluated areas will suffer more because of the seperation of the talented players. Take the Charleston area for example, you have 1 or 2 talented girls at Hoover, 1 or 2 at GW, 1 or 2 at South Charleston, a few more here or there and etc. Put them all on one team with a good coach and you have instant high level team. Compare that to Princeton or a county school with a strong program where you have a larger concentration of talent at the same school because the players are not divided geographically.

reply to mntbiker

Submitted by tapout on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 08:47.

Amen to the state being way behind (maybe not 10 years compared to all states but to most!), I have heard that the problem does not lie with the WVSSAC. Actually last year some ADs tried to get a more lenient "out of season" coaching policy passed which would allow coaches to work with athletes all summer (except for one dead week) this was a minor concession considering it wouldn't help volleyball coaches who would like to be involved with Junior Olympic programs in the spring, but it was a start. This was passed at the WVSSAC level but shot down by the State Board of Education! The people I have spoken to have stated that the WVSSAC is actually in favor of less restrictive policies because it would make their jobs easier and not have to travel around and investigate every little claim of some school cheating. So some how the State Board of Education needs to wake up and look around at other states. At the end of the day it is our athletes who are suffering from lack of opportunities to play year around and be provided with quality coaching, not to mention coaches not being able to better themselves financially and professionally by practicing their craft outside the three months a year the season takes place!!!!!