Playing Up, Down, and All Around

[Deb]

One of the blessings and curses of small schools is the opportunity for kids to play up in sports. Lack of numbers often means that kids who might otherwise be playing Fresh/Soph are instead bumped up to play JV &/or Varsity. On face, this might seem like a good thing, but in practice, it seems it may be not so good.

Take for instance, Volleyball
We have 6 sophomores, 5 who have been playing together third grade. We have 9 or so freshmen who have also played together since third grade. 10 Seniors and I think 6 Juniors. All the sophomores are solid players...some very good. some of the freshmen are pretty good. Most of the juniors and seniors are also solid players. A couple of the seniors are exceptional players.
We play fresh/soph, JV, and Varsity games. sometimes there are freshmen games, and sophomore games.
Logic would present that the juniors and seniors would make up the varsity team, that some juniors might play down and some sophmores might play up to JV. This would allow most of the players to actually get in playing time, build their game skills, and become more profficient....and we'd still be doing a lot of winning.

It didn't work out that way at all though. The season resulted in a weird hodgepodge of a couple freshmen and three sophomores playing nearly every match of fresh/soph & and JV, and practicing with Varsity, while some juniors scarcely played at all in JV and not at all in varsity, and some sophomores also sat more than not in Fresh/Soph. One sophomore practiced exclusively with varsity, but did not play much, except JV, and of course, the Fab Five seniors and one or two juniors played varsity. And...we did not play as well, or end our regular season in the position that people expected us to. Regardless of how badly the players were doing on the court this dynamic stayed the same. Questionable coaching? Yes. But there's more to it than that.

I question the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Association ruling that allows players to play in as many as 6 GAMES (not matches) per day. Although it was created to help small schools with fewer players, Its hurting us instead. During tournaments, I can sort of understand the need to allow players more palying time. During regular play, it's a travesty.

The rule allows coaches to get caught up in the "superstar" mentality that rotates the same 12-18 girls in all three games and creates a short lived winning era, instead of a long term successful program. I suspect this is a small school problem more than a large one, where you actually have to try out to make the team. Worse, it creates an atmosphere where players begin to drop out, or play under duress..kids who've really loved the game for years suddenly feel that they are inconsequntial, and that love begins to fade. Worst..it obscures potential greatness, when kids who are not played, not noticed, not given the opportunity to blossom, have talents that never come into the open, because they aren't one of the chosen few.

Since coaches cannot be counted on to do what is right, this rule needs to be changed. 5 Matches per day in regular season non tournament play is plenty, and the rules should also be changed to require that the non varsity high school games be best 3 out of 5 p;ayed to a minimum of 21 at all levels. Having Fresh Soph play 2 out of 3 to 15 is not doing anyone any favors.
Fans deserve to see their kids on the court, and they deserve a program that builds on itself, and does not overlook talent wherever it might be.