[Possum Bait]

Grizz,

I think this is one of the biggest obstacles that the big rural consolidated schools have to over come if they are to ever compete with the football dynasties around the state. These big schools really go lacking in the ability to make all the students and parents feel like they are a part of something special in their community. There is no community in these big schools. In any given year, there are between 1200 and 1400 students at Whitley High. Whitley probably has 30 varsity football players which would break down something like 8 seniors, 8 juniors and 14 sophmores. In basketball, I think there will be one senior, two juniors and the remainder sophmores and freshmen. I really think one of the big problems is that kids and just as importantly their parents feel alienated by the schools. Most people are not willing to put in the time and money required to be on teams when they know that they are probably not going to get a fair shot. Whats the use?

My son has always been one of the better athletes in his class, but even being the best does not garantee a fair shot. He has encountered what amounts to be B.S. at pretty much every level along the way. On his 6th and 7th grade football team ,even though he was a held back, very experienced, and talented player, he was forced to alternate with a kid two years younger and 30 pounds lighter because the kids dad was a principals son.

I threatened to transfer him as a sixth grader and the coached wised up. His team ended up undefeated and my son probably averaged 40 yards a carry that season. In the 7th grade, my son led an undefeated team in touchdowns although he did not start on offense and carried the ball about 4 times a game because the same kid that was two years younger and 30 pounds lighter got the start. They alternated on every play, but Daddy's boy got to start. He started but did not score a touchdown all year and probably averaged less than 2 yards a carry. Was this the right thing to do ? No, the best player should get to start but being the best does not matter nearly as much as who your daddy is.

Neither my son nor the other kid played 8th grade football and a team that was undefeated the year before was 2 and 5 with a bunch of canceled games. My son picked football back up as a freshman, and was the only sophmore starter last season. He is an A student, one of the two fastest players on the team and a beast in the weight room but his coach still tried to run him off this season because he doesn't like me. ( I suppose he doesn't like me because I tell it like it is). I mean there were some very bad, almost unforgivable things that were said. He should have said them to me instead of taking them out on my son. My son is having a very good season as a defensive player, but he has touched the ball 6 times this season including the preseason scrimmage. I think he has scored on 3 of those touches. He ran a 60 or 70 yard TD the only time he touched the ball (he did touch the ball twice on interceptions) . The kid I was discussing above (who's dad was POed the other night) is obviously one of the best players on the team, but he gets to touch the ball 3 or 4 times a game (usually for 15 to 20 yards a pop) and he never gets in on defense. When his dad asked me about it, I told him the truth that the coaching staff will not. He has the wrong last name

Basketball has been just as screwed up. They will have one senior on the team. They change coaches every year. The coach before the last coach managed to run off the good players that would be juniors and seniors this year. I think he managed to go 12-50 in two years. He could coach his way out of a paper bag but he succeeded in running my son off. I could go into some of the things that the coach said and did to my son, but most people would believe it. There were probably grounds to go to court.

Last years coach seemed like a good guy, but apparently he was not very good at playing politics because he is gone. Now I already know what people who do not really know the truth are going to say about my comments. They will claim disallusioned parent and parent interference but the truth is I have never said a word to my sons coaches. Although I do plan on discussing some things with the basketball coach mentioned above when my son and daughter are out of school. Until then, I will hold my peace.

So there you have it. I have a feeling that the scenario described here is the same as in many other schools. The funny thing is, the schools where all this stuff happens on a daily basis are usually losing programs. They wonder why kids do not want to play for them. They wonder why they lose and lose and lose. Kids are not stupid. They learn to read the situation very well. Most kids are not going to take loads of crap to be someones lacky. The best teams play the best players regardless of who they are. This was the secret to Whitley's program under Mike Campbell. Mike played the best athletes whether regardless of what hollar they came from or what their last was.