Western Indians Coach

[BasketballFan1]

From Cinderellapick
"that the reason Western pretty much doesn't have a biddy program since they ran Howard off is because Harrop doesn't believe in competition for children until they reach junior high! I personally think it's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard but if it's true then what kind of program is Western going to have??? "

Cinderella---How exactly is competition needed at the biddy ball level to help make the young kids better players? You talk about learning the game, but competition does not solve that. Competition simple shows kids how to learn to WIN the games not how to play the game. Learning to play the game comes for learning to dribble and shoot and play defense. This comes from coaches and parents. Some of the idea of developing the younger kids has to fall on the parents. This needs to be at all schools not just Western. Sometimes it seems to me that parents want the coaches to do everything. If a parent wants his or her child to be a good basketball player then they need to put in the time and effort with them. The couple of hours a week that a coach spends with them will not make them a better player. Sure it will help, but they need to work on these things outside of the practice setting. Plus if you want your kids to compete then there are AAU teams and YMCA leagues and all kinds of other things that you can get your kid into. Learning to play the game is done by putting in time and hard work.

[thecinderellapick]

Wouldn't it be a good thing to know how to win games??? I am unsure if you are from Western but if you are then you know that the parents DID try to take over the biddy program. That is not something they (board, administration,coaches) want to allow. You must also know that the kids at Western are for the most part economically challenged. There aren't a whole lot of them who can afford the expense (and there is quite a bit) involved with AAU and YMCA. And the last time I checked the nearest YMCA was at least 30-40 minutes away from Latham. I can assure you that the parents of some kids will do their best to take care of their sons. I am concerned with seeing the entire student body be able to receive instruction in basketball if they are interested. I am not saying they need to play 60 games a year. Just expose these kids to basketball. How fair is it to take a team into the 7th grade and just slap them with their first competitive game??? You know, I think that is unfair to them. Is Western unique or something? I can take you to about 15 or more schools within a 1 hour drive from Latham that lets their kids see competition. In 5 years, I will take you to those same schools and show you high school teams that are doing better than average. Also, why is it different for basketball? This school allows competition in the sports of baseball and softball from around 5 years old! Talk to the parents of Cody Smith, Kenny Helton, Jordan Brabson...ask them if competition in the 4th, 5th, & 6th grade has paid off...I guarantee you these kids have competed and it looks like it's all working out for the best. Drive up to Columbus tomorrow and see if you don't agree.

[jimmy chipwood]

If you go around the State I think you will find that the Varsity coaches have almost nothing to do with the pee-wee/youth programs. They are usually ran by outside organizations just like it is done at Piketon and have no direct tie's with the school district other than being able to use the facilities (probably getting compensated for it too). I know in Adams County that the leagues are ran and coached by parents and community members. I do believe that youth sports should have competition along with weekly practice with heavy emphasis on fundamentals.

[thecinderellapick]

Jimmy, I agree with your post completely. However, Western is a different kind of animal. They (board, administration) wanted to charge for gym time for the teams that wanted to practice at the school. One lady who started a 6th grade team this year along with her husband told me she had to rent a gym in Sinking Spring (?) to let the kids practice in for a couple of weeks until the board decided to allow them in their home gym. And I'm not talking about the high school or junior high gym. I'm referring to the elementary cafeteria. I don't think anyone actually wanted or expected the varsity coach to do the biddy ball program. But if they are paying him to do something then he should. And kids don't show up when they know they are only doing drills for 2 hours. They want to compete at least against one another. I don't really know if they paid him or not. I'm just saying...I think your comment "youth sports should have competition along with weekly practice with heavy emphasis on fundamentals" was dead on.

[BasketballFan1]

CP- For those kids that have already developed into decent basketball players, then some competition can be good. Notice that I said SOME. I still believe that the focus should be developing the fundamentals of all of the kids. The competition and playing in games is only allowing the better players to play. Most of the times the players are hand picked for these teams and they go and play, while little Jimmy that wants to get better is not allowed to play on the team because he is currently no good enough. Little Jimmy gets left out so maybe now he decides not to play basketball all together. I just believe that too much competition at the biddy ball level sends a wrong message.

And I compeletely understand that some of the kids in Latham are economically challenged, as you put it, but I still believe that there are programs out there that can be found to allow these better kids to have compeition.

As far as playing in there first competitive game in the 7th grade, if the players know and understand the fundamentals by that time then they will be just fine. If you do things properly, especially at the junior high level then you will have success. There needs to be a foundation of funfamentals and understanding of the game in place before I believe these kids need to seek competition. Now like I said a little earlier in the post, If they achieve this level prior to the seventh grade then sure, let them go play some games earlier. I just think the whole process is currently rushed, if you know what I am saying.

[Cookie]

Wouldn't it be a good thing to know how to win games??? I am unsure if you are from Western but if you are then you know that the parents DID try to take over the biddy program. That is not something they (board, administration,coaches) want to allow. You must also know that the kids at Western are for the most part economically challenged. There aren't a whole lot of them who can afford the expense (and there is quite a bit) involved with AAU and YMCA. And the last time I checked the nearest YMCA was at least 30-40 minutes away from Latham. I can assure you that the parents of some kids will do their best to take care of their sons. I am concerned with seeing the entire student body be able to receive instruction in basketball if they are interested. I am not saying they need to play 60 games a year. Just expose these kids to basketball. How fair is it to take a team into the 7th grade and just slap them with their first competitive game??? You know, I think that is unfair to them. Is Western unique or something? I can take you to about 15 or more schools within a 1 hour drive from Latham that lets their kids see competition. In 5 years, I will take you to those same schools and show you high school teams that are doing better than average. Also, why is it different for basketball? This school allows competition in the sports of baseball and softball from around 5 years old! Talk to the parents of Cody Smith, Kenny Helton, Jordan Brabson...ask them if competition in the 4th, 5th, & 6th grade has paid off...I guarantee you these kids have competed and it looks like it's all working out for the best. Drive up to Columbus tomorrow and see if you don't agree.

As a person that ran the Piketon Biddy Ball league when this varsity team was there, I would like to say what we did:

No score was kept. The kids played four ten minute running clock quarters with every kid mandated to play at least five minutes each quarter. No zones, no full court defense and no trapping. Man to man with color coded wrist bands were used. The league was separated into third/fourth grade boys/girls and fifth/sixth grade boys/girls. We had three boys and three girls all-star teams that were chosen by that division's coaches. Every child that was chosen for the all-star teams had to play in each game was the only rule for the all-stars and I choose the all-star coaches. I provided each all-star coach with a polo coaching shirt and the players could buy their own all-star game jersey or use the ones from the league.

Each team practiced once a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. Our administration never charged for anything and even paid the janitors for cleaning up. I charged $20 for each child, they got to keep their jersey shirt and we had a banquet at the end of the year where each player got a trophy. The all-star players also got a plaque. The all-star teams played in at least four tournaments that the biddy league paid for.

[Interested In All]

Sounds like a great way to run your league.Especially no score,and everyone plays. Thats great

[pikemaniac]

Harrop and Kight are both remarkable people and coaches. Good luck to Harrop and hopefully Uncle Kight will remain coaching at Western. However, Western's board doesn't always use their best judgement when hiring or keeping coaches. A few coaches have had losing seasons and they keep their jobs even though they won four games in three seasons. Who would want to get recognized as "Coach of the Year" at Western? Instead of getting rewarded, the coach gets let go or resigns. Open enrollment is always available for those parents who think they can coach better than the actual coach, but I always thought that school was for an education first and extra-curricular second.

[hbk2016]

Bob Knight would look good in green.

[cc93]

I just wanted to clear up that Coach Harrop is not abandoning the kids.I have talked to him personally and have got to know him real well.He has many things going on in his life and he doesnt feel that he could give the basketball team his full undivided attention.I hope Coach Kight is the varsity coach.He is a really good coach and deserves his shot.

[Ironman92]

Bob Kight might look good in green, but I doubt he'll take a $65,000 pay cut to coach varsity basketball at Western. His son David makes an eency bit more sense. lol

[Lightle04]

I think that the parents should form a youth league for basketball. because i for one am going to be very upset as will several other parents out here if we lose some games because our VARSITY coach is working with my or someone elses 3rd grader instead of prepairing my highschool sons team for games. I think my childrens high school years need to be seen to by there coach. Its bitty ball for god sakes most schools highschool players coach the little kids anyways. Not one of the little fellas are going to sign with DUKE ,OR UNC, in the 3,4,5,6, grades,or any other college at that age.HIGH SCHOOL COACH FOR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thecinderellapick]

lightle I don't think anyone is necessarily wanting the varsity coach to run the biddy league. They just want SOMEONE to do it. What people don't want is for the varsity coach to be a hindrance to the program. It probably needs to be the parents who run it. These kids might not be gonna sign with a DI school, but keep on not having the program and they won't be playing for Shawnee either....BasketballFan1, I really only agree with about half of what you say. What I'm taking away from your post is that if someone isn't as good as someone else, then we should punish the one who is better because the one who isn't as good might get their feelings hurt. I also disagree that the process is currently rushed. If the process is rushed for basketball then it's rushed for baseball, Math24, spelling bees, quiz bowls,etc. Life is competition.

[BasketballFan1]

If you reread my post, I said that I feel that once the game is learned then players should be allowed to compete. Once they have learned the basic fundamentals of the game and a basic understanding of basketball then I feel playing in some games is fine. Not necessarily punishing those kids that are the better players. However, I do feel that those kids would be helped further by more focus on practicing fundamentals then worrying about games, but once they do read a good understanding of the fundamentals then allow them to play in some games. I just do not feel that the focus should be put on the game situation, especially at that level. Focus on allowing the kids to be kids and allowing them to become a better player. And by becoming a better player I do not mean by comparing them against someone else, which is what a game is doing, I am talking about comparing them against themselves. If they are becoming better then they are doing good.

I do believe that the process is rushed in all other sports. You always here parents say, WOW, my kids are growing up way to fast. If that is the case then let them be kids. Let them just play and enjoy that game. Putting them into games and competitions is putting them into stressful situations with certain expectations, which are normally reserved for adults. Most kids are unable to handle pressure situations. This is what I mean by the process is rushed. Hopefully that makes sense to someone other then me.

You may not agree with me and that is fine. I am just trying to say that there is more than I way to go about biddy basketball or other youth sports for that matter.
So take that as you will and hopefully you at least understand what I am trying to say as I do not want to continue to argue and talk about biddy basketball when in all reality, Varsity basketball is what this thread and forum is all about.

[Interested In All]

Basketball Fan1. I think you are absolutely right in what you are saying about biddy ball. I think the points,rebounds,and wins mean more to a lot of parents than it does to the kids.If there was no score kept and everyone played I think the kids would adapt much easier than the parents would

[Lightle04]

I see what your saying its a tough issue I mean it seems know matter what happens someones going to be upset parents or board Im pretty sure though that every one has the kids in mind and in the end it will work out for the best.GO INDIANS!!!

[60ft.6in.]

I would like to see Cinderella be the Coach, Principle, Super Intendent, Teacher(s), and Biddy Ball Instructor at Western High School. Everything would be perfect!

[Lightle04]

Iknow its not been very long but I hope the board decides something soon so the coach can look into camps,shoot outs,summer leagues,and open gyms.This is the season for players to be developed and teams to get to know there coaches likes and dislikes And for the coach to see what the boys need to work on to be ready for the season.

[sneake-pete]

JASON RIGSBY WAS HIRED FRIDAY HAS THE NEW HEAD COACH
WAY TO GO JASON AND GOOD LUCK NEXT YEAR

[sparky]

who is jason rigsby and who is he related to at western latham?