Interesting article: Senior week or State playoffs?

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Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
Yeah kinda torn on these but unless it is something more than a trip to the beach you gotta stay with the team. If this was a senior trip to Paris that you had prepaid for the tickets etc. then OK. Granted it does make for some tough choices and interesting moments we had two or three girls and guys (baseball) accept their scholarships and academic awards in their dusty team uniforms, playoffs were literally going on outside at the same time, they held off their awards until the end and they were able to walk in a few minutes before senior awards were done and get their recognition, principal congratulated them on their win and dedication to both athletics and academics.

My DD ran into this during school ball in the Northeast the season is so short and different towns have different spring breaks so the girls are told every year DO NOT plan spring break activities since they just keep playing like spring break doesn't exist, although honestly every now and then exceptions are made and yes it is always the superstars that dare to cross the line, even if it means the bench for the next game they made their choice but those girls at the bottom of the depth chart usually don't risk it.
 
May 29, 2015
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You play as a team. You win as a team. You lose as a team.

It is a shame that the two players chose vacation over what was painted as a miracle season. It is very tough to say much based on the article alone.

I will say this as a cautionary tale to coaches: build a winning team. Don’t build a passable team that rides on one or two high level players.

And as a cautionary tale to players: college coaches look at the whole package, not just your field skills.
 
Jan 5, 2018
385
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PNW
Great read.

My thoughts. The two that didn't show... put self over teammates and over their team. When they signed up for the team there was the possibility that they'd make a run deep in the playoffs. Not knowing the history of the program-maybe they figured they'd bow out of playoffs long before senior week. The choice of the two seniors....probably created alot more distraction and consternation in the team than the article reflects.

IMHO they were conveniently committed. Committed until it was inconvenient to attend and something "better" came along.

I know my DD would be FURIOUS if her teammates did that.

I get you only have one "senior week" but you also only have one last run through to a state championship and it sounds like it was within their grasp.

There may be more to the story but the bottom line is two of their better/best players weren't there by their choice. That had to have an impact on the team.

EDIT: I think the quote from the AD “The times have changed from where it used to be,” Cornelius confirmed. “From my experience, this is becoming more and more of an issue.” was interesting. It resonates with what we are seeing with commitment from players and families.

Kelly Inyoue-Perez has this quote on the wall at UCLA.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST AS COMMITTED AND PASSIONATE AS YOU ARE.

In this situation the two players didn't have the same commitment and passion. And the HS coach doesn't get to go out and recruit players that have the same committment and passion.
 
Last edited:
Jul 4, 2013
126
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Hard to imagine skipping that game for for that activity. Perhaps there is more to it.

Locally, I know of one school that had a conflict between high school graduation and a regional playoff game. I was really surprised that the school didn't figure out a way to help those kids and their coach out.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
Having won a couple of state titles, I can say that there is nothing like it. It is more than just a title. You are a member of a team that was the last standing. You have cemented your name in the record books. You have changed your community. The thing about state titles is that they just aren't that easy to get. There are so many outstanding teams that are out there who never make it. There are so many outstanding programs out there that never make it. It isn't just the competition that can take a team down. Sickness or key injuries often take teams down. One such team that I coached had a young man break his arm in a game that would have sent us to state and, in doing so, dropped a ball for the final out that would have sent us. The team that beat us won state. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about that. I had a once in a lifetime team coaching at the smallest school in the big school division and we were that close.

I feel terrible for the kids that stayed and played. There were senior quoted in that article that made a choice to stay. That team will never forget the betrayal of teammates and that is exactly what it is. Those teammates will never have the same relationship with their former teammates and coach.

I'd like to add a coaching perspective. I've been there so many times when key things happened. You hurt for the kids. Personally, I know the difference of teams that really have a shot and pretenders. When you get a team that far, you know that your school might not ever get there again. I am thinking that this coach showed a lot of poise and class by not joining in on the comments about the other girls. He has to have a level of frustration and maybe even anger that most will never have.
 
Jul 16, 2008
1,520
48
Oregon
Yeah I would have a problem with that. They are like an hour from the coast... how many times have they gone there? It's not like a School in Kansas or Nebraska going to the Coast... :)

As a Freshman my DD actually benefited from something like this. Playoff's and the Senior RF went to a HS Concert (singing in a group) instead of the Playoff game. DD started and had a good game, next Playoff game, HC benched the Senior and had DD in RF again.
 
Oct 5, 2015
91
18
While it is too bad, I have no issue with this if this was already planned. That seems a bit unclear in the article. I doubt they just woke up and decided to head off to the beach with the senior class. Heck, they could have spent $500 on the week for all we know

Poor school, they only had 44 other years to figure this out unless "Senior Week" is a surprise or the season is always done by the time it rolls around.

Every school has their own senior laden disruptions that affect the spring sports. I can't begin to tell you how many times players missed games because of college visits or school annual fundraisers.

It is a shame but it happens. What doesn't happen too often is a journalist throwing some kids under the bus...
 
May 1, 2018
659
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I have mixed feelings about this: As a guy who played a lot of sports (baseball, football and track) that took a lot of my time, I do wish i would have taken more time to just have fun. But I do have good memories with those sports also. So its got to be a mix. Obviously this is a site that is full of softball coaches parents and players, so we are biased. For those who don't care about the sport as much as we do, they would probably side with the girls who went on vacation. As for me, if you make a commitment to a team, you honor that.
 

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