Cuts are Coming Your Way - Rant

As most know, JH Rose and New Bern have been conference realigned, to join Ashley, Hoggard, New Hanover and Laney. On the one hand, I can say the JHR fans are excited about having the opportunity to face these teams in all aspects of athletics. The reputation these teams carry in all sports is to be admired. But I can also say, the monetary and academic burden faced is going to do so much more damage than good over a very short period of time. That we are not looking forward to at all.

There were other options - Joining an Eastern Wake Conference (shorter travel distance, better roads, less drive time/fuel costs)- and from what I understand, most schools in that area were ok with JHR coming in... and then the option to do nothing, as 2 of the larger schools 3A schools in the conference were to be slated as 4A in the very near future. But the only option the NCHSAA would consider was the current choice.

The impact of this on these school's athletics will have some serious repercussions. The obvious impact of increased fuel costs, reduced gates and lack of a real-feel rivalry are the surface negatives. What's really going to hurt most is the academics. Kids having to leave school at 11:15 to attend athletic match-ups (think tennis, golf, baseball, etc) in the Wilmington area (best case scenario 2 hour 30 minute ride) will have a solid negative impact on academics. After much pleading, not only from the AD and Boosters, but the School Super as well, the NCHSAA stand by their "wisdom". This aspect will affect the Wilmington schools to an extent, but JHR and NB will have to travel to Wilmington area 4 times, versus their 2 per season. Compound that over all the sports involved.

All the while, Conley and South Central have been stated to arrive at the 4A school status within 2 years (most likely next year). Next slated conference realignment review opportunity? 2013. While all sports within the current conference were competitive, seems as though a number of the schools were tired of getting popped on Friday nights by Rose and New Bern during football season and pleaded for realignment. AD's pled that it was nearly impossible for their coaches to have the players ready to play an actual conference game that counted the following week after having played one of these two teams. Whaaa. What they will feel now is the "pop" from a lack of football gate. Thats a pop thats gonna really hurt as the rest of the cutbacks in athletics are coming. Football is the bread winner that the "other" sports rely on. Be careful what you wish for, Mr AD.

Which leads me to the first stage of cuts. Middle school schedules have now been cut in half. What was a 10 game middle school season is now 5 games. How many kids are gonna bust their butt in Fall Middle School Football practice to simply play 5 games? Not many. Will take some selling on a coaches part. Will kids work out after school for the pride of their middle school baseball program to only get to play 4 or 5 lackluster games? This in turn will weaken the high school programs. This is the same for basketball, soccer, etc at the middle school level. OK... maybe they did this to divert the fuel savings over to the high schools...NOT.

Next phase (and still under serious consideration) - elimination of freshman sports. While some schools this will not have a direct impact on, the other half of this dead serious proposal is roster limits. Allowing only a certain number of players to participate and "make" a particular sport. The thought here is, Girls and boys varsity teams to travel together to play at a particular school. Same with JV. (There is also rumblings of maximum allowed JV games scheduled). While most programs made coaches cuts or players cut themselves, these roster limits will be mandated. Some tuff decisions will have to be made. Yes, on the one hand, the kid that wants to play will work harder in the off-season to garner his earned spot. But what about those kids who simply have not physically matured yet and need to be on the "practice team" in order to physically and mentally mature into the game and learn from those around them... they will now be relegated to the latest Madden or NCAA X-Box game- or Lord knows what else...

JH Rose is fortunate enough to have a Freshman baseball team and Freshman football (they prefer to be called the JV "B" team.. lol), due to sheer numbers of interested players and the tradition that is. Yes, if freshman sports are eliminated, the more quality young athletes will be kept on as JV players, but roster limits will mean a lot of kids who are still developing will get left out. I have numerous stories of kids that COULD have been easily cut from the freshman and JV team, but weren't - who went on to become All Conference Players, MVPs, DI players and in one particular instance MLB drafted. There are many JV teams from 2A and 3A schools that enjoy playing the JHR Freshman baseball team as an integral part of their schedule, because of the higher level of competition from these freshmen.

There is nothing that can be done about this now, as it is set in stone and will be initiated for next years schedules. I guess I post this up to warn you all of what is to come. It is a reality and it is here. If you are not feeling the impact from any type of realignment, I can assure you you will begin to feel the impact of shortened schedules, elimination of non revenue sports and maximum roster limits. You will also feel it at the gate - where tix prices are increased, with less money staying at your school. Booster clubs efforts will have to be maximized, simply to maintain the level of excellence each school has enjoyed within their facilities and equipment for each school. And with the economy as it is, those funds from the community to support the schools are getting tighter and tighter.

I do understand economics. I also understand budgeting. I understand we live in a time of belt-tightening and a need to be cost conscious. I deal with it every day with work and personally. But when you are doing the hacking and it directly impacts the youth - when that should be the LAST ditch hacking - we should all have a problem with that. But seems like schools are always the first to bear the brunt of cuts. And when decisions (i.e. realignment) are made that are counter-productive and counter WHY you are doing more hacking, it's ridiculous and should clue us ALL in to what is going on in our state government. Not that we needed another clue...

And when you work your network of community friends and companys on behalf of the booster clubs, remember the millions the NCHSAA has tucked away and that their leader is making well over $100k a year - LOL

Peace - out....

 

Firing on all cylinders

Why was this option ruled out?

With your sign-off you sound as if you went to the Woodstock concert back in the 70's?

 

That's a lot to comment on, but what strikes me first is the apparent mission by the NCHSAA to save bucks, yet through their inherent wisdom has caused the sports programs in your conference to suffer a financial drain by forcing the longer trips for games (let's put aside the academic burdens this decisoon will cause.)

The only thing I can figure is they believe they are negating the extra financial burdens by cutting or reducing other teams out of the programs. Although that is not something I would ever recommend, I believe most people have seen that coming--elimination of middle school sports and even JV programs.

There is a lot of meat in your post and many things to discuss, but that is what comes to mind first.

 

Plate Dad had a thread a few weeks ago about Fuel Costs. He was asking what everyone thought about fuels costs having an impact on HS sports. Most did not think it would, saying everyone would find a way. It looks as if it will have an impact.

I know it impacted the schedule at our HS. We have been told to keep non-conference games close by.

 

If the Pitt/Greenville area is growing like I think it is, then surely as you say, Conley & South Central will soon be 4A sized schools. Also, with the New Hanover/Brunswick County areas growing, West Brunswick & South Brunswick can't be far from attaining 4A sized ADMs. I think a key thing to remember is that with the playoffs involving seemingly every school in a conference, then your odds of making the post season are good whether or not you have to face higher classification schools within your conference. This particular situation should be protested more.

 

Max roster limits is under state wide consideration, not just a local thing. Just like school uniforms.

No one has been able to tell me exactly why the Wilmington Conference was the option chosen.

If it indeed was due to football - why not just take those teams into a Fall Conference (i.e. football conference) and leave all else as is. Varsity football is played on a Friday niight, so no school the next day. Everything else in the split conference has been very competitive.

I dunno. Just had to rant - and now we'll just deal with it... I have no answers.

 

How did the JH Rose AD and Principal vote at the meeting when this was finalized and voted on by the NCHSAA membership? If they voted against it and it was done anyway, do you konw the justification given to them for this realignment? Fuel costs were an issue when this process was started, so I would think it was considered. However, nothing surprises me anymore... Just wanted to know...

 

uni's

what's this about uniforms??

 

Uniforms = uniform dress code at school - i.e. three button collared shirt in a choice of 3 colors, shorts in 2 color choices with minimum inseam and pants in 2 color choices. No emblems or logos that are not schools. No sweat shirts with hoods. Pitt County schools move to it this school year.

 

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