Abingdon changing Districts

[sup_rbeast 296]

Don't forget holdbacks.

Yes! ....and holdbacks! (That's actually the third oldest excuse in the book) haha

[redtiger 1,740]

Gentlemen, the future...

 

Mountain - Lee, GC, Rv, Lebanon, Battle, Union, Central, Abingdon

Southwest - VAHigh, Grundy, Richlands, Tazewell, Marion, Graham, Carroll, ??Grayson??

New Name AA District - Floyd, Giles, Glenvar, James River, Martinsville, ?FC?

 

New Name A District - Hurley, TV, Honaker, NW, Holston, PH, (Council)

Cumberland - Tom Walker, Rye Cove, Twin Springs, JI Burton, Eastside, Castlewood

Hogo - Bland, Chilhowie, Galax, RR, GW, ?FC?

Pioneer - Auburn, Bath, Covington, Craig, EM, PMC, Radford, Narrows

 

??

If FC moves up in the future put them in the New Name AA District.

If Grayson moves down in the future put them in the Hogo

[EHC87 60]

Gentlemen, the future...

 

Mountain - Lee, GC, Rv, Lebanon, Battle, Union, Central, Abingdon

Southwest - VAHigh, Grundy, Richlands, Tazewell, Marion, Graham, Carroll, ??Grayson??

New Name AA District - Floyd, Giles, Glenvar, James River, Martinsville, ?FC?

 

New Name A District - Hurley, TV, Honaker, NW, Holston, PH, (Council)

Cumberland - Tom Walker, Rye Cove, Twin Springs, JI Burton, Eastside, Castlewood

Hogo - Bland, Chilhowie, Galax, RR, GW, ?FC?

Pioneer - Auburn, Bath, Covington, Craig, EM, PMC, Radford, Narrows

 

??

If FC moves up in the future put them in the New Name AA District.

If Grayson moves down in the future put them in the Hogo

There are some long games in multiple districts under the new scenario.  Grundy to Carroll, Martinsville to Giles and Radford/Narrows to Parry McCluer are all long road trips.  I'm not saying all change is bad but some of the older districts (before our current situation) provided much more favorable travel to most teams.  At least football is played primarily on Friday nights.  In sports other than football, there may be some really tired kids in class on some of these proposed district games.

[redtiger 1,740]

Then move Carroll to AA New Name, I dont really care where Mville goes(does anyone in SWVA???) so move them over with Appo/Gretna/Chatham, the PMC setup is pretty much unavoidable.

 

It at least sets the Districts up by Group, basically its the conference setup we already have so the travel times really arent being increased from what they already are

 

Mountain - Lee, GC, Rv, Lebanon, Battle, Union, Central, Abingdon

Southwest - VAHigh, Richlands, Tazewell, Marion, Graham, ??Grundy??, ??Grayson??

New Name AA District - Floyd, Giles, Glenvar, James River, Martinsville, Carroll, ?FC?

 

New Name A District - Hurley, TV, Honaker, NW, Holston, PH, (Council), ??Grundy??

Cumberland - Tom Walker, Rye Cove, Twin Springs, JI Burton, Eastside, Castlewood

Hogo - Bland, Chilhowie, Galax, RR, GW, ?FC?

Pioneer - Auburn, Bath, Covington, Craig, EM, PMC, Radford, Narrows

 

??

If FC moves up in the future put them in the New Name AA District.

If Grayson moves down in the future put them in the Hogo

Grundy is a small AA too so I put in a provision for them too

[Beamerball 566]

There are some long games in multiple districts under the new scenario.  Grundy to Carroll, Martinsville to Giles and Radford/Narrows to Parry McCluer are all long road trips.

 

Lee High and Hurley chuckle at those, haha.

[BigO 316]

How many kids that scored for RHS STARTED their high school (as in 9th grade) at RHS? Anyway, the point of consternation is not with the transfers.....it's with RHS folks not openly admitting you have more than most. Your alls continual defense of it makes you look like you feel guilty about it. AHS had a transfer come in as a senior and start at MLB...but he transferred to AHS not for athletic reasons and his 1st cousin played for AHS. Serious question here....I promise I'm not being a smartass here, I'm truly not. But do the kids who come up through your little league programs and play football all through middle school, JV and finally get to varsity.....only to sit the bench for a transfer.....does it not bother them? Like when Blankenship came over, who sits because of him? If Blankenship had decided to come here I would have been fine with it....but my kid already graduated so there would be no danger of him losing PT. My point is, Im not being hypocritical about it....I'd take transfers that help the program but if my kid sits because of the transfer, after having busted his butt all the way through the program, then yeah, I wouldn't like it. That has to be a point of consternation within your program isnt it?

[Ryan4VT 4,554]

How many kids that scored for RHS STARTED their high school (as in 9th grade) at RHS? Anyway, the point of consternation is not with the transfers.....it's with RHS folks not openly admitting you have more than most. Your alls continual defense of it makes you look like you feel guilty about it. AHS had a transfer come in as a senior and start at MLB...but he transferred to AHS not for athletic reasons and his 1st cousin played for AHS. Serious question here....I promise I'm not being a smartass here, I'm truly not. But do the kids who come up through your little league programs and play football all through middle school, JV and finally get to varsity.....only to sit the bench for a transfer.....does it not bother them? Like when Blankenship came over, who sits because of him? If Blankenship had decided to come here I would have been fine with it....but my kid already graduated so there would be no danger of him losing PT. My point is, Im not being hypocritical about it....I'd take transfers that help the program but if my kid sits because of the transfer, after having busted his butt all the way through the program, then yeah, I wouldn't like it. That has to be a point of consternation within your program isnt it?

This is a family. Period. These kids come in, and they become best friends with the team. They bust their butts all summer and fall to prove their worth and prove that they will go to battle with their brothers in Blue. That's what it's about. It's not about playing time. It's not about anything but playing in that uniform with your team and playing for a state title. Period.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Me and Parsons are " Bro's ."......can't you tell by our looks?

As far away as the east is from the west!

[BlueRazor 1,147]

How many kids that scored for RHS STARTED their high school (as in 9th grade) at RHS? Anyway, the point of consternation is not with the transfers.....it's with RHS folks not openly admitting you have more than most. Your alls continual defense of it makes you look like you feel guilty about it. AHS had a transfer come in as a senior and start at MLB...but he transferred to AHS not for athletic reasons and his 1st cousin played for AHS. Serious question here....I promise I'm not being a smartass here, I'm truly not. But do the kids who come up through your little league programs and play football all through middle school, JV and finally get to varsity.....only to sit the bench for a transfer.....does it not bother them? Like when Blankenship came over, who sits because of him? If Blankenship had decided to come here I would have been fine with it....but my kid already graduated so there would be no danger of him losing PT. My point is, Im not being hypocritical about it....I'd take transfers that help the program but if my kid sits because of the transfer, after having busted his butt all the way through the program, then yeah, I wouldn't like it. That has to be a point of consternation within your program isnt it?

My goodness BigO!!!!!!!! I for one along with many of the Richlands fans have been very positive and respectful of Abingdon and all the progress you guys have made. We didn't get on here after the game and thump our chests. YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are better with those players. I don't know what else you guys want. Do you want us to say.....well if we didn't have those Abingdon would have kicked our butts? Well I'm not going to say that because I don't think you would have but that's just my opinion.

 

We beat you guys in every phase of the game. You guys had 12 yards of total rushing. You guys have maybe the best QB in the state and a heck of a wide receiver in Yates. Fannon and Doss are very good line men and you have a very good linebacker I can't remember his name. Abingdon has a GREAT offense and an average defense and that is where you will have trouble. You can score on anybody. I

 

I just don't understand what you want us to do. The other 53 boys on the team don't deserve the constant butthurt and crying about transfers. Are you saying we wouldn't be no good if it wasn't for them? I personally don't know how good we would be but we would be pretty doggone good I will say.

 

I'm done with this subject because you will never win ......when you are on our side. Its just a shame the other boys have to listen to this because they constantly hear it. I wish we would never get another one...Honestly. But that want happen. With our facilities and tradition it will continue. So I will just keep my mouth shut about this subject from here on and just let you and others badger us deservedly or not.

 

I wish your Falcons the best and a big run in the playoffs.!

[GMan 3,569]

I will also give credit to Asbury and Holmes.  Those two are excellent football players.  Like Mountain Man, the thought of losing a potential home playoff game because of the 1 loss to Richlands would not sit well with me either.  The Blue Tornados have an excellent football team and those few transfer players (Blankenship, Atkinson and Howie) make a very good team even better.

 

Abingdon won't lose a home playoff game because of the loss to Richlands...it will be because of the weak schedule they play that only includes a few teams that are in the same class as they're in...simple math....

[parsons 178]

I have never understood the consternation caused by transfers and holdbacks.  As long as it is done within the rules, either shut up or join 'em.

 This^^^^

 

He who cannot agree with his enemies is controlled by them - Chinese proverb

[sixcat 2,919]

"Red-shirting" is a soapbox issue for me.  My daughter is the youngest fifth grader in the Galax City Public School System.  She certainly was not that in kindergarten.  Most of the kids she started kindergarten with have been held back if they weren't started a year late to begin with for future athletic purposes.  It is a ridiculous practice that affects the academic achievement of some kids.  We are starting to learn the long term affects of this practice through studies being done at institutions like Princeton, Harvard and Stanford.  I disagree with holding kids back wholeheartedly!

 

Kids who aren't stimulated and challenged tend to lose critical thinking skills.  Passive brag from a proud dad but the youngest fifth grader in the entire school system made perfect scores on all three of her SOL's this spring.  SOL's will do nothing to help my daughter get into college but it is the system we have. 

 

Simply put, if parents expectations of their kids academic achievements were as focused as their expectations of their kids athletic achievements, we wouldn't need SOL's or any other government enforced educational system.

 

Sorry, rant over!

[Bearcat Bob 491]

Mr. P, I have no enemies...with the exception of time, taxes and an ever expanding waistline.  But that was caused by my marriage to a fabulously good cook, so that is her fault.  So maybe she is my enemy?  But no one on this board is my enemy. 

[Bearcat Bob 491]

I do not think we need SOLs or any other government enforced educational system anyway.  It is a personal decision; one that should be made by the child's parents and the child.  I find it hard to argue that being a 17 year old senior has advantages, athletically, academically or socially over an 18 year old senior (or a 19 year old). 

[hhstigers7327 217]

I do not think we need SOLs or any other government enforced educational system anyway. It is a personal decision; one that should be made by the child's parents and the child. I find it hard to argue that being a 17 year old senior has advantages, athletically, academically or socially over an 18 year old senior (or a 19 year old).

I agree 100% I would like to read the studies sixcat is talking about. Not sure I agree with them. It worked out pretty good for me if I say so myself.

[parsons 178]

 But no one on this board is my enemy. 

  True.   

[sixcat 2,919]

I agree 100% I would like to read the studies sixcat is talking about. Not sure I agree with them. It worked out pretty good for me if I say so myself.

http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/youngest-kid-smartest-kid

 

This article mentions a few of them as well as some of my concerns.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Mr. P, I have no enemies...with the exception of time, taxes and an ever expanding waistline. But that was caused by my marriage to a fabulously good cook, so that is her fault. So maybe she is my enemy? But no one on this board is my enemy.

 

Clarification...are you referencing a poster on this board, or:

 

 

But I concur. Especially regarding the "expanding waist" enemy.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

I do not think we need SOLs or any other government enforced educational system anyway.  It is a personal decision; one that should be made by the child's parents and the child.  I find it hard to argue that being a 17 year old senior has advantages, athletically, academically or socially over an 18 year old senior (or a 19 year old). 

 

Depends on the kid and the specifics of the situation.  And that would be a trite statement on my part except for the fact that public education is run as a "one size fits all" industry.

 

From an academic perspective, folks like Malcolm Gladwell (in his book "Outliers" -- which is an excellent read) make a strong case for the advantage possessed by the oldest kids within any particular system.  But I also have firsthand experience on the other side.  Given the date on which her birthday falls, my wife was always one of the youngest members of our class in high school and in college.  She went to Tech at the age of 17 and wound up graduating first in her department within the Pamplin College of Business.

 

I do tend to agree (at least philosophically) with sixcat about holding a child back for athletic purposes, particularly in a public school setting.  If a child truly has the physical potential to succeed at the next level but simply lacks some form of "seasoning," then there are products available which are frankly superior to an extra year within the local public school.  I don't have data at hand to support this statement, but I'm betting that the post-grad guys at Hargrave are still getting better offers than most of the kids who repeat 8th grade within the Hometown High School system.  If it's possible to be objective, a kid with Division III level ability probably doesn't see much benefit to any kind of "redshirt" situation -- and it might even be better to counsel those students to focus on preparation for life after their playing days are over.

[sixcat 2,919]

I do not think we need SOLs or any other government enforced educational system anyway.  It is a personal decision; one that should be made by the child's parents and the child.  I find it hard to argue that being a 17 year old senior has advantages, athletically, academically or socially over an 18 year old senior (or a 19 year old). 

Education, like healthcare, is a disaster in this country.  Watch the following clip, it speaks volumes and is absolutely true!

 

 

I agree it may be a personal decision but the reasoning behind those decisions is skewed, heavily.  My daughter is the youngest fifth grader in the school system and she will be 18 years old at the time of her high school graduation.  If kids who will be 17 at the time of graduation want to be held back for obvious reasons, fine.  I graduated at 17, as did my brother.  Our mother was approached, in both instances by coaches, about holding us back for athletic purposes.  In both instances, the coaches were thrown out of the house and asked not to return.  We both graduated with honors from high school and college.

 

Starting a kid in kindergarten at 6 or holding a kid back a year prior to middle school for no obvious reason other than athletics is reckless, irresponsible and egregious in my opinion.  If a child exhibits an academic need to be held back, then it is earned and warranted.  Being held back in hopes that he may be bigger, faster and stronger in athletic competition is ridiculous. 

[BigWinners 1,643]

"Red-shirting" is a soapbox issue for me.  My daughter is the youngest fifth grader in the Galax City Public School System.  She certainly was not that in kindergarten.  Most of the kids she started kindergarten with have been held back if they weren't started a year late to begin with for future athletic purposes.  It is a ridiculous practice that affects the academic achievement of some kids.  We are starting to learn the long term affects of this practice through studies being done at institutions like Princeton, Harvard and Stanford.  I disagree with holding kids back wholeheartedly!

 

Kids who aren't stimulated and challenged tend to lose critical thinking skills.  Passive brag from a proud dad but the youngest fifth grader in the entire school system made perfect scores on all three of her SOL's this spring.  SOL's will do nothing to help my daughter get into college but it is the system we have. 

 

Simply put, if parents expectations of their kids academic achievements were as focused as their expectations of their kids athletic achievements, we wouldn't need SOL's or any other government enforced educational system.

 

Sorry, rant over!

 

 

I love this post, wish I could like it twice.

 

People hate Phil Robbins, but he NEVER encouraged any kid to hold back for athletic reasons. Ever. I was in school for 12 years with his youngest son and never once did he push Brad into holding back for athletic reasoning. Absolutely zero of the kids of the 04 class, PVs last class to play for a state title (20-14, shoulda beat Manassas Park), were held back. Phil rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but he never let athletics outweight education in terms of holding kids back for athletic reasons.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

Getting back to what I think might be germane to the topic of this thread.....

 

The primary value of the "district" is its ability to provide a guaranteed minimum number of games for its membership.  And at least from 1970 until the recent reorganization, the district was the essential functioning unit of the overall competitive system.  Yet the VHSL appears to have completely discounted these facts and washed its hands of any real attempts to regulate the districts in a meaningful manner.

 

The biggest concern I've always had about the "conference" situation is that the VHSL never set any mechanism in place to compel conference members to schedule regular season games against one another.  Seeding the postseason based on ratings criteria is fine as long as all variables are equal.  What happens when one school finds itself "blackballed" (for whatever reason) by other area schools to such a degree that it cannot assemble a schedule that is comparable to its other conference mates?  A bit far fetched, but certainly within the realm of possibility.

[sixcat 2,919]

Depends on the kid and the specifics of the situation.  And that would be a trite statement on my part except for the fact that public education is run as a "one size fits all" industry.

 

From an academic perspective, folks like Malcolm Gladwell (in his book "Outliers" -- which is an excellent read) make a strong case for the advantage possessed by the oldest kids within any particular system.  But I also have firsthand experience on the other side.  Given the date on which her birthday falls, my wife was always one of the youngest members of our class in high school and in college.  She went to Tech at the age of 17 and wound up graduating first in her department within the Pamplin College of Business.

 

I do tend to agree (at least philosophically) with sixcat about holding a child back for athletic purposes, particularly in a public school setting.  If a child truly has the physical potential to succeed at the next level but simply lacks some form of "seasoning," then there are products available which are frankly superior to an extra year within the local public school.  I don't have data at hand to support this statement, but I'm betting that the post-grad guys at Hargrave are still getting better offers than most of the kids who repeat 8th grade within the Hometown High School system.  If it's possible to be objective, a kid with Division III level ability probably doesn't see much benefit to any kind of "redshirt" situation -- and it might even be better to counsel those students to focus on preparation for life after their playing days are over.

I agree with the entire post for the most part.  The Outliers is a good read but I don't agree with all of it.  Steven Peoples graduated from Galax at 17.  Would an extra year in high school benefited him?  The year he spent at Fork Union was much more a benefit than an extra year at Galax could ever have been.

[Chappy 72]

Then move Carroll to AA New Name, I dont really care where Mville goes(does anyone in SWVA???) so move them over with Appo/Gretna/Chatham, the PMC setup is pretty much unavoidable.

 

It at least sets the Districts up by Group, basically its the conference setup we already have so the travel times really arent being increased from what they already are

 

Mountain - Lee, GC, Rv, Lebanon, Battle, Union, Central, Abingdon

Southwest - VAHigh, Richlands, Tazewell, Marion, Graham, ??Grundy??, ??Grayson??

New Name AA District - Floyd, Giles, Glenvar, James River, Martinsville, Carroll, ?FC?

 

New Name A District - Hurley, TV, Honaker, NW, Holston, PH, (Council), ??Grundy??

Cumberland - Tom Walker, Rye Cove, Twin Springs, JI Burton, Eastside, Castlewood

Hogo - Bland, Chilhowie, Galax, RR, GW, ?FC?

Pioneer - Auburn, Bath, Covington, Craig, EM, PMC, Radford, Narrows

 

??

If FC moves up in the future put them in the New Name AA District.

If Grayson moves down in the future put them in the Hogo

Grundy is a small AA too so I put in a provision for them too

Just throwing a little geography out there, in this line up 4 of the 6 schools that the Hogoheegee Rivers run through are not in the proposed new HOGO.  I do however like a little shake up.

[BigWinners 1,643]

Cant see Abingdon being in the Mountain with Union compared to being with Richlands.