why is Minford girls not improving?

[marshallman]

These girls are very talented and been playing together since 7th grade, now they are all seniors and they keep playing sub par. It has to be coaching. These girls don't seem to be getting prepared for matches and they are too good for that.

[favabeans]

Why is the coach always to blame?

Do any of the players play club ball? Do they pick up a volleyball in the off season? Do they go to camps?

If you look at the successful teams you wil find girls that play club ball and put in the extra effort to become better players and have a better understanding of the game.

I am not bashing the Minford girls. They are a scrappy bunch of girls but Minford has always been a basketball school and is now becoming known for softball and I think that is we're their interest lie.

[marshallman]

The coach didn't have time for any camps this summer. That is part of it. The girls would do fund raiser for a week of camp but the coach was too busy this year to do it and open gym started late in the summer. the team use to go to summer camps. Coaching is part to blame.

[Tower]

I agree with digger on this. I haven't seen Minford play this year and I am not just talking about Minford. This is true to all sports. Basketball, soccer, football, baseball, softball. The kids got to put their time in. A coach gets them 2 hours day 5 days week during season. OHSAA restricts a lot of contact out of season. Prime example volleyball is Waverly. These girls play year round. Which means they stay in shape and sharpen their skills out of season. I have kid in soccer and others wonder why he is better. When season over he plays indoor soccer, usually 2 teams, in the winter and club in spring and 3v3 summer. He travels to Columbus and Dayton year round to play. And on days he doesn't have something he kicks the ball around or watches soccer on TV.

[RonVonHagen]

Do any of the players play club ball? Do they pick up a volleyball in the off season? Do they go to camps?

If you look at the successful teams you wil find girls that play club ball and put in the extra effort to become better players and have a better understanding of the game.

You nailed it from the players persective! You have to put the time in if you want to be great. I know nothing about Minford as I'm not familiar with their program or have I seen them play this year. But I do feel in general that it's incumbent upon the coach to put in the time as well. Are you going to coaching clinics? Are you reading and learing on your own? Are you sharpening your coaching skills by coaching a club team? Just like the better player that puts the time and effort in... the better coach will do the same.

[Fundamentals]

Yes I agree you have to put in work in the off season, I know at least one played club Vball. But you also have to have dedicated coaching. I see coaches who don't put in the off season time to prepare their teams. Just as a player has to work, good teams coaches also put in ALOT of off season time. Also like I ave always said, 3-7th grade great/good teams don't always become good/great teams in high school. Alot of things happen with kids, alot more interests and they become better in other sports. So don't always put stock into pee wee and JR High records. Still this is a great group of kids, who knows they could put it together for a tourny run, which in the end erases regular season if you win a sectional title...