Portsmouth West Senator Basketball

[Cameron34Crazie34]

For the last eight years I have been one of few people that has went to almost every game. This year being the most games I have missed in the last 8 years, and I hated missing all 5 that i missed this year. I get sick of my friends saying, "Why you going to watch that crap for?" You know what I say, I am a West Sider basketball fan and Im going to stick through these tough times. I enjoyed every game I went to this year and all you might wonder how I could when West went 3-18. Well I enjoy it because I am a proud alum of Portsmouth West High School. I just wish that the school district along with the student body would give about as much care as they have for football to the basketball program. I remember last year being the only student at their game at Coal Grove. Do you think West will ever have that in football? NO... So why can't we get the love for basketball in our school district. I was setting there at the sectional game vs. Peebles last night and I was probably one of 50 fans at the most there. I look across the gym and I see the Peebles fans cheering and I just thought to myself why can't we have the support we have for football spill over into the gym. I know why because the kids don't have attitude for basketball so we have all of these rough losing seasons and people dont want to come out of the wood works to watch them. I remember last year when West started playing good with Simpson, Brandenburg, and Jordan under the coaching of coach Kitchen. People started to come out because they jumped on the bandwagon because they seen we had the potential to do good. I know the kids on the team would love to have the fans come out and support them every game. I'm going to continue to go to every game as long as I am in this area and when we start doing good you'll will see everyone come out of the wood works to watch the Siders.

To the Seniors, Alfie Bricker and Travis Perry, GOOD JOB AND WAY TO STICK WITH IT. I know it was rough season but i enjoyed every game I was at. I hated to see the season go because I love the game of basketball so much. Sorry that you had some poor attitudes on the team and had your teamates quit on you, but good job on sticking with it. For you other underclass, Stick with it and spend some more time in the gym and hopefully you can come out and have a respectable season next year. I will be there supporting you guys.

[trojandave]

CameronCrazie: Great to see your loyalty to the basketball Senators.......hopefully in the future the basketball program will pick up, because West has athletes......but the lack of interest in general has hurt the program.........

I know as a Portsmouth Trojans fan what tough times are like and how difficult it is to turn it around.......but it can be done!!!

[Cameron34Crazie34]

Thanks Trojandave. I will stick through it no matter how rough it gets. But until our attitudes pick up down there about basketball we will continue to have losing season after losing season.

[sider]

Very true post. I think Pat let a good one go when she let Kitchen slip through West's fingers. I think with this underclass, this would be the right time to get basketball going at West. The only thing that hurts West is its commitment to football (which isn't a bad thing), players very rarely play basketball other that during basketball season. But, we have athletes hopefully we could have a good season. Cameroncrazie would you happen to know the records from the past 8 years? I know this year was 3-18 and last year was 10-11, but I don't know anything besides that. I do know they were 5-8 wins each year though

[SSU Grad]

Well Said.

Another problem I see is total disrepect from the kids and thier parents toward any coach that tries to instill any sense of discipline in the program. This under-cutting of the coaches, not just in basketball,but in other sports as well, is pittyful. These people need to grow-up, sit back and enjoy watching the kids play.
We will never reach our potential as a community/school/athletic program as long as we have peaople acting the way that some acted this year. These people are not true West Siders in my mind. They are part of the problem,not part of the solution.

[Cameron34Crazie34]

Cameroncrazie would you happen to know the records from the past 8 years? I know this year was 3-18 and last year was 10-11, but I don't know anything besides that. I do know they were 5-8 wins each year though

I don't know exact records but I set through plenty of bad years. The 2005 class didn't have a good year but went up to Waverly and was the Underdog and they beat Hunington Ross then went on to get killed by Adena. I will continue to set through these years because I am a true fan of the basketball program and the Athletics at Portsmouth West.

[Coach93]

As i posted in another basketball post. I believe until the parents let the coach coach let the admin. and board worry about how a coach does. West basketball will always be at a stand still.West should be at the top of the soc II every year or aleast in the top 4 teams in the soc II . Ihope the Admin.and the Board back the current coach and not play musical chairs . Good luck to all of Portsmouth West teams

[Black@Orange]

I think that Coach Smith got better as the year went on. He lost alot of players along the way. But he also ran off some bad atitudes. We did'nt sub 5 players at a time, we stopped pressing so much. Is it to little, to late? Would we be better off with a new coach, or a coach with another year of experience under his belt? Offense needs to take better shots, no Globetrotter layups, no NBA 3's. I know that Coach Smith wants a fast game, but we don't have the players for that style. I say give the guy at least another year. The seniors this year have had 3 basketball coaches, 3 baseball coaches, and 2 football coaches. That is rediculous. Can we count on our board to hire someone better? I don't think so. If Coach Kitchen is so good. Why did we let him go? Why was he available last year mid season? What really happend at Green? I'm not saying Coach Kitchen is a bad coach. He done a nice job last year. And seemed like a really nice person. Most of the parents yelling for Coach Kitchen have already made their kids quit. Would it be the same next year if their kid does'nt play enough, or start, or is playing jv instead of varsity? Should they be allowed back? I know alot of kids was told to quit by their parents. So thats a touchy situation. But I would like congradulate the players who stayed, and worked their butts off, to represent West the best they could. The players we have coming back got some valuable varsity time. We scored enough to win alot of our ballgames. With the athletes we have our defense should get better with experience. Some players went from 8th grade, or freshman ball, right to varisty. With all the kids that quit, they was'nt able to mature. Thur freshman ball then jv ball then varsity ball. I think that we all could learn a valuable lesson from Mr. Smith (Coach Smith's dad). I know alot of remarks was said directly to him, or for him to hear. But he did'nt stoop down to some stupid parents levels. He was there to support his son and his team. I know I'm going on and on. So good luck to the players. Good luck to Coach Smith, and Coach Kitchen, wherever you may be next year.

[alabama mike]

Well Said.

Another problem I see is total disrepect from the kids and thier parents toward any coach that tries to instill any sense of discipline in the program. This under-cutting of the coaches, not just in basketball,but in other sports as well, is pittyful. These people need to grow-up, sit back and enjoy watching the kids play.
We will never reach our potential as a community/school/athletic program as long as we have peaople acting the way that some acted this year. These people are not true West Siders in my mind. They are part of the problem,not part of the solution.

As i posted in another basketball post. I believe until the parents let the coach coach let the admin. and board worry about how a coach does. West basketball will always be at a stand still.West should be at the top of the soc II every year or aleast in the top 4 teams in the soc II . Ihope the Admin.and the Board back the current coach and not play musical chairs . Good luck to all of Portsmouth West teams

These two quotes sum up the entire problem IMO. Cameron34Crazy, hang in there, hopefully, you will see a turnaround.

[Black@Orange]

Cameron34crazie34, Thank you for your loyalty. It would be nice, if we could put as much into basketball as we do in football. But that is not the case. Can you imadgin, if we was talking about players skipping out on football to get ready for basketball.

[Runner00]

A lot of young senators saw time and improved this year.

[sidersports]

freshman and sophmores started out very strong in jv. we did play 5 in and 5 out and doing very well at it. we played very aggressive on defense and offense but we played together it didnt matter who scored or who got the steal or who got the rebound etc.. the varsity team never played 5 in or 5 out and it seemed to be all about individuals and not team ball. i really do think the next several years are going to be better for west basketball

[TOUR_DIRECTOR]

we have a great example in our school right now that is demonstrating hard work, commintment, desire, attitude and has great support from the coachs, parents, administrators and the community in the football team.

The OFF SEASON is a critical time when the players can improve themselves by developing there fundamental skills, strength, agility, competiveness and self discipline. If a player has a passion for the game and truly wants to get better they will have the work ethic, desire, commintment to work there tails of in the off season and turn west basketball around.

What are we going to do work hard to overcame the adversity we have or just be lazy and be the embarrasment of southern ohio basketball.

If we want to be good it will take the support of the coachs, parents, administrators and the community to push these players to work hard and be committed to basketball.

Good Luck to all sports at West

[Coach93]

Well said Tour_ Director well said !!!!!!!!!!!!

[fromtheparkinglot]

Is Coach Smith coming back? The way he was treated by the most of the parents, I wouldn't blame him for looking elsewhere. I don't think West really appreciated what all he did for the program. He probably did more in the summer than any coach they have ever had. Not to mention the money that was raised for the team. Yes the wins weren't there, but given time i think he could make the program consistent.

[SSU Grad]

I wouldn't blame him for not coming back if he decides not to. I have heard that he was treated very badly by some of the parents and the kids. This disrespect toward a coach does not suprise me. I see it from the parents and the kids all of the time, some more than others. As long as thier kids are the superstar everthing is ok, when they are not, everyone else is to blame. Its never the kids fault that they don't play up to a certain level, even though they don't put forth the effort to perform at a higher level.
Another thing that upsets me is the lack of vision of some. When many of the kids were moved up from JV to varsity, the parents were complaining about how the JV used to win, but now they are losing. Even though the kids were gaining valuable varsity time all they could think of was winning or losing the JV game. Maybe they thought that West was going to win the JV state championship this year LOL. It all boils down to living for today and not thinking about the future. Just part of the culture of the West Side I guess. I moved back here about five years ago thinking that maybe things had changed. Instead, I found that it has gotten worse.

[Black@Orange]

Heard that Scott Davis is trying to get a gym built down at Lazy Village. Hope that he will be able to get it built. Scott and Jason Hurd have done alot for summer ball on the Westside. Which should help whoever gets or keeps the job, in the next few years.

[dct3407]

Cameron Crazie, I hope your loyalty spreads on the west side, it really needs it.

I find it so sad that people can say that they would not blame the coach for leaving. Things must be that bad, huh? Do any of the other sports have this kind of trouble with parents and keeping coaches or is it only basketball because they have not been winning?

[Black@Orange]

ssu grad you are correct the parents are a big ploblem. During one of the jv games, some younger players played better than some of the older players. And the younger players were rewarded with some varsity time. Instead of working harder and trying to improve their game, the older players quit. I seen parents go to the bench more than once. One parent went to the locker room. One heckled at every game. I seen Coach Smith escorted to his car by the Sheriff. So I agree with you who would really want it.

[Coach93]

DON'T GIVE UP ON COACH SMITH YET!!!! I THINK HE WILL BE BACK THE YOUNGER KIDS I HEARD REALLY LIKE HIM AND THEY ARE THE FUTURE .