tap_tx_sinton
11-07-2005, 09:32 PM
Road Rage
Why must 4As travel a longer road?
By John Allen / Caller-Times
November 7, 2005
This weekend, when the 5A, 3A, 2A and A regional semifinals and finals are taking place at the same place over the course of two days. It’s a nice setup for the teams, coaches, parents and, selfishly, the media.
Teams and coaches get to see their potential finals opponent play in the semifinals. Teams and parents that have to travel a great distance, can stay overnight in the same area for the next game. When district opponents are in the semifinals - I’ve seen George West and Three Rivers, and Aransas Pass and Sinton - they can cheer on their area school before or after playing their game. For us, it’s great to catch two local teams in different games at the same venue. Two stories for the price of one is great value in my mind.
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But a few years ago, the head of the 4A teams got together and voted to be different and standalone with their semifinals and finals remaining days apart and miles apart.
Unfortunately for Calallen and Flour Bluff, the two local representatives in the Region IV-4A volleyball tournament that means a lot of traveling and some of it seems unnecessary.
For example, Flour Bluff will play New Braunfels in Poteet Tuesday night. Poteet is nearly 140 miles (MAP LINK to Poteet High School: from Flour Bluff. It is also more than 60 miles from New Braunfels.
According to UIL rules, neutral site games are "a site mid-point or near mid-point, or a site agreed on by both schools as neutral, is a neutral site. Unless mutually agreeable, a site cannot be neutral if its distance from either school is more than two-thirds the total distance between the two schools."
Neither team had Poteet as the first choice, but with girls basketball regular season opening on Monday and Tuesday, a suitable gym between the two schools was hard to find. For example, Pleasanton, which is much closer to a mid-point between the two schools and has a great facility for volleyball, had its gym tied up both Monday and Tuesday for school events, according the Pleasanton athletic director Dean Bates.
Luckily for Calallen, their opponent, New Braunfels Canyon, called Three Rivers last week to secure that site. That will give the Wildcats a manageable hour-long trip and New Braunfels Canyon has an hour and a half trip.
At least the Wildcats will get to bed before Wednesday. The same may not apply for Flour Bluff. Makes me wonder if these are the sacrifices kids are suppose to make for the privilege of playing sports.
Contact John Allen at 886-3745 or allenj@caller.com
Why must 4As travel a longer road?
By John Allen / Caller-Times
November 7, 2005
This weekend, when the 5A, 3A, 2A and A regional semifinals and finals are taking place at the same place over the course of two days. It’s a nice setup for the teams, coaches, parents and, selfishly, the media.
Teams and coaches get to see their potential finals opponent play in the semifinals. Teams and parents that have to travel a great distance, can stay overnight in the same area for the next game. When district opponents are in the semifinals - I’ve seen George West and Three Rivers, and Aransas Pass and Sinton - they can cheer on their area school before or after playing their game. For us, it’s great to catch two local teams in different games at the same venue. Two stories for the price of one is great value in my mind.
Advertisement
But a few years ago, the head of the 4A teams got together and voted to be different and standalone with their semifinals and finals remaining days apart and miles apart.
Unfortunately for Calallen and Flour Bluff, the two local representatives in the Region IV-4A volleyball tournament that means a lot of traveling and some of it seems unnecessary.
For example, Flour Bluff will play New Braunfels in Poteet Tuesday night. Poteet is nearly 140 miles (MAP LINK to Poteet High School: from Flour Bluff. It is also more than 60 miles from New Braunfels.
According to UIL rules, neutral site games are "a site mid-point or near mid-point, or a site agreed on by both schools as neutral, is a neutral site. Unless mutually agreeable, a site cannot be neutral if its distance from either school is more than two-thirds the total distance between the two schools."
Neither team had Poteet as the first choice, but with girls basketball regular season opening on Monday and Tuesday, a suitable gym between the two schools was hard to find. For example, Pleasanton, which is much closer to a mid-point between the two schools and has a great facility for volleyball, had its gym tied up both Monday and Tuesday for school events, according the Pleasanton athletic director Dean Bates.
Luckily for Calallen, their opponent, New Braunfels Canyon, called Three Rivers last week to secure that site. That will give the Wildcats a manageable hour-long trip and New Braunfels Canyon has an hour and a half trip.
At least the Wildcats will get to bed before Wednesday. The same may not apply for Flour Bluff. Makes me wonder if these are the sacrifices kids are suppose to make for the privilege of playing sports.
Contact John Allen at 886-3745 or allenj@caller.com