keys to a successful j.h. athletic program

[maestro]

just wondering....

what things make bellville's 7th and 8th graders so tough every single year?

some districts have the 5-5 records....

some have the 1-9 records....

just wondering how and why some communities seem to have " powerful" feeder programs year in and year out?

you could probably throw in cuero in this discussion also.

what are the keys?

[Electus Unus]

JH athletics usually have zero bearing on how well a program is.

Ex: Cameron Yoe

[maestro]

i've noticed that on several occasions.

even different results from frosh year to varsity..

but yet....

some communities find a way...

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by maestro
i've noticed that on several occasions.

even different results from frosh year to varsity..

but yet....

some communities find a way...

it's all about keeping the kids interested (coaches) and parent support, IMHO

[Fal44]

I'd say the keys to a successful program are... coaches who will run the system the high school is using, getting reps for all the players, and keep the players interested. It is always nice to win in Junior High, BUT I have been in the situation where we won every game in jh, but were terrible in highschool.

I never had any reps in junior high, the coaches were concerned about winning at that moment, and would not think twice about it. When I was in junior high we had about 50 players in 7th and 8th grade, by the time I was a senior we had 18 guys from my class.

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by pirate4state
it's all about keeping the kids interested (coaches) and parent support, IMHO

Ain't no "H" in your "IMHO", P4S....getting soft now that you ain't royalty? :D :inlove:

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
Ain't no "H" in your "IMHO", P4S....getting soft now that you ain't royalty? :D :inlove: H = honest

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by pirate4state
H = honest

LOL. I was thinking "Humble"--but I'll buy "Honest" coming from you---you never sugar-coated anything in your life....:inlove:

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
LOL. I was thinking "Humble"--but I'll buy "Honest" coming from you---you never sugar-coated anything in your life....:inlove: me? humble? good one! hahaha :D

[maestro]

When I was in junior high we had about 50 players in 7th and 8th grade, by the time I was a senior we had 18 guys from my class.

FROM FAL44

i see this a ton.....

in football and basketball.....

[maestro]

i guess that an added question then would be..

how many jh coaches are employed by these " successful" districts?

and how many are employed by districts that fizzle..

[44INAROW]

Not sure how the other schools do it but in Cuero ALL the coaches coach Jr High. Of course, one will be the Head Coach. jr High teams practice before school and Fresh, JV and Varsity practice 4th period and after school. That way all the coaches can be involved in all the programs. 99.99% of the CISD coaches are either on the yellow dogs traveling to a game or coaching at Gobbler Stadium on Thursday nights.


Is it AUGUST 1st YET? ;)

[BaseballUmp]

Originally posted by Electus Unus
JH athletics usually have zero bearing on how well a program is.

Ex: Cameron Yoe


Well the fact that we have been going through hs coaches like none other does not help out one bit.

[maestro]

cuero sounds like that is the real deal!!

[boba fett]

Quality coaching at JH teaching technique and scheme that will be used at the HS level is great for all sports. The situation in Cuero is really ideal for that.

Another thing is making sure that the coaches are coaching as many players as possible. There can always be those who are underdeveloped in JH that if coached well can contribute by the time they get to HS and will be big parts of the program or significant role players.

Also, making sure the parents understand what's expected and allowed in behavior and procedure (by them and the kids) is important at this level to prevent future conflicts...

[wildstangs]

Patience
Enjoy repeating yourself (over and over)
Teaching basics
Getting kids excited to play
Get numbers up

Winning isn't most important in junior high, but it sure is fun!

[Rabid Cougar]

My class at Cameron 1982
7th Grade 8-1 District Champs.
8th grade 1-8
Freshman 7-2 District Champs
Sophmore 5-5- Varsity
Junior 6-4 - Varsity
Senior 13-1-1 State Champions

Son's China Spring Class 2009

7th Grade Undefeated District Champs
8th Grade Undefeated District Champs
Freshman 1 loss to Teague JV District Champs
Sophmore 8-3 - Varsity
Junior 14-2 State Finalist
Senior 12-1 Regional Finalist


Coaching !

Junior High success is directly related to a single class whereas High School is the effort of several classes.

[garciap77]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
My class at Cameron 1982
7th Grade 8-1 District Champs.
8th grade 1-8
Freshman 7-2 District Champs
Sophmore 5-5- Varsity
Junior 6-4 - Varsity
Senior 13-1-1 State Champions

Son's China Spring Class 2009

7th Grade Undefeated District Champs
8th Grade Undefeated District Champs
Freshman 1 loss to Teague JV District Champs
Sophmore 8-3 - Varsity
Junior 14-2 State Finalist
Senior 12-1 Regional Finalist


Coaching !

Junior High success is directly related to a single class whereas High School is the effort of several classes.


:iagree:

[SintonFan]

The 5A level is much harder from my point of view. Lots of different schools feeding to bigger schools and the high school coach gets to pick among the best. My kid's middle school had around 1500 kids and 150-250 kids that played at the middle school level. Lots of raw talent, but overall a good coach who keeps the kids interested, excited and ready for high school football will have good results but doesn't have to have a winning season every year. At that level, it's alot about character and building good young men. Teaching(and getting through to the kids) about hard work and values will constitute a better junior high program than will winning their respective district(s) for kids that age. Coaches for kids that age are another Father figure and can really help set the attitude for kids entering high school.:)

[PutMeInCoach]

Originally posted by boba fett

Another thing is making sure that the coaches are coaching as many players as possible. There can always be those who are underdeveloped in JH that if coached well can contribute by the time they get to HS and will be big parts of the program or significant role players.

Also, making sure the parents understand what's expected and allowed in behavior and procedure (by them and the kids) is important at this level to prevent future conflicts...

Coaching as many players as possible is key, not focusing on the top 20 out of 80 or so kids. As the kids get older, they have more options for extracurricular and may take a different path than Athletics, grades issues might arrise more due to harder courses, and finances....that brand new car with the tricked out rims might be more of a priority than hitting someone on the football field.
By trying to develop as many players as possible down in J.H. this will help the program overall.

I remember starting out in 7th grade with 70-85 kids and by my senior year we were down to 5. Of the 5 we had only one J.H. "starter" left.

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by Electus Unus
JH athletics usually have zero bearing on how well a program is.

Ex: Cameron Yoe


you must not coach or have a job in education......bet you would change your thinking if adminstration said they were going to cut out jr. high athletics for budget purposes.

mosts of the poster have touched on key points.......the biggest thing i've seen is that it might be the first introduction to structure and discipline for some kids....it also gets a lot kids excited about playing (pride).....and the more you get interested and give attention to the more you might just have stick around.

i think a lot of district i've been in the jr. high coaching was a combo of some old timers who gave the program stablity and a few young guys who were excited and would both work hard and continue to learn the game everyday.


i have always believed that one of the reason's texas has such great high school football and talent is because of the start they get with jr. high football.......texas jr.high kids get early introductions and learn the proper tech. and the game........some states depend on pop warner which has some good points but like any other pay to play league....coached by dads. .the bigger stronger kids that can afford to play ...play while those little late bloomers might never get a chance....there usually aren't "A teams" or "B teams" "blue teams or "white teams"

jr. high athletics is part of an overall athletics program...so it will have an effect.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by Electus Unus
JH athletics usually have zero bearing on how well a program is.

Ex: Cameron Yoe


I disagree to an extent


When I was in 5th grade my HS's football program was TERRIBLE had been to one play-offs in like 25 years.

We got a new AD who built from the ground up as he called it. Really started targeting the lower levels of the football program

That fall that 8th grade team went unbeaten and won district..the next year they were unbeaten at the 9th grade level and the 8th grade team below them were unbeaten as well and iot went like that for a few years

we developed that winning attitude at the lower levels, and it grew

That first 8th grade class finished their SR year 13-1 State quarterfinals( lost to the 88 Carter Team 22-18)

The class after them finished their SR class 13-2 State Semi-finalist

and the class after them in 1990 won the State Title


Now those classes were talented, but honestly not that much talented over the classes that had come before them..the difference was we all tasted the success at the first couple of levels in football and it stuck with us and we grew as a program.

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
I disagree to an extent


When I was in 5th grade my HS's football program was TERRIBLE had been to one play-offs in like 25 years.

We got a new AD who built from the ground up as he called it. Really started targeting the lower levels of the football program

That fall that 8th grade team went unbeaten and won district..the next year they were unbeaten at the 9th grade level and the 8th grade team below them were unbeaten as well and iot went like that for a few years

we developed that winning attitude at the lower levels, and it grew

That first 8th grade class finished their SR year 13-1 State quarterfinals( lost to the 88 Carter Team 22-18)

The class after them finished their SR class 13-2 State Semi-finalist

and the class after them in 1990 won the State Title


Now those classes were talented, but honestly not that much talented over the classes that had come before them..the difference was we all tasted the success at the first couple of levels in football and it stuck with us and we grew as a program.


i think i know the program your talking about and if i remember right you were led by a man who came from the judson program?

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by NastySlot
i think i know the program your talking about and if i remember right you were led by a man who came from the judson program?


yep Coach Parker

[BuckeyeNut]

J H Sports is what is used to weed out the boys and girls that were thinking sports would be fun or there parents want to play. 7th and 8th grade sports lose more people than any other grade.

When i was in 7th grade we had 78 players on the football team. When we went to 8th it dropped to 52.

When we were seniors there were just 12 of us left.

[TexasHSFB]

Originally posted by maestro
just wondering....

what things make bellville's 7th and 8th graders so tough every single year?

some districts have the 5-5 records....

some have the 1-9 records....

just wondering how and why some communities seem to have " powerful" feeder programs year in and year out?

you could probably throw in cuero in this discussion also.

what are the keys? Talent.



If you got some kids with a little talent, size, and a bit of speed....(Kids that are kinda grown, or way more mature and grown upo than others) leads you to a winning record. Then when everybody else catches up...... well, that's when they lose.


Also, JH kids aern't too bright yet, for the most part. A simple playbook and keeping kids interested by making it fun helps.

[tigerfan09]

Originally posted by BaseballUmp
Well the fact that we have been going through hs coaches like none other does not help out one bit.

Why can't Cameron Yoe keep coaches around? It has always been a revolving door with the assistant coaches. Randy Sapp and Larry McNabb are the only ones there that have been there since the 1980's.

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by NastySlot
you must not coach or have a job in education......
What was your first clue? :D




:wave: And, hi! How's it going? :)