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Foghorn...Why should a teenager waste all of his free time practicing when he can sharpen his shooting skills on his Play Station 2.

Hey Old School -- do you think if we had Play Stations and X Boxes and all that we would have gone out and played on our own?

When I lived in Sproul we used to have run-till-you're-tackled games on the brickyard ball field that lasted hours, it seemed. I like to believe I wouldn't have been inside in front of that damned screen -- but...who knows.

Something else just occurred to me. Maybe we organize things too much for kids when they're smaller.

I agree Fog Horn.....I like to play these games and they are very addicting. That is the #1 reason I will not allow my children to have a Play Station. As a matter of fact my in-laws purchased one for my kids a few years ago and I made them take it back.

i think CRliondawg needs to get off of Barefoot's **** and realize there are as good if not better players in the county but Coach how can you put Barefoot and Harris and Miller in with guys like Garland

if u want ur kids to get out and do stuff...send them to the Marines, u can enter the Delayed Entry Program for up to a year before u leave bootcamp. and every wednesday nite we have meetings w/ the recruiter where everyone just gathers round to shoot some hoops or play ultimate frisbee or somethin like that, and once a month we have all day meetings and sometimes over niters. just this past weekend i spent the nite at outdoor odysey near jennerstown with 10 marines and 35 future marines...the whole weekend we played tackle football, learned about the M16, did an obstacle course and some leadership-developing courses as well....its a heck of alot of fun!

Nice Takes.

1. I am not blaming the coaches at CR for the shape of the athletic program.

2. I am not blaming the Athletes.

I beleive the school needs to address a few issues. WHat needs to be done to maintain the high level of participation from the Junior HIgh Program into the High School.

What needs to be done to provide skill development for the youth athletes on a year round basis.

Example: baseball.

Kids begin to play TBall at age 5.
Minor League 10 and under
Little League 11 and 12
Then Junior High starts up. Normally 40 plus kids show up, from 7th - 9th grade.
1 coach is given the privilege of trying to provide team and individual training to this many kids. Some get overlooked and lose interest and eventually quit.
Then disgust and angry chatter develops from the stands by unhappy parents.
This happens every year without exception.

Is it the coaches fault? Absolutely not.
Is it the kids fault? No
Is it the parents fault? No

It is the schools fault for not recognizing the situation and providing solutions.

Does the school help to direct the baseball players towards playing on quality summer teams? Not really.

Why cant the AD create an environment where he assits the summer leagues. Provide coaching clinics. Provide information for parents who want to send there kids to developmental camps. Give direction to kids who want to play in a higher level of competition.

This is my point.

Lets hear your complaints about this!

Oh and by the way.

That Emerick guy is a friend of mine.

After a lot of years of abuse he has developed himself into a quality coach.

What you're saying sounds great, Dawg, in a Utopia. And who would ever complain about it if it could be accomplished? But part of what you're talking about is the natural attrition of high school kids. I could take you in my car and in less than a half hour visit to a variety of businesses where kids work -- many of whom could be getting serious playing time on various varsity and jv teams.

As for more coaches for jr. high -- more are always needed, but I bet if you'd bring up that point with a lot of school board members, they'd say there are more than enough.

How do you get them to commit more athletic expenditures when academics are already being shortchanged?

The first step in accomplishing anything is having a vision. The second step is beleiving it can be achieved.

You are correct Foghorn. There are a lot of kids who choose work over athletics. That happens a lot. In fact I made that choice when I was in high school. I regret it even today. There are a multitude of reasons why teenagers work. In my opinion, and I have heard it said many times, this is a quote, "if that is all my kid is going to get out of playing high school basketball, I do not blame him for choosing work over making a commitment to play.." What I hear from that statement is a lack of respect for the program. Resulting from a track record of consistent performance.

Is this Utopia? Sure to some extent.

Is it an attainable environment? Absolutely!

There are plenty of examples of where a bottom to top development system exists and produces not only quality athletes but highly competitive teams. We currently live in such an area.

Does a system like this have to break the bank for the school district? No way.

Does this send the message that athletics are more important than education? Only if that is what is intended.

Chestnut Ridge is notoriously one of the bottom school districts in the state for amount of money spent per student. They work hard to maintain that status and are proud of it. Is this a good thing? Not in my way of thinking.

Remember Foghorn, you will only exceed your lowest level of expectation.

We are only limited by our ability to dream.