IHSAASports.org - The Official Website of Indiana High School Sports

Spring Sports Thoughts - Part 1

Posted 6/23/2008 3:19:00 PM

A very busy time in the IHSAA year has come to a conclusion.

Over a span of 33 days that ended June 14, there were 21 different levels of postseason play (i.e. softball sectionals, girls tennis regionals, boys track state finals, etc.) covering the six spring sports. Included in that number are seven State Championship events (girls tennis has separate team and singles/doubles State Championships).

With the weather presenting all sorts of problems, that meant many of these postseason events overlapped and plenty of adjustments were made, affecting everyone from the IHSAA, athletic directors, and principals to coaches, players, parents, and plenty of others.

I have witnessed a number of terrific events over the past few weeks and want to share some stories and thoughts from those experiences over the course of a few blog ...

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Lineup Strategies

Posted 5/1/2008 10:34:00 AM

This time of year many tennis coaches have to decide whether to gamble or play it safe. The lineup for the IHSAA postseason tournament (sectional, regional, semi-state, state) must be submitted to the IHSAA from each school by May 7.

Tennis is a unique sport in that whatever lineup (1-2-3 singles and 1-2 doubles) is used for the first round of sectionals must be used all the way through the state finals. Coaches are permitted to use alternates, but cannot move a Top 7 player back and forth between singles and doubles.

The purpose of this rule is to prevent “stacking” – which is using a lineup where the 1-2-3 singles players and/or the 1-2 doubles teams are not lined up in proper order of playing ability.

For many coaches, strategy becomes a guessing game as they try to figure out which teams they mi...

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Scheduling to Prepare for the State Tournament

Posted 5/7/2008 1:14:00 PM

At Lafayette Central Catholic, we try to live by the old adage “to be the best, you must play the best”. Our philosophy has always been to use the 29 regular season games to prepare our team for the state tournament. How do you do that? I think you do that by putting together a schedule that is going to challenge your team every time it takes the field. There are some games that may be “locked into” a schedule by conference affiliations, local schools, etc. But every school has a certain number of games that they can decide who they want to compete against to complete their schedules.

In looking over the schedules of many teams throughout the state...

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Tournament Time

Posted 5/29/2008 12:44:00 PM

I really do enjoy tournament time. Even though our program has never won the big one we have come as close as any team possibly could.

Our girls start doing a lot of weird things when the tournament rolls around. Superstitions really start to be more pronounced and I even find myself wearing the same socks, hat, shorts, etc. every game - anything you can do to keep that luck rolling on! The girls pick anonymous sectional buddies and buy gag gifts for them before every game. It is really fun to watch them prank each other!

It is so neat to watch the community come out and support you when it really counts. To see signs all over the town, people wishing you good luck at the bank, grocery store or gas station. Dress up days at school are common for any IHSAA tournament run, but it seems like the girls and boys of summer get cheated a little bit. School is generally out when all the titles are won and there are no pep sessions in t...

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Heading into the State Meet

Posted 5/29/2008 12:48:00 PM

As I experience these last couple of days as the Head Coach of the Carmel HS Boys Track Team, I can tell you that there honestly is a tremendous amount of emotion going into the State Meet this Saturday. I am currently working with a very special group of young men. I love how they always put the "team" first.

Our best bet to score in the meet is most likely the 4X8 relay. These kids are all underclassmen. It seems that they have been somewhat criticized for not doing more in the 1600m and 3200m, but they are all young and eventually they will be there....it is just that right now they are concentrating on the relay. I think that in the end it will pay off.

We have had a wonderful time of off-season winter training and indoor and outdoor competitive seasons. It is now time to "step-up" and deliver. There is no question in my mind that these guys will be ready. I have enjoyed every minute that I have had the pleasure of working with them.
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