Riding Solo

I really like Josh and wish him nothing but the best.

Any word on a new coach? I guess this position was not high on the school boards list. Kristinn as been gone for a while. My guess is they will try to get Shavon Fountain who was the coach but now a teacher only to take the job. Just my guess though.

[quote name="WOSgrad" post="1228595" timestamp="1338909967"] The last word on that was what came from the Enterprise and that is that interviews supposedly started yesterday, so we should get a list (if they decide to release it) pretty soon. I believe the target is to have the new coach named at Orangefield is next Monday night [/quote] Was at the administration building yesterday and saw one of them but not saying who.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Here is the deal, am I taking up for football? Yes I am but only because Orangefield was down for many years and since Huck came we were winning again. I won't us to win in every sport.  Is that realistic? No it is not because in less a miracle happens we will never win in track and the sad thing is track is the key to everything. In order for Orangefield to be sucessful kids need to play multiple sports. You have to have your best athletes on the field be it football, basketball, baseball or any other sport. If kids start speacializing at a 3A school then the program is doomed as a whole and that is what we are taking about "The Whole Program" right? Lets see, football team was competitive, basketball had winning season, baseball went to the playoffs, Golf team won district, girls basketball playoffs, girls volleyball playoffs, girls softball playoffs and girls golf team district champs. I would say that is a pretty good year for Orangefield with Coach Huck as AD. Lets wait and see what happens next year, then we will talk again. I keep hearing Smalleys name come up, if he was smart he would stay at Bridge City and by the way I like Josh very much. Numbers are down at a lot of schools and I guess it is the "AD's" fault at all the other schools also.

[quote name="Rizon" post="1228209" timestamp="1338673873"] [quote author=catfever link=topic=100135.msg1228207#msg1228207 date=1338672939] If the numbers aren't down because of a coach, then why did my son tell me that [b]10-15 new kids were getting into football before we even have a new head coach.  These are kids who played a few years ago, but got out.[/b]  I guess they think the next coach will make it easy. [/quote] I wouldn't blame it on the coach. I would say these kids are probably weak. I would imagine there will much division from the kids who stuck it out and learned how to be tough. [/quote] Nice post Rizon. I could not agree more.

[quote name="Mr. Happy" post="1228182" timestamp="1338657685"] Only football players work hard?  Ridiculous statements. [/quote] Not what I said, If you think that the same conditioning applies between the two sports then I guess you never played football or ran track, because what you are telling me is that all sports are equal and require the same strenght and conditioning. If that is the case then what Coach Huck was doing was right on. See, I am about all sports not one. I am about the team not my kid. Not saying you are about your kid, just letting you know what I am about.

[quote name="catfever" post="1228208" timestamp="1338673208"] So I guess working on individual skills is pointless.  Such as catching grounders, hitting in a cage, shooting free throws, dribbling drills.  All the things that you must have in order to be good at a sport.  Because it doesn't fit into your little categories, then the kids who practice them aren't working.  You have to have all of it in order to be good.  You have to work on speed, strength, and all those individual skills that you don't work your butt off doing.  Broaden your horizon. [/quote] See you are putting words in my mouth. Never said working on individual skills is pointless.  Do you honestly think that it takes the same amount of work in each sport? Wow is all I can say. I am about the big picture not the little screen you are veiwing from. OK so they have to work on speed, strengh and individual  skills. I agree with that, I though they were, except you guys seem to think they are not under coach Huck. You are a Huck hater I am a Huck supporter that will never change.

[quote name="catfever" post="1228207" timestamp="1338672939"] If the numbers aren't down because of a coach, then why did my son tell me that 10-15 new kids were getting into football before we even have a new head coach.  These are kids who played a few years ago, but got out.  I guess they think the next coach will make it easy. [/quote] You are pretty much right on. :P

[quote name="liltex" post="1228216" timestamp="1338682708"] Ya should've been there food was outstanding and a nice turnout for a great cause.Nice to see Gabe and his wife again.Saw a few older oilfield friends and there was alot of nice auction items 8) [/quote] Liltex came all the way from Dayton. Glad you came, it was awesome meeting you.

Don't get me wrong, I applaud him for honing in on his skills for the sport he loves. But there is a difference in bodywork when it comes to football/track vs baseball. There is no comparison, not even close. Never said the other sports were "Sissy" sports. The numbers are down in football for one reason and it is not the "COACH" Plain and simple. Its the twinkies and dingdongs. ;D ;D ;D JK!!!!!!!!!

[quote name="Mr. Happy" post="1227496" timestamp="1338475998"] [quote author=Riding Solo link=topic=100135.msg1227439#msg1227439 date=1338437968] [quote author=catfever link=topic=100135.msg1225311#msg1225311 date=1337782913] It will be posted, but I have heard that they are wanting to move quick.  There will probably be some in house candidates.  Not sure who will be on the hiring committee since they currently don't have a superintendent.  It will be interesting.  I am sure whoever they get will instill discipline, work ethic, and teach all those things that Coach Huck taught.  He isn't the only one out there that can teach that.  He did a great job at winning at football, [color=red]but their numbers were way down.  They only had two teams the past two years.  Maybe some of those kids that walk to hallways will come out and play now. [/color]  Talking to some friends, I know that there is a new excitement among the staff and kids.  The next few weeks should be interesting.  Who do you guys think should get it. [/quote] I am sick and tired of hearing the numbers are down. How many times am I going to have to post this? Lets see the numbers are down in football, track, girls basketball but the numbers are good in volleyball, tennis, golf, softball and baseball. Lets see you sweat a lot and have to run plus push your body to the limit in the sports that are down. Then you have the sports where the numbers are up, don't sweat very much, little or no running except around the bases. Hey they can eat more twinkie's and junk food in the sports that the numbers are up, not as much torture to the body. They can recoup before game day. That excitement will not last long, the numbers will be down again, they will want to run the next guy off and nothing will change. Some kids have it some don't,  plain and simple.  Its all about the drive and love for the sport. Either you have it or you don't and "NO" coach can make you lose that only the individual person themself. [/quote] 'Dem boys jus' need to toughen up, suck it up and play football.  Ery'one knows boys that don't play football's jus' a bunch of girly-boy sissies.  [color=red]Strange, but I don't remember seeing my son popping twinkies and junk food into his mouth in the middle of the summer when he is busting his butt working on baseball and the other sissy-boy sports that you seem to have such contempt for. [/color]  I couldn't have put it any better than you stumbled upon at the end of your post - "It's all about the drive and love for the sport."  If a kid doesn't have a drive and love for football, why should he play? [/quote] Well lets see,  if your son was lifting weights and running for conditioning then yes he is working his butt off. But if he was in the batting cage standing in one place or catching grounders where you move maybe 10 feet both ways or running maybe 20 yards to catch a fly ball then it will take a long time to work his butt off that way. ;D ;D

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="1227743" timestamp="1338514630"] I disagree with lumping tennis in with sports you don't have to be that fit to play. Tennis has the some of the most fit players of all sports. Those guys that play professional tennis are some of the fittest athletes on earth. [/quote] I agree aggie, all athlete's have to be fit even tennis players. LOL!!! But we are not talking about professional athletes are we.

[quote name="catfever" post="1227095" timestamp="1338381419"] Feel free to run.  There will be 4 spots up for re-election.  Put in all those hours up there with people criticizing the decisions you help make without any pay.  They try to put every student or athlete's interest in mind.  Each one of those employees of the district had issues that went far beyond the school board.  I am sure that if you would ask outside of your own little circle, you would find these issues.  None of which need to be brought up on this board. [/quote] I agree they do put in hours for free but you are preaching to the choir. I can assure you that the booster clubs put in way more hours than the school board does. Now I agree the schoolboard is less rewarding, has to make decisions that are not easy and unappreciated at times but if you want me to feel sorry for them you are sadly mistaken. Most do put every kids interest in mind but not all. Politics have been around for a long time. Oh by the way not bitter about politics because it would not have mattered. Take over the booster club and you will see what I am talking about. By the way booster club members are unappreciated too, just not by the kids.

[quote name="Mr. Happy" post="1227496" timestamp="1338475998"] [quote author=Riding Solo link=topic=100135.msg1227439#msg1227439 date=1338437968] [quote author=catfever link=topic=100135.msg1225311#msg1225311 date=1337782913] It will be posted, but I have heard that they are wanting to move quick.  There will probably be some in house candidates.  Not sure who will be on the hiring committee since they currently don't have a superintendent.  It will be interesting.  I am sure whoever they get will instill discipline, work ethic, and teach all those things that Coach Huck taught.  He isn't the only one out there that can teach that.  He did a great job at winning at football, [color=red]but their numbers were way down.  They only had two teams the past two years.  Maybe some of those kids that walk to hallways will come out and play now. [/color]  Talking to some friends, I know that there is a new excitement among the staff and kids.  The next few weeks should be interesting.  Who do you guys think should get it. [/quote] I am sick and tired of hearing the numbers are down. How many times am I going to have to post this? Lets see the numbers are down in football, track, girls basketball but the numbers are good in volleyball, tennis, golf, softball and baseball. Lets see you sweat a lot and have to run plus push your body to the limit in the sports that are down. Then you have the sports where the numbers are up, don't sweat very much, little or no running except around the bases. Hey they can eat more twinkie's and junk food in the sports that the numbers are up, not as much torture to the body. They can recoup before game day. That excitement will not last long, the numbers will be down again, they will want to run the next guy off and nothing will change. Some kids have it some don't,  plain and simple.  Its all about the drive and love for the sport. Either you have it or you don't and "NO" coach can make you lose that only the individual person themself. [/quote] 'Dem boys jus' need to toughen up, suck it up and play football.  Ery'one knows boys that don't play football's jus' a bunch of girly-boy sissies.  Strange, but I don't remember seeing my son popping twinkies and junk food into his mouth in the middle of the summer when he is busting his butt working on baseball and the other sissy-boy sports that you seem to have such contempt for.  I couldn't have put it any better than you stumbled upon at the end of your post - "It's all about the drive and love for the sport."  If a kid doesn't have a drive and love for football, why should he play? [/quote] That is actually fine with me if a kid has drive and love for another sport other than football. My son did not play football, maybe I went a little far with the twinkie comment but my point is the numbers are not down because of the coach. They want Huck out of Orangefield because the numbers are down. They will be down with or without Huck. That's my point!!!!!!

[quote name="catfever" post="1225311" timestamp="1337782913"] It will be posted, but I have heard that they are wanting to move quick.  There will probably be some in house candidates.  Not sure who will be on the hiring committee since they currently don't have a superintendent.  It will be interesting.  I am sure whoever they get will instill discipline, work ethic, and teach all those things that Coach Huck taught.  He isn't the only one out there that can teach that.  He did a great job at winning at football, [color=red]but their numbers were way down.  They only had two teams the past two years.  Maybe some of those kids that walk to hallways will come out and play now. [/color]  Talking to some friends, I know that there is a new excitement among the staff and kids.  The next few weeks should be interesting.  Who do you guys think should get it. [/quote] I am sick and tired of hearing the numbers are down. How many times am I going to have to post this? Lets see the numbers are down in football, track, girls basketball but the numbers are good in volleyball, tennis, golf, softball and baseball. Lets see you sweat a lot and have to run plus push your body to the limit in the sports that are down. Then you have the sports where the numbers are up, don't sweat very much, little or no running except around the bases. Hey they can eat more twinkie's and junk food in the sports that the numbers are up, not as much torture to the body. They can recoup before game day. That excitement will not last long, the numbers will be down again, they will want to run the next guy off and nothing will change. Some kids have it some don't,  plain and simple.  Its all about the drive and love for the sport. Either you have it or you don't and "NO" coach can make you lose that only the individual person themself.

The 19th annual Ed Peveto Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser Crawfish Boil is Saturday June 2, 2012 at the Jewel Cormier Community Center in Orangefield Texas. There will be a cajun, highest bidder and silent auction. If you like sports the auctions are well worth the drive to attend. There will be a moonwalk for the kids. We do not furnish drinks so please bring you own. Trays will be provided but I encourage you to bring your own if you have one. They probably hold more crawfish than the ones we provide. The event will start at 1:00 pm with the auction starting around 3:00 pm. The crawfish, corn, potatoes, mushrooms and links are free but we do except donations. Everyone is invited; hope to see our friends from neighboring communities join us in this special event. We provide a scholarship to a boy and girl student athlete at Orangefield High School. If you have any questions or need directions please call Keith Little at (409) 781-3913.

The 19th annual Ed Peveto Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser Crawfish Boil is Saturday June 2, 2012 at the Jewel Cormier Community Center in Orangefield Texas. There will be a cajun, highest bidder and silent auction. If you like sports the auctions are well worth the drive to attend. There will be a moonwalk for the kids. We do not furnish drinks so please bring you own. Trays will be provided but I encourage you to bring your own if you have one. They probably hold more crawfish than the ones we provide. The event will start at 1:00 pm with the auction starting around 3:00 pm. The crawfish, corn, potatoes, mushrooms and links are free but we do except donations. Everyone is invited; hope to see our friends from neighboring communities join us in this special event. We provide a scholarship to a boy and girl student athlete at Orangefield High School. If you have any questions or need directions please call Keith Little at (409) 781-3913.

[quote name="falconfanatic" post="1220027" timestamp="1336574678"] [quote author=Eagle11 link=topic=98748.msg1220019#msg1220019 date=1336573918] Tongue in cheek falcon.......nothing intended. I also do not expect you to agree with me. You are 22 and see the world through different eyes. It would be interesting to be on here when I am 73, you are 47 and see how perceptions may change. When I was 14 - 20 my dad, rest his soul, was the dumbest man I knew. When I turned 40 and my kids were teenagers I thought he was a genius. [/quote] My dad always said the same thing lol, but I never thought he was dumb. It just makes me mad when people want to talk about an entire generation, because of the actions of the few. Most of my generation is made up of young, hard working, open minded people trying to be successful just like every other generation at that age. [/quote] I agree with most that is being said here, even you young falcon. I do think it is some kids not all. That being said most kids are not as respectfull these days compared to say 20 years ago. Alot more trash talking going on these days. I put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the parents. We make it to easy on our kids but I think every generation is guilty of that. Every generation thinks the generations after them get worse and worse. Just the way it is.

[quote name="BLUEDOVE3" post="1214947" timestamp="1335451926"] I'm not that familiar on the girl's side of basketball but I can assure you parents and players have to be more pro active. Times have changed and just playing high school ball and wanting to play the next level isn't enough anymore. You just don't see that many players coming from this area having a lot of options or choice of schools after their high school career. [/quote] You are correct Dove, I have been there and done that.

[quote name="Dove Hunter" post="1214651" timestamp="1335364821"] I guess she no longer wants to play basketball?? by now she should have gotten everything in order with the college of her choice, so saying that she was a good player, she lead her team to two playoff wins in four years as a starter.  Can't really call that district tough because it rarely represents the region at state and no team has made regional finals in last fifteen yrs.  Any one do better?? [/quote] I agree with you asumption about the regional tournament but I disagree about her not wanting to play basketball. Colleges are not going to be beating down her door. She is simply not that caliber of a player. For most athletes the parents have to do most if not all of the leg work, sending film and so on. If she wants to continue to play then she needs to go try-out at one of the Juco's.

I think they will. They are solid all the way around.

[color=red]Im tring to follow your logic.  Are you trying to say kids should only work on the sport that is in season... except football...  because your football team has not been a successful as you would like??  That schools should cut their athletic programs during the day (when you say specific it means football as well)... and only work after school.. not very smart for any of the programs...[/color] Dam man, alot of questions but I will try to address them all. LOL!!!! Not saying that at all, The bulk of the work is done after school. I do think that the kids should work on the sport in season. That being said Most AD's are a football coach first, so I do see where they are coming from. All I am saying is the work outs for offseason football are not as damaging to the other sports as some people are insinuating. I agree the weight training needs to change but the conditioning does not. As far as the football team, until they change districts and get in one where the numbers are even it will be a hit and miss, with more misses. So no, the success of the football team is not an issue and No they should not cut the athletic period because some work can be done. [color=red]I understand where you are coming from... you are saying Baseball and Basketball are "taking athletes"... Making it hard to win on the football field...  The same problem HJ and Kountze has now... most of the "Athletes" play only Basketball...  SO HOW DO YOU FIX IT??[/color] Yes, that is what I am saying but I am not just a football guy. I encourage kids to play as many sports as they can because those should be the best years in a young persons life and I don't want them to have regrets. Plus at a 3A school on down you need your best athletes palying multiple sports inorder for the program as a whole to succeed. Llike I said before it will hard for Orangefield to do that in the current district and I realize that. You know as well as I do the real world can be cruel. Most wish they could be back in high school. My point is, have no regrets. I will never look down on a kid who chooses one sport. That is their choice, some kids are not football, basketball, baseball, track, tennis or golf players. I understand that.  IMO the only way to fix it is for the parents to let the coaches and teachers to their job and the parents should stick to parenting. That is the way it was when I played. I agree with everything else you said but it is not that easy. It is almost impossible to find a good coach who cares at each sport and every level. Times have changed as you well know. Coaching should be a passion just like teaching but most see it as a job even though it is. I remember this young coach after his first year told the AD, if I do not move up to the varsity I quit. I would have said goodbye. You know as well as I do because even though I am much older than you the same lessons were taught to the both of us. 10 years seem like a lot but really it is not. Sad but true it is all about the money these days. Some young people expect advancement when they have not done the time. Now, it is about a paycheck plain and simple.

[quote name="ispeakjive" post="1209953" timestamp="1334268637"] [quote author=Riding Solo link=topic=98828.msg1209621#msg1209621 date=1334238381] I just talked to  UIL director and yes you can practice a sport out of season duing the school year in the athletic period. I was wrong but I still feel the sameway about classes for individual sports. 50 minutes is not a lot of time to actually get in much work.  Most of the work is done after school. HJ is good not because they have a basketball class but because of their little dribbler program. I don't see the baseball class helping their baseball program. Silsbee they just have more athletes plain and simple. Don't see a basketball class helping Bridge City either. Here are the facts, unless Orangefield really grows at a rapid pace we will always be in the rear view mirrow of WOS, Silsbee and HJ in basketball, also WOS, Silsbee and BC in football. It will be hit and miss for us as long as we stay in this district. We simply do not have the number of athletes some of these bigger schools have. Orangefield needs to have their athlete's playing multiple sports in order to compete. If kids start specializing the program as a "WHOLE" is doomed. That is what we are talking about RIGHT, the "WHOLE" program. [/quote] "WHOLE" program = Football program Anyone who thinks that baseball or basketball players don't benefit from actually "playing" baseball or basketball or working on those individual sports during an athletic period is in denial or truly thinks that every boy in a HS should be playing football and maybe fit in another sport where possible during those specific seasons.  That just isn't the way it is anymore.  With the growth of select baseball and AAU / summer basketball, kids have more options to develop in other sports and what some of you perceive as the "specialization problem" is only going to get worse in all classifications.  There are more options to work on the non-football sports and unfortunately, some of the better athletes may like those better than football and shockingly choose not to play.  Baseball and basketball players get next to nothing from doing football offseason workouts during their specific season.  The workouts should be sport specific, especially during the course of the season and if a kid chooses to specialize, he should not be looked at as letting the football program down.  I know this is Texas and football is king, but some of the arguments on here are ridiculous. [/quote] It will never get worse at the 4A and 5A level, plenty of kids to go around. 3A and down is a different story. All of you that approve of specializing I have never heard you once mention track, powerlifting, cross country, tennis or golf, just basketball and baseball. Are those the only two sports. I have never looked down on a kid for not playing football. My son only played basketball. Some schools make their basketball players run cross country, would you say they get nothing from that? Offseason football is a lot of conditioning and agility drills and I guess that does not help other sports. I agree the weight training could be a little different but to say the offseason football workouts do not help at all is a little ridiculous in it own self.  99% of the kids at Orangefield will not play at the next level on any given year. That is not being cruel just a fact. Here is another fact, lets say Orangefield does away with football all together will the other sports improve? No, it will not. All it means is more kids will be walking the halls instead of being involved in a sport. Lets talk about baseball, Bridge City has twice as many kids playing baseball than we do. Hard to compete with that and that is why we only beat them when a special group comes through. See, I care about every sport and in order for Orangefield to Progress as some of you say. We need kids to play multiple sports. You sound like you are from the "ME" generation, well I am from the "WE" generation.

[quote name="ispeakjive" post="1209954" timestamp="1334268898"] It's interesting that the people who say that kids should play multiple sports only seem to complain when a good athlete doesn't play football.  I don't seem to ever remember hearing those people lament the fact that a great football player isn't playing basketball or baseball or even soccer. [/quote] I guess you don't know the right people because I have always told kids to play as many sports as you can at the High school level.

[quote name="catfever" post="1209812" timestamp="1334253746"] Many skills from all sports can be taught in 50 minutes.  My belief is that the Head Coach of the sport should be allowed to decide what days to lift weights, what conditioning or agility drills would benefit his kids, and what sport specific skill drills could help his sport.  Most coaches want to build something within their sport so they would want to get better in the offseason.  It is hard to do that when you have no control over what the kids do in the offseason.  Many people have gotten on here and said that kids should be motivated enough to do it on their own.  I completely agree and when I was younger we were like that.  [color=red]Are we really naive enough to think that very many of them are going to do that today.  Kids have changed.  They don't live outside anymore to throw the ball around or shoot hoops. [/color]  [color=red]Society has changed and athletics needs to adjust as well in order to progress.[/color]  Somebody mentioned the 2010 Bobcat baseball team.  That team had three young men who really knew how to work and were gifted with many natural talents as well.  They were very driven.  Those kids don't come around very often.  Not many teams have 3 Division one athletes on one team at the 3A level. [/quote] I keep reading your post over and over and while I do agree society has changed and so have kids but I disagree with the comment in red. Maybe I am misreading something and If I am I will be the first to say I was wrong. Basically I take what you are saying as athletics should change because kids have gotten lazy. Who's fault is it that kids don't play outside anymore? The kids are the ones that need to change. What happen to morals and respect. Those kids(2010 baseball) knew how to work because their parents instilled it in them and if a parent is not going to do that then a coach might as well. We live in a "Give Every Kid a Ribbon" society. Well sorry not every kid should get a ribbon only the man in the arena. It is not the critic who counts nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; Whose fate is marred by dust and sweat and blood; Who errs and comes short again; Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; And spends himself in a worthy cause; Who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; And who at worst , if he fails at least fails while daring greatly; So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.