AggiesAreWe

It is not just a game, it's a district game Gabriel Pruett The Orange Leader To play or not to play, why is that even a question? The West Orange-Stark Lady Mustangs volleyball team is set to take a forfeit this Friday against Hardin-Jefferson Lady Hawks. The reason being is parents and players went to head coach Gwen-Kelly Hall and athletic director Dan Hooks and said eight of the team’s 11 players would be attending the Mustangs’ non-district football game at Brookshire Royal instead. Football is king in Southeast Texas, that is no secret, but non-district football means nothing towards the playoff race. Those players are part of either the drill team or cheerleaders and have a huge part in each and every football game. The problem I have is Friday night is in no way a drill team or cheerleader contest. The volleyball match does count for wins and losses and also has effects on other District 21-3A volleyball teams. The forfeit hands Hardin-Jefferson a victory without even playing. What if that lone victory assists the Lady Hawks into the playoffs over one of the other district teams? It is not right. Players make a committment to teams and parents should be the ones who stand up and demand their children to stick to a team attitude. WO-S volleyball is having one of its best seasons in volleyball, record wise, in several years with a 12-7 mark. I in no way am against Coach Kelly-Hall, she has done a fine job with which she has had to work with other the last several years. I know if I was a coach and I had players wanting to attend another event, I would quickly be looking for new players to make up my roster. It is not fair to the three other Lady Mustangs’ volleyball players to take a loss simply because a majority of the team has something better to do. The Mustangs are not playing in a state championship game Friday, it is a non-district game on the other side of Houston. I spoke to several other volleyball coaches and they reported players who skip a district game to attend a non-district football game would be finding another sport to play in a hurry. What is right is right and allowing a district volleyball game to not be played is far from right.

Here is a nice opinion on this matter: [Hidden Content]

Winning 3-2 is not domination, but I will acknowledge the win.

That would make too much sense, keyser. Doesn't seem to be in play over there. :

I agree, I would much rather see them play on Mondays and Thursdays. Why was it changed from years past?

Where's Skipper when you need him. I bet you he knows someone who is a cousin with one of the buss drivers that talked to the sister of the VB coach ;D ;D Skipper doesn't even know that there are other sports played at WOS besides football.

venom33, you have always been one of the true and "real" Mustang fans. You call it like you see it, no excuses, no 'homerism".

Cheermom4, thank you for your input. It seems that the majority, if not all folks, see it that way. Except for the few at WOS.

AMEN!!! The rest can stand along the football sidelines the rest of the season.

Sure is ashame not one team east of the Trinity hasn't won Region III in YEARS! As far as the two districts go, 20-4A does have considerable more depth. I assume you are strictly speaking of 4A. : It is posted under the thread 19-4A rankings..... But you have to remember, those don't matter. West young man, west. ;D

Sure is ashame not one team east of the Trinity hasn't won Region III in YEARS! As far as the two districts go, 20-4A does have considerable more depth. I assume you are strictly speaking of 4A. :

Don't get me wrong, he can't force them to go. But he can sure make decisions on who is allowed to participate in athletics from here on out.

Agreed. The 3 that are not on the drill team or cheerleading squad, gets shoved aside for the good of the football team. Oh, we can't have a non-district football game way over in little Brookshire without some of the cheerleaders and drill team members attending. That would be a travesty. : im not saying this situation is right or wrong but how does this benefit the football team? there is a conflict in schedules,which i dont understand how it happened, and the girls who are involved in more than one activity made a choice with their parents backing. i agree they should get the boot, but i dont understand how anyone has made this a football issue. I think it became a football issue when those girls made the choice to attend the football game. To me, a football team can play without cheerleaders and drill team.........BUT, a volleyball team CANNOT play without the players. To me, irresponsible decision and bad parenting by the parents!! as a football fan i couldnt give a dam less if the drill team,cheerleaders,or band was there...but it still doesnt jive with me how this is a football related problem. the girls didnt decide not to play vb because they would rather play football, they decided to instead perform in the fillies,band,or cheerlead. sooo how is that a football problem? shouldnt the cheer director,band director, or drill team sponsor step in and have a say whether these girls will be allowed to perform at the game. i would be willing to bet that if they werent allowed to partcipate at the game friday night the volleyball game would be back on! Very good points, venom33. I agree. But, I also think Hooks could do something about this, he is the AD for crying out loud.

I hear ya on that point. I say Silsbee will have more wins than losses come district time.

I am very curious as to what the WOS's volleyball coach thinks about all this.

You know, there is a common theme about all these teams. Oh, I know, they are all west of the Trinity, they don't matter. ;D

Saw them in summer league, wasn't too bad. I am taking it that you are knocking West Brook and not Silsbee's schedule.

Silsbee went 10-0 their first year down in 3A, '04.

Agreed. The 3 that are not on the drill team or cheerleading squad, gets shoved aside for the good of the football team. Oh, we can't have a non-district football game way over in little Brookshire without some of the cheerleaders and drill team members attending. That would be a travesty. : im not saying this situation is right or wrong but how does this benefit the football team? there is a conflict in schedules,which i dont understand how it happened, and the girls who are involved in more than one activity made a choice with their parents backing. i agree they should get the boot, but i dont understand how anyone has made this a football issue. I think it became a football issue when those girls made the choice to attend the football game. To me, a football team can play without cheerleaders and drill team.........BUT, a volleyball team CANNOT play without the players. To me, irresponsible decision and bad parenting by the parents!! Thank you.

Nothing big abour West Brook other than being a 5A school. Silsbee will blow them out!!! Actually I heard they were going to be fairly good this year. We will see.

Coop can ride the bus with them.

Are you going to broadcast in San Antonio? Cold beer on the Riverwalk..lol Still a long ways away, but it's marked on my calender.

Agreed. The 3 that are not on the drill team or cheerleading squad, gets shoved aside for the good of the football team. Oh, we can't have a non-district football game way over in little Brookshire without some of the cheerleaders and drill team members attending. That would be a travesty. :

EXACTLY!!!!!! I think this stinks to high heaven. I find it hard to believe that Hooks would allow these parents to dictate this. Sounds to me like the blame is being tossed to the parents.

The question is, what is the volleyball coach's take on all this? Did she have a say so in this? Will these girls be allowed to play again? Was she forced to go along with this?