Culture of Mediocrity

[DirtyMike]

I hear you, coach. There seems to be a greater distance between studs and other wrestlers in the last couple years. Then you see our studs taking 3rd and 4th in other big tournaments and wonder what the hell that competition is like in ohio/iowa/california/pennsylvania/etc.

 

[westwolfone]

Wrestling inferior talent makes the "studs" less studly.

The good programs, the kids' hardest match is usually against his own teammate just to make varsity that week

 

[Kurtr]

The thing is with wrestling there are such low numbers throughout the state that the JV and Jr High are filling varsity positions. Since teams can bring their extra guys, the level of competition in 'varsity' tournaments just isn't what we grew up watching. However, the studs in our state are the real deal, and they stand out even more with a backdrop of JV n Jr High kids.

Which makes a multiple time state champ from back in the day even that more impressive;:;bowdown. I have heard the stories about how Mobridge used to be in wrestling.

 

[Rowdie]

Which makes a multiple time state champ from back in the day even that more impressive;:;bowdown. I have heard the stories about how Mobridge used to be in wrestling.

Ya the good ol glory days. LOL Back then the tournaments only allowed teams to bring their starters. 1st round wan't a pin after pin like in today's. Plus, we didn't hit a tourney EVERY weekend. Some weeks were all duals, with a full JV dual to open. VERY fan friendly, and is something missing from the sport today.

 

[DirtyMike]

I agree. The rotary comes to mind with the amount of JV matches that take place. It wouldn't be as bad if they didn't allow the 2 and bbq's to get in to the tourney. Sending a kid out there to get pinned in the first period does him/her no good.

 

[norm70]

1st off, I did not read the whole article, I skimmed most of it. Same with the comments on here.

The guy can say what he wants about a culture of mediocrity. Kids are this, kids are that. Honestly as an educator and a coach it for the last 15 years, it gets old..If your team or your classroom is stuck in mediocrity heres a novel concept, CHANGE IT! Your kids dont want to lift? Make them want to show up! Your kids are bored in the classroom? Give them a reason to get excited and engage them. You can complain to high heaven about what your kids don't do but when that kid starts to love the person next to them on the line, on the court or on the mat, they will show, they always have always will. Make them want to be part of something greater than themselves year after year after year and they will then teach others the same. Lots harder than it sounds, but the journey is usually pretty memorable.

 

[Retired Educator]

In smaller schools, the kids that work hard at the sport(s) in the off season are very easy to point out. In big city schools it's not easy. My brother coaches high school girls BB in the Twin Cities. He also coaches AAU ball in the summer. The commitment those girls show in the summer is insane. He had one girl two years ago that drove two hours one way from up north just to play for him. She could have stayed home and played but the competition is so much better in the Twin Cites she was willing to drive two hours one way to do it. Things have really changed in regard to high school sports in the past forty years. Some for the better some not so much.

I also see this where someone sees the need to "compete at a higher level." Couple of things I have always questioned is "At what age does that become appropriate and is it appropriate for all athletes." Never figured out the perfect answer and not sure if there is one. One negative is the amount of time required for these "All-Star" types of teams. Is too much emphasis placed on being a great athlete and a young person has no time to be a kid and mature at a normal pace?

There are advantages to staying close to your teammates and developing a rapport with them. Teammates can be very good at making each other better. Over the years I also noticed that some coaches got so much more out of their athletes than others. Some common threads with successful coaches; players respect the coach and will do everything to be successful, players are treated with respect, players are disciplined for poor actions but never embarrassed, players develop a mentality in practice where working your butt off is fun. Someone will come up with more but I think you get the idea.

Finally, I think if you want your child to be an NFL QB, it would benefit your child if you became a very successful coach. Why? Look at the number of NFL QB's whose dad was a coach. One reason, most of those kids went to every practice their dad was at. Coaches kids are usually, emphasis on usually and not always, good athletes because they grow up around the sport and not because they had to practice all the time. They just learn the game.

 

[gst]

1st off, I did not read the whole article, I skimmed most of it. Same with the comments on here.

The guy can say what he wants about a culture of mediocrity. Kids are this, kids are that. Honestly as an educator and a coach it for the last 15 years, it gets old..If your team or your classroom is stuck in mediocrity heres a novel concept, CHANGE IT! Your kids dont want to lift? Make them want to show up! Your kids are bored in the classroom? Give them a reason to get excited and engage them. You can complain to high heaven about what your kids don't do but when that kid starts to love the person next to them on the line, on the court or on the mat, they will show, they always have always will. Make them want to be part of something greater than themselves year after year after year and they will then teach others the same. Lots harder than it sounds, but the journey is usually pretty memorable.

THAT is what is missing in too many programs. The ones that have it show.

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone can develop a great offense or defense game plan, those coaches that invest the time in developing the player as much as the athlete are those you see with consistant successful programs.

I have asked each of my sons at the beginning of each football season if their coach ever took the time to pull them aside and spend 5 minutes talking with them asking them what goal they had as a player and what three goals they had for the team and how those relate. Not once has a coach done that in our system.

Stop and think of what it does for a kid and a player if some point in a game a coach calls them off the sidelines and says he remembers that conversation and gives the kid a chance to accomplish or take a step towards that something. Over the years I have watched as coaches did not pull the true potential of some of their players out simply becasue they did not know how to connect with that kid on a level that makes them reach inside of themselves to find it.

You don;t have to be the kids best friend, just give em a reasonto respect you.


the coaches that find that ability usually have consistant winning teams. The sooner they find it the better coach they become, The better coach they become the better program they have, the better program they have the better players they will get becasue every little kid on the play ground can;t wait to play for Coach Joe and they work harder to get there. A basketball coach in our area that long ago learned that ability just celebrated his 600th win. And when that kid hangs up his cleats those lessons are far more valuable than the all state plaque on his wall.

 

[Allen]

I know you're from Antler and all, but your kids seriously wear cleats to play basketball?

LOL, just messing with ya. I think we're on the same page here outside of footwear.

 

[svnmag]

That was beautiful G.

 

[gst]

I know you're from Antler and all, but your kids seriously wear cleats to play basketball?

LOL, just messing with ya. I think we're on the same page here outside of footwear.

Ha the Orioles have not fielded a team in quite some time!

Kid got the All State awards for running back in football so cleats it is.

For the record I admire those people that choose to teach kids sports and the lessons that come with it. In small towns it can be the most thankless job there is. And to those that learn how to develop kids as persons and not just players I have a great deal of respect.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Speaking of culture...
https://victorhanson.com/americas-culture-in-collapse/
https://victorhanson.com/americas-culture-in-collapse/

PREVIEW:

A Culture in Collapse​

58 Comments / January 8, 2024
Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
In the last six months, we have borne witness to many iconic moments evidencing the collapse of American culture.
The signs are everywhere and cover the gamut of politics, the economy, education, social life, popular culture, foreign policy, and the military. These symptoms of decay share common themes.
Our descent is self-induced; it is not a symptom of a foreign attack or subterfuge. Our erosion is not the result of poverty and want, but of leisure and excess. We are not suffering from existential crises of famine, plague, or the collapse of our grid and fuel sources. Prior, far poorer, and war-torn generations now seem far better off than what we are becoming.
What is happening to us is not due to an adherence to a too strict conservative tradition but is almost exclusively the wage of the progressive project.
In short, we are seeing fissures that America has not experienced in our cultural history since the Civil War. The radical Left apparently feels such chaos, anarchy, and nihilism are necessary to topple past norms and customs and thereby adhere to a socialist, equity agenda that no one in normal times would stomach.
Some of the decay is existential and fundamental; some anecdotal and illustrative. But either way, while decline came about gradually over decades, its sudden and abrupt chaos during the three years of Biden’s presidency has shocked Americans.