Was 113-point game bad sportsmanship?

[mings]

I can sort of see both sides here, but tAren't coaches suppose to motivate their players and to constantly push them to do their utmost and very best they can possibly be?

While the coach may have been wanting her to go for the record, perhaps the student wanted a chance for the record too.
I don't know which is more wrong...teaching a kid to be the best and do their best or telling a kid "I have to pull you out because you are just "too good."
Would you expect to get fired for doing an excellent job?

People must learn to accept that they cannot always win, but if they give up, they lose and they lose without dignity and will continue to lose thoughout life. The younger they are when this lesson is taught the easier it will be to deal with later when they don't get promotions,or whatever. If they lose thier taste for the game, because they got spanked, then so be it, they are not dedicated or motivated enough to be a better player. What about players who lose thier taste for the game because they are being held back? Like the students that are beyond the level of the class they are in, doing poorly because they are not challenged.

Would anyone not want a their child to perform as best as they can at anything else? Would anyone want them flubbing tests on purpose so someone else can get some notoriety or perhaps a scholarship or whatever?

Maybe the losing coach should consider another career field. Maybe her team could not have won, but they could have lost with dignity and made a statement, other than the coahes comments about playing a handicapped team... Sheesh I wonder if she would like to take on the parapalegics teams that play basketballin wheelchairs and expect to win?

It seems to me the coach had already considered the game lost before she showed up

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

[rednekkPH]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

IMO, that's what practice is for. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

[Demerara]

When you're down 74-11 at halftime, what's the incentive for playing hard in the second half? Pride only carries you so far, and when you're giving it your all and you're still getting trounced... I don't think you can expect much more out of anyone.

Besides, when the losing team "quit playing defense" I wonder if it means they just went all-out in an attempt to score points, and stopped worrying about protecting the ball and keeping players in position to cover turnovers? I've seen it happen in the NFL: A team gets behind and they start opening up the passing game with the deep ball, trying to put points on the board. In the process, they can give up a lot of sacks and interceptions - but they're still trying. Maybe that losing team didn't "quit trying" at all.

Bottom line: The kid owns the record, and she's a big fish in a small pond right now - but that pond is about to get a whole lot bigger.

[mings]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

IMO, that's what practice is for. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I see what you say, but I'm having a hard time justifying that as an opportunity that needed to be taken. In other words, I'm having a hard time thinking that that is a record that I would want. I don't think it speaks well of me if I were the record holder. There are bad records to hold. (No I'm not talking about Engelbert Humperdink.) Infamous not famous.

[RinglingRingling]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

IMO, that's what practice is for. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Nah.. they could schedule her in a game with some 5th graders.. she could probably break her own record..

[rednekkPH]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

IMO, that's what practice is for. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Nah.. they could schedule her in a game with some 5th graders.. she could probably break her own record..

But that wouldn't be the same record. I'm sure the record stipulates that it is for points scored by a varsity player, playing against a varsity team.

[Sam]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

Do you or did you hold your crews back in times of competention racing?
I suppose it would be like telling an Olympic athlete to not go for the Gold and don't even think of the Silver or Bronze, when that athlete has the capability to win.
As it was said it is a once in a lifetime chance or offer.
They have to be a team...one person may not be THE team but the one person can make or break the team if it is allowed to happen.

I think it is possible that the other coach quit playing defense in order to add insult to the girl breaking the record and to her coach.

Some years ago I saw something on tv about greatest moments or unbelievable moments in sports history. I don't recall the name of it and maybe some sports trivia buffs can find this. It was something along the lines of "Greatest come from behinds" or something like that.

They showed a highschool football game.... I forget what the score was but it was something like 50 or something ( maybe higher maybe a little less), to ZERO with 2 or 3 mins left.
The losing team came back to take the lead.... and then ended up losing the game. Too bad they had not played that well from the kickoff.

[mings]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

Do you or did you hold your crews back in times of competention racing?
I suppose it would be like telling an Olympic athlete to not go for the Gold and don't even think of the Silver or Bronze, when that athlete has the capability to win.
As it was said it is a once in a lifetime chance or offer.
They have to be a team...one person may not be THE team but the one person can make or break the team if it is allowed to happen.

I think it is possible that the other coach quit playing defense in order to add insult to the girl breaking the record and to her coach.

Some years ago I saw something on tv about greatest moments or unbelievable moments in sports history. I don't recall the name of it and maybe some sports trivia buffs can find this. It was something along the lines of "Greatest come from behinds" or something like that.

They showed a highschool football game.... I forget what the score was but it was something like 50 or something ( maybe higher maybe a little less), to ZERO with 2 or 3 mins left.
The losing team came back to take the lead.... and then ended up losing the game. Too bad they had not played that well from the kickoff.

Sometimes - depending on the situation. If we're racing at a regatta where there's 3 races in two days, and you know that the first race is going to be a cakewalk, then you taper. You don't sprint. You don't empty the tanks. Not only are you not showing your hands and your race plan, but more importantly you're not expending all of your energy for little result. Placing first and progressing to the Semi or the final by a margin of 3 seconds or 23 seconds has no bearing on your future lane or races. So yes I do, but its a part of a greater (than-a-single race) race plan. Mike Teti (national team coach) will do that with the National team, as will any other self-respecting knowledgable crew coach. Yes. Now all of that doesn't even apply here. As I said in an earlier post, there's the opportunity to improve the team's skills and this opportunity was not taken. If it's early in the season and I know my guys are going to tool up on the other crews in their race, I'll tweak the race plan to give them different looks and to take advantage of a unique race situation. I like winning. Love it. But I also like building a base of knowledge and experience that will create a mature crew with a variety of experiences which will enable them to excel in more situations.

[RinglingRingling]

but the question that begs to be asked is: Are you really allowing the athelete to be the best they can be by letting them route the opposition rather than enhancing her skills of team play?

IMO, that's what practice is for. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Nah.. they could schedule her in a game with some 5th graders.. she could probably break her own record..

But that wouldn't be the same record. I'm sure the record stipulates that it is for points scored by a varsity player, playing against a varsity team.

could just as well be. It's not like the losing team had skills exceeding those of your average 5th grade team if the score at half-time is any indication.

[f2cdlzrd]

As a current high school women's basketball coach and a former player, I believe the coach should be held accountable for this injustice. Sure she breaks the record, but she also breaks the spirit of the other team. I would never do this to an opposing team. And contrary to popular belief, you can stall the basketball and run a zone offense. We do not have a 30-second shot clock in my school, but the situation could have been handled differently.

[SharkOnLand]

What about holding the losing coach accountable for her injustice? Comparing her own team to the handicapped? That's inexcusable....

[RinglingRingling]

What about holding the losing coach accountable for her injustice? Comparing her own team to the handicapped? That's inexcusable....

you're right... she should have said that her own team sucked due to a lack of talent, skill, effort, and they only fielded a team because they had to, not because the school wanted to do so.. That would have been more accurate, but equally-painful.

[3/4 Time]

A high schooler & coach with a "pro" mentality. When a team gets down by as many points as that team was at half, human nature is to give up and go through the motions the rest of the game. I've seen it happen over and over with rec, middle & high school sports.

Once the game is out of reach for the other team, the only recourse for the winning teams coach is to put the 5 players in who get the least amount of playing time and sit everybody else. Make them use every bit of the shot clock before a shot is taken. If those 5 continue to pound the opposing team then so be it.

There is no Sportsmanship in the Pro's these days and kids pick up on that. It is up to the coach to instill that into his/her players.....

[iuparrothead]

Life is tough. Almost every aspect of life is competitive. You're not doing these kids any service by playing down to their level. They need to be shown that in life, just as in that game, if you go out and give a half-assed effort, you're gonna get trampled on by those who try harder. To bring the level of play down, you're teaching them that they don't have to try to excel, because those around them will take it easy on them. Sounds like a good way to prepare them for a life on welfare.

I cite this post as the perfect example of someone who should not be coaching... and certainly not coaching teenage girls.

[Sam]

As a current high school women's basketball coach and a former player, I believe the coach should be held accountable for this injustice. Sure she breaks the record, but she also breaks the spirit of the other team. I would never do this to an opposing team. And contrary to popular belief, you can stall the basketball and run a zone offense. We do not have a 30-second shot clock in my school, but the situation could have been handled differently.

So how are records that have been set, allowed to be broken?

[Sam]

What about holding the losing coach accountable for her injustice? Comparing her own team to the handicapped? That's inexcusable....

you're right... she should have said that her own team sucked due to a lack of talent, skill, effort, and they only fielded a team because they had to, not because the school wanted to do so.. That would have been more accurate, but equally-painful.

Perhaps it would have been best if he had admitted the defeat was her fault because of her lack of skills to make the players into a better team.

She certainly showed what kind of coach she is with her handicap comment......

[RinglingRingling]

Life is tough. Almost every aspect of life is competitive. You're not doing these kids any service by playing down to their level. They need to be shown that in life, just as in that game, if you go out and give a half-assed effort, you're gonna get trampled on by those who try harder. To bring the level of play down, you're teaching them that they don't have to try to excel, because those around them will take it easy on them. Sounds like a good way to prepare them for a life on welfare.

I cite this post as the perfect example of someone who should not be coaching... and certainly not coaching teenage girls.

well.. maybe redneck girls, but not...

[citcat]

Poor sportsmanship. If you're winning that bad (or good), a good coach sends in the second team. When the second team keeps on routing the other players, send in the third team, get them playing time in a winning game, make all your players feel good about the win. The other team could've waited until that one great player got within two points of getting the record, then forfeited the game. There's a lesson there, too.
Sometimes the cream that comes to the top is sour.

ooooooooooooooooooo it's gettin' deep in here!!!!!!!!!!!!

[iuparrothead]

As a current high school women's basketball coach and a former player, I believe the coach should be held accountable for this injustice. Sure she breaks the record, but she also breaks the spirit of the other team. I would never do this to an opposing team. And contrary to popular belief, you can stall the basketball and run a zone offense. We do not have a 30-second shot clock in my school, but the situation could have been handled differently.

So how are records that have been set, allowed to be broken?

If it were a more competative, closer scored game then it would be more appropriate... but when it's 74-11 at halftime, there is a certain coaching etiquette that says you hold off, pull your starters and don't embarrass the other team.

It's not simply sports/team/competition mentality we're discussing here... it's teenage girls psyche too... and no matter the endless rhetoric about how players should play hard to the end and never give up, if teenage girls are getting embarrassed and humiliated, they shrink away from the competition and lose their competative spirit... that's simply the reality of the situation.

[f2cdlzrd]

The teenage girls' psyche. Wow, I deal with that issue everyday.