Southeast District Honors

[drrabbit]

If you know where the old high school is, you go past it and turn left at the 4-way stop just beyond the school. Go about 1-2 miles and the school is on the left. The soccer field is basically behind the school. The track is around the field.

If you don't know where the old high school is:

Turn west off Rt. 23 about the middle of town, Turn right and go past the gas station/taco bell and Leist store (if it still there) and you will come to the school on the left after a few blocks.

Rough map:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Piket ... :25:::::/e

[vballsoccer178]

Sports_Tracker

People put too much emphasis on individual stats and awards. I would much rather see a team play great team ball than have one that gets all of the honors in the county.

[rxburgfan]

well it looks as if you need to be a "scorer" to earn first team honors. with only a few exceptions that is the case. congrats to those with the first team selections, but you would think defense would get more consideration. i guess they feel they can score more than the defense gives up. maybe the state tourney games will be scores of 14 to 13 shootouts. should be fun to watch.

[rxburgfan]

looking at the girls division thought that raven from west p should have had better than honorable mention. saw her several times this year and thought she played really well in a coed group.

[pcohio]

The "You have to score goals" comment doesn't work in Waverly's case...
Kennedy Roseberry was second on the team in goals with 19 (breaking Luke Purpero's Waverly Freshman Record of 16) and didn't even get Honorable Mention????

[soccerfix]

Can't figure out Waverly's all districts selections. I'm sure one school board member is upset once again. It appears Murphy took care of his captains but I can't understand leaving Kennedy off.

[rxburgfan]

there are exceptions to every rule. waverly has one fresh mentioned over another. figure that out. but as an entire group (all district sel) is mostly about scoring and only when you get into 2nd and hm do you see defense represented.

[pcohio]

Hey soccerfix!
I don't understand Waverly's selections either!

Are your boys going to play club soccer in the spring?

[smurray]

soccerfix and pcohio, welcome to Murphy's world. There have been many people upset, not just one school board member, and not just about this kind of stuff. How many "issues" were there this year? I'm sure the school board realizes it was a mistake to take him back after they had voted not to.

At any rate there will be a fresh start in '09.

[pcohio]

As you know, I have always been a supporter of Murphy and I know this is just an "individual award", but now I see where some upset Waverly parents are coming from...Maybe I owe those people an apology for being so pro-Murphy!
I feel like this is a slap in the face to Kennedy and I would love to know Murphy's reasons behind this omission!

[smurray]

Kenndy is one of many who have been "slapped" in the face over the past few years.
The Captain thing was to make a point, I'm sure.

[vballsoccer178]

Yes Waverly will have a fresh start in '09, but I sure that won't stop the complaining. You can't win giving individual awards on a team sport, but that's what they say we have to do.

Congrats to Coach Murphy on a great 10 years of coaching. You have won my respect over the years.

[smurray]

vballsoccer178, like I said before, individual awards was not on the list of the most important issues concerning the soccer program. It does however add to the bad taste folks have in their mouths after a long season.

[soccerstory]

Yes, PCOHIO, you do owe some apologizes. Over the past year or so you have not just been pro-murphy, you have bashed parents and made negative comments about players when you had no idea what was going on! If you don't play for him, you don't know. When others voiced their opinions opposite of yours, you were very quick to jump in. Like tigers2010 said, the problems were not just awards. It’s just funny you have a small taste of what others have had to deal with over the years. Be thankful your son will no longer be subjected to Murphy’s inconsistencies and inequalities!

[Tigereyez]

Yes Waverly will have a fresh start in '09, but I sure that won't stop the complaining. You can't win giving individual awards on a team sport, but that's what they say we have to do.

Congrats to Coach Murphy on a great 10 years of coaching. You have won my respect over the years.

It just makes the awards seem less meaningful. It is difficult for a player to accept an award, when another player truly deserves the honor. Awards should be earned and not given. One coach should not decide post season awards, they should be voted on. The SOC needs to make it more fair for all those involved.

P.S.
So his stats make him a great coach of 10 years.

[pcohio]

Sorry to those folks!
On several occasions, I asked for specific details on what certain people were complaining about...I never really got a clear answer and all I said is I haven't had any issues with Murphy! Which I haven't until now...I am close enough to the program to hear the rumblings, but I have NEVER bashed certain parents or players and I don't appreciate your accusations! If you have a problem, what is it??

Murphy is no exception to negative criticism towards coaches and like vball said, I am sure the next coach will also receive his fair share of complaining! It is the main reason coaches don't stay around too long...Aside from Boll at Burg, does any current SOC coach have more than 3-4 years of tenure?

I stand by my comment that Murphy was great for Waverly soccer and I think you could argue that Waverly soccer would not be where it is now without him! Am I upset about the Individual Award? Yes, but I guess Murphy has his reasons for choosing certain players and he doesn't feel it is his duty to make these reasons public. I would be happy if he discussed his reasons in private with the player so the player could improve on his perceived shortcomings!

[MarkWilliamson]

I'd like to weigh in here and to preface - i have no vested interest in the Waverly soccer program but I am interested in the topic of the District awards.

I will try to keep this in a condensed Readers Digest version...

As a coach who has been through this process I can honestly say it sucks.

I, as I am sure every other coach does, wish I could give everyone on the team some type of District honor but it isn't going to happen.

Using this year as an example, I would have to say that our two best ( skilled ) players were freshmen. I have an extensive previous relationship with both, having coached both players in club for several years, spent time with their families and consider both players and parents good friends. However, after evaluating the team I felt compelled to give District 1st and 2nd team roster spots ( we had 2 on each team ) to upperclassmen.

My reasoning was that those 4 kids ( with the exception of one who played only during her senior year - this year ) put time into the program, paid their dues when the times were tough ( we just finished our 3rd season ) and set good examples ( for the most part ) for the team. 3 of the 4 were primarily defensive players who did not have flashy stats. The two freshmen in question were both placed on Honorable Mention. i might add that one of the players who I placed on the 1st team was not even considered for an honor last year due to what I thought was a poor attitude.

( As a side note, speaking of class, a dad of one of the freshmen in question actually accompanied and set in on the meeting. I discussed what my intentions were prior to the meeting and he was in full agreement. )

I am not judging anyone from Waverly or trying to justify Coach Murphy's decisions - just trying to shed light on a process that I along with most coaches struggle with.

While we have yet to hold our banquet I am convinced that my two freshmen, along with their families will not even be phased by this and I am convinced that they will be on the All District teams thoughout their remaining High School years...

Just some food for thought...

it is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn't matter who gets the credit

[pcohio]

it is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn't matter who gets the credit

Thanks for your insight Amvets!
My original negative posts were from the position of parent and I am embarrassed to say I let the whole "Individual Award" thing get the best of me...

I understand that Team Accomplishments are more important than any Individual Award and I am proud of the Tiger team and all they accomplished this season!

[drrabbit]

Tigereyez--these are not SOC awards and the SOC has nothing to do with their decisions.

PCOhio--Coach Claxon, Coach Groff and Jon Estep all have 6-7 years coaching at their respective schools. After Boll, Coach Dave Groff has been head coach longest at his position (starting in 2002). The other two started in 2003.

The decisions in choosing which players to award obviously involve much more than goals scored. Leadership and coachability does play a role. I knew an SOC freshman once that scored 27 varsity goals. He did not get all-district honors either. Probably because he wasn't a starter.

These are coaches' awards decided by coaches. That is these awards purpose--to give coaches a chance to get together and reward their players. And Coach Murphy did an nice job to get six players on the teams. Some coaches only get two and many only get four.

It is disturbing about the implied assumption that (at least some of) the six Tigers that got awards did not deserve them. Because if they WERE deserving of recognition, well, it then means someone else had to be left out. There are not enough honors to give everyone one.

[Tigereyez]

drrabbit

It should be disturbing to you. The way it is explained to us is the local coach puts the names in the hat. Is that not true? I am not posting just for Waverly, you just assume that. You have many categories and blogs on the Soccer SEOP.