Develop now, win BIG later!

What a busy week we had last week. Monday was the Bobby Bentley Show at Fatz Café. Tuesday we were at The Hub for some wings and Laurens Raider football with the Greg Lawson Show. Wednesday, Big Gene had us at KC Hanna Stadium for the Middle School Football Jamboree and again Thursday for the Laurens versus Clinton 9th grade and JV games. We capped off the week with the Laurens versus Clinton varsity game at Clinton and then the trek to Elon, NC for PC versus Elon.

Being at all those games Wednesday through Saturday gave me a chance to really see where some priorities are and where they maybe ought to be.

Everyone likes to win. I hate to lose, at anything! Whether it’s playing a game of bowling with my kids at home on Wii or coaching soccer. The list could go on and on.

At the same time, I also know there’s a time and place for anything. I congratulate the Raiders on a very impressive win Friday night. Truth be told, as some very loyal Red Devil fans mentioned at Church yesterday, Laurens could have easily scored 60 points in the game.

At the same time, look at the history of the Clinton program. I use them only as an example. I could easily insert Byrnes, Gaffney, and Summerville as examples.

The Clinton football PROGRAM has AVERAGED an incredible 9 wins per year for decades!

Three yards and a cloud of dust has been the tried and true method in many a state championship for the Red Devils over the years.

One of the reasons is consistency. From the time players get involved in the program at the middle school level they learn the terminology run at the high school. They learn the same blocking techniques, the plays.

From all the coaches I have talked too, this makes it exponentially easier once the kids are at the high school since the coaches don’t have to waste time in teaching terminology, numbering systems, and plays. The kids already have had it for two years.

At Byrnes High School, from the time the players are in recreation league football, through middle school and into high school all the various teams use same defense, offense, and even numbering system for plays.

Middle Schools that feed into Byrnes, Gaffney, Summerville, Ridge View, Blythewood, and Conway are also required to attempt extra points.

There is no rush allowed. The kicker has ten seconds from the time the ball is snapped to get the attempt off.

The logic the coaches tell me is it develops the kicker, but the holder as well as the long snapper.

How many times have you been to a game or watched a game where a field goal could have won the game only to see a team no even try one?

How many times have you seen a team go for 2 because they didn’t have a reliable kicker?

To me, it’s a no-brainer. If you truly want a successful program at the high school level, year in and year out it takes a collective effort. It starts at the rec league level goes to the middle schools and continues on into high school.

Along the way, the kids will get better, and consequently, coaches will win more games. At the same time, I ask you, which is more important, going undefeated in middle school football or winning a state championship in varsity high school action? The latter of course.

So, I think the time has come for Jason Pridgen with the City of Laurens league and the higher ups in Laurens District 55 to give the directive that their coaches coordinate with Coach Lawson on beginning the steps at making sure all he teams are on the same page.

If ALL the middle schools are trying extra points and actually punting on 4th down then to me, there won’t be a tremendous competitive advantage/disadvantage.

If they play a team from out of district and that school won’t agree to the same directive then fine, go for 2 and go for it on 4th down.

At the same time, when they play each other, they can start the process of developing the vital weapons needed to be successful at the varsity level.

As Coach Lawson has told me, he doesn’t care what plays coaches run as long as the terminology is the same, the defensive formation is the same, and the teaching is the same.

There will be some who think I am way off base and they are entitled to their opinion. I would also point out they, for the most part are more concerned with winning, NOW, regardless of level then they are at helping Laurens get back to the days of being a consistent winner as it was in the days of Buddy Jennings and Bobby Ivey.

So, in closing, last Friday was a great night, but in order to insure it’s not a once in a while occurrence the time has come to work together. The choice is yours. I challenge parents to hold their child’s coaches accountable, to make sure they are part of the solution, not the problem.

And, if any coaches have a differing view, always remember, I’ve got a live microphone ready and waiting. Just be sure you have your facts straight, because I never twist words. Rather, I let peoples words speak for themselves. Just ask certain Laurens County Council members!

That’s my rant, what’s yours????