Basketball fame-Academic shame

[BP4419]

I read yesterdays article on HD Woodson and DC public schools in regards to players not getting into college because of academics. It is a sad day when young people give their all in countless hours practice,aau,high school and tournament games. 100's of games for 4 years only to be told that they do not qualify for NCAA. The kids in the article passed all the classes before them- But the classes did not meet NCAA standards,thus they are scrambling to get into school at the last minute.
The article focused on the HD Woodson girls basketball,a area powerhouse. They had no less thatn 6 players in the last few year with division 1 talent but did not meet the qualifications.

My question where are the counselors,coaches,mentors etc. These kids lives are are stake here. These girls depend on their coaches for guidance. What a shame :(

By the way HD Woodson's coach's response to this NO COMMENT :mad:

I am so glad #15 chose RBS over HD.

My 2 cents

[Inside Threat]

I read yesterdays article on HD Woodson and DC public schools in regards to players not getting into college because of academics. It is a sad day when young people give their all in countless hours practice,aau,high school and tournament games. 100's of games for 4 years only to be told that they do not qualify for NCAA. The kids in the article passed all the classes before them- But the classes did not meet NCAA standards,thus they are scrambling to get into school at the last minute.
The article focused on the HD Woodson girls basketball,a area powerhouse. They had no less thatn 6 players in the last few year with division 1 talent but did not meet the qualifications.

My question where are the counselors,coaches,mentors etc. These kids lives are are stake here. These girls depend on their coaches for guidance. What a shame :(

By the way HD Woodson's coach's response to this NO COMMENT :mad:

I am so glad #15 chose RBS over HD.

My 2 cents

Some of the responsibilty rests on the shoulders of the parents of those kids as well. They are student's first and athletes second. KNOW the program academically and athletically that you put your children in. The parents have to make sure they're children are mentally prepared to handle the demands of college ball. It is not simply enough to put your child on the best basketball team in the city. If that program cannot provide that same child the opportunity to make it past that level then it is a BIG waste of time and talent. Basketball is a vehicle used to get a free education, too bad alot of parents,coaches, and followers can't seem to grasp the BIG picture and the kids are the ones who suffer. HD should be ashamed of themselves.

[BP4419]

Well Said!! :)

[Bballwatcher]

That article was very sad. All these aau games, nike skill academies, spring workouts by schools but you can't get you kid(s) enrolled in some type of SAT prep class??

I blame the kids who could take school as seriously as they take bball, blame the parents for not putting there foot in there kids a** when they slack in the classroom, blame the coach who should know all there players grades and if they going be a d1 or d2 ball player to become academically eligible to compete as a freshman.

Its sad how they said only like 24 dc public school athletes or so out 60 kids who signed with D1 schools in men/womens basketball, track and football have been able to meet NCAA standards in the last 4 or 5 yrs. I really shouldn't even include boys basketball because I can't think back in the last 5 yrs a player who have signed with a d1 school from a dc public high school.

I know with D1 its a a sliding scale so the better your core GPA is the lower the SAT score you can have to be eligible. In D2 I believe you need a 820 combined to be eligible as a freshman but I know of some coaches in DC public schools and other schools in the area who will tell there kids "Your Better Than D2" and won't even call a D2 back if they interested in a kod who might be eligible for D2 but not D1.

The article mainly talks about HD Woodson, fair or unfair its a true story. There have been a few D1 talent level kids at Dc public schools but only like 1 or 2 who have been able to play as a freshman (Tia Bell and Katrina Wheeler are the only 2 I can think of) but there have been D1 calibar girls who failed to meet D1 requirements like

Donia Naylor -Signed wit SC State, played Juco ball this past yr

Carleeda Green-Signed with UTEP, played juco ball this year

Raven Brooks-D1 talent who played Juco ball this year

Patrice Johnson- signed wit Wake but failed to qualify (there now)

Avery Warley-signed with Liberty but failed to qualify (there now)

Shanice Baker-Brice - signed with Towson but failed to qualify

Jeniece Johnson - failed to qualify but will play Juco this fall

Brittany Hillard - failed to qualify, played Juco ball, no clue where she at now

I'm sure I'm missing other players but hey these are facts.

I was suprised that Coach Oliver didn't comment on the story that just looks bad as if he didn't have nothing to say about the subject or didn't care which is the same. I'm glad Ransford is qualifed and will be at UGA maybe she will help other future DC Public school hoopers see the light and know its not all about Basketball.

Just my opinion on the subject

[smokeyhip4]

First we all need to pull back off Oliver primarily because not one of us really knows what he has or has not advised his kids to do. Example he could have advised the student that was a 1/2 credit short to take a 3rd year of language. If I were in his shoes I might have no commented also. It's a loose -loose situation. Perceptions become people’s reality. Second we must understand that EVERY ONE of the D1 prospects attended at least 2 NCAA Clearinghouse seminars. Now I know they are just kids but they also must be responsible for themselves. Next the guardians! Is it okay to give them a pass if they never attended a college or university themselves? How about if NO one in the family had ever attended a school of higher learning? All of the above are reasons and excuses but as a coach I HAVE EXPERIENCED similar pitfalls.:cool:

[intelligenthoodlum]

Isn't this what the parents pay taxes for? So the people in the building can handle this business? ESPECIALLY if those in the building are claiming these student-athletes as year-round commodities?

More, MUCH more, to follow...

[BP4419]

Good point- it is a public school and though parents should be included,they place a lot of trust in the coach. Real coaching is about a lot more tht X's O's. It is a lot of reponsibility-and takes a lot of commitment.How much satifaction can you get from winning a championship when your players donot even get in SCHOOL :o
Some coaches are trying to kick start a college career on the backs of these kids,I hope they realize that college coaches look at placement and education just as hard as a sweet jump shot or crossover :D

The saddist point about this is ,this for the most part could have been avoided . More time should have been given to prepare for life instead of games.

[aaubballmom]

that, as with most situations, there are multiple layers of responsibility. To me, it starts with the high school coach. Most HS coaches know who their D1 and D2 scholarship prospects are before they even walk through the door as freshmen. If you're going to be coaching these kids, you had better know what the NCAA requirements are. I realize that many of these folks are not in the building on a regular basis, but they had better form a relationship with the kid's guidance counselor and make SURE that the kid, the parents, and the guidance counselor all understand what the requirements are from Day 1. Once the parents and the kid have been told, then it's up to the parents and the guidance counselor to make sure that the kid enrolls in the classes they need to, and it's up to the kid to do the work to pass the classes. Most schools have some academic eligibility requirement to stay on the team, and most coaches get interim grade reports which list the subjects that the kid is taking. It's not that hard to track what the kid has taken in order to be sure they're on track.

The one thing the coach can't control is whether or not the NCAA approves the course as being rigorous enough. I find it astounding that a core English class did not pass muster with the NCAA. The fault for that lies squarely on DCPS.

Where does the club coach fit into the great scheme of things? I would hope that a club coach who has the best interests of the kid at heart would check in with the kid and the parents to make sure that they are doing what they need to do to make sure that the kid has done everything they need to do to make a scholarship stick.

Sadly, in this day of kids bouncing around to multiple clubs and multiple high schools, the final responsibility would seem to lie with the parents.

[teammom4]

Need to be held accountable!! You can't put all of anything, esp. your child's future, in another's hands.
I advise you all to remember that no one knows what goes on INSIDE unless you are INSIDE!

[smokeyhip4]

Need to be held accountable!! You can't put all of anything, esp. your child's future, in another's hands.
I advise you all to remember that no one knows what goes on INSIDE unless you are INSIDE!
Dog gone RIGHT on this statement TM4. I don't think most of the people posting understand this at all.

Isn't this what the parents pay taxes for? So the people in the building can handle this business? ESPECIALLY if those in the building are claiming these student-athletes as year-round commodities?

More, MUCH more, to follow...

I agree with this to a point. From my experience most guidance departments are experts on the requirements for graduation but very few know anything about updating 48H forms or NCAA clearing house procedures, unless the Principal mandates this. I only know one Principle who requires the gudiance department to work with all the athletes to ensure that they register with the clearinghouse. This principal also has appointed a COACH to update the forms and meet with junior and senior athletes to indivually go over their transcripts. ONLY ONE.......

Note: Not one of you has commented on the fact that for girl's basketball players who play AAU/Select ball, ALL of them have been through the NCAA presentations at Boo's, Deep South, etc... many times. In addition in my county the AD's do a presentation to all athletes at least once a year usually multiple times. STOP GIVING THEM A PASS:eek:

[aaubballmom]

I don't think either the parents, the kids or the high school coaches should get a pass. IMHO, they all share responsibility. I agree that guidance counselors for the most part (unless they are also a high school coach for some sport) may not be facile with the NCAA requirements. That's why it's up to the coach, parents, and kid to make sure that the guidance counselor "gets it" and up to the same group of folks to make sure that the kid's schedule doesn't get messed up.

[DadNCoach]

Amen!!!!
I have been reading this thread and understand the points made but some seem to be glossed over.
COACHES: One thing I don't understand is how a high school coach who spends 10+ hours a week with a player could suddenly be surprised about a kids academic standing! Put down your whistle, stop staring at your trophies and ask a dang question sometimes! If you know your kid has the chance to be a DI or DII player you should have them on that track from day one. If they get off track academically do something like (OMG!!!!) sit there dumb butts down till they get back on track! Radical idea huh?

PARENTS: Get your head out of the sand or wherever it is, stop living through your kids current glory and start thinking about their future. If you don't know what to do ask a dang question, ask a lot of questions from a lot of people. I don't care if you never walked past a college let alone went in! This is your child's future. Spend as much time researching it as you do watching Oprah, going to a club, buying a car or getting your hair done.

PLAYERS: If you want it, work for it! Your going off to college soon, mommy and daddy ain't going with you. Learn to think for yourself, do your school work, and have some pride in something beside your ball handling skills. If you can't do that you don't belong in college and you are going to make it hard for those who do work if you somehow slip in!!!

Sound harsh? You damn right it does. I have been there and done that. Been there as a player and a parent who sent two kids to college on scholarship as well as a coach who has sent many more to college. Everyone really needs to STFU, stop being stupid and get on your jobs. Life is tough and we aren't doing these kids any favors by coddling them or there parents about the reality of college athletic life.

[BP4419]

Excellent!! Straight to the point!! It really is a shared responsibilty. :)

[DadNCoach]

Check out this web page. This is what every school should have.

http://www.rbscrusaderfootball.net/college-scholarships.html