2010 All State Division I

[alleyball]

Well, one thing sticks in my mind - there is a common theme between the girls ON the all-state team and the one's NOT - come Friday and Saturday night or the next dance or the prom, etc - none of them will be thinking about who made all state and who didn't, they will be enjoying their young lives, which they should. ..............And of course, the parents and coaches will go on and on debating who "belongs" that wasn't listed.

Parents, be thankful your child was able to participate and play the game at whatever level, for some, who had promise, never get to touch the pitch. Congrats to all who played the game this past season.

[sonics3]

Mar 8, 2010 22:22:30 GMT -6 proudmom said:

Well stated, Professor Marvel!! I, too, have to wonder how a freshman made the first team all-district after only one season playing high school soccer. It's certainly not to say that's she's not a talented player, but there's other players out there who have played their heart out year after year and are totally overlooked. The fact that the freshman's coach is on the voting committee (or whatever the official term is) raises some flags.

It has been my observation that this selection process is broken and desperately needs to be fixed. No, life isn't fair but a simple nomination and voting process should be.

After seeing this freshman play twice this season, there is no doubt why she made this team. Her age should have no bearing whether or not she deserves this honor. It is my opinion that she is one of the best players in the state and yes, I did vote for her.

For those who are not satisfied with the results, please encourage your coaches to join and cast their vote.

[pOkLE]

There is no "voting committee" or other behind the scenes secret meetings for this stuff. A player is nominated by any coach that feels that the player is worthy. Thereafter, all coaches (from that division) that are members of the LHSSCA vote from a ballot that includes all players nominated. All-state team members are determined by the amount of votes garnered. As Sonics3 says, if you are unhappy with this system or its results, encourage all coaches to participate in this process. If kids are not making the appropriate team because his/her coach fails to nominate or promote his/her player, that is that particular coach's fault ... not the fault of the kids that make the team or the coaches that participate.

I'm also leery of this argument that freshmen should kowtow to upperclassmen and that coaches should do the same. It is the quality of the player that matters. If there was some hypothetical tie between a freshman and a senior, I see how this factor may come into play. Otherwise, I think the class/year of a player is a complete non-issue and red herring that serves to distract from the real issue(s). In other words, all other avenues of distinction should be analyzed before resorting to arguing for or against a player based on class/year in school.

[sokerfan]

greenfury05, you stated that it is about the best players in the state. I agree, but it is about the best players in the state "THIS SEASON". I can only assume that is why the freshman made the team. I did not see her play but somebody did.

I agree that some players although are good players, make the list partly due to their exposure from their premiere club teams, but surely their play on the high school team had something to do with it as well. I don't believe any of the girls on the list were unworthy of being there. I just think it is hard for those teams who's best player didn't make the list and another team has 2 or 3 on the list. There were definitely very talented players left off the list. Sometimes our best players aren't in the top 10 best players in the state but we win because we are a TEAM.

I talked with Barbedad earlier in the season and he asked me who was Lafayette's best players and I couldn't give him a good answer. I told him we were looking for this girl to do this and that girl to do that and hopefully someone else to step up their game and that is exactly what happened for Lafayette to get as far as they did in the playoffs. Melanie turned out to be a shutdown defender as she had to mark the very best offensive player on each team they faced. I personally did not think Lafayette would have had anyone on the list, not because they didn't play well enough this year, but because nobody knew who they were before this year. Evidently the teams we played noticed these girls and the other coaches around the state that saw Lafayette play in the playoffs must have noticed as well.

So Congratulations to all the girls who made the list and even more so to those who were even nominated.

[pOkLE]

Though membership is low, it is my understanding that the website is not completely up to date (as per recent LHSSCA meeting).

[bigdog10]

Dear all who hate upon the freshman,

Try not to be ignorant and speak of your opinion if you havn't had time to watch this girl play her "beautiful game". She is not indeed the next Mia Hamm, just better. Obviously your girls didn't deserve to play so if you have a problem, deal with it.

[monroemom12]

I hope everyone who has been insulting Delaney, realizes how damaging this must be for her. We're all parents here so lets think aout how we would feel if someone said this about our daughters. You may not agree that she made the team, but lets please be adults and respect the coaches decision. All I have to say is before you say anything else please think about how it feels for her to read such degrading comments.
Congratulations to Delaney and the All-State team.
You deserve it.

[sokerfan]

This all started when I asked someone who would they replace if the person they wanted was to be put on the list. They then stated the freshman. Personally I am glad she is a freshman because voters had nothing to base their vote on but seeing her play THIS year. I hate it when someone stinks it up as a senior but still get the votes because she was on it the year before, no because of what she did her senior year. The votes should be based on that persons play for that year and that year only.

Congratulations Delaney.

[BVB 09]

Isn't the All State Team about player's performance over the entire year and not just the tournament?

[goaliedad8]

Ok, I have kept my mouth shut so far but sokerfan you owe owe crackball an apology. She is the person you asked who should be removed and if you go back and read the posts she NEVER mentioned the 7th grade girl.(So NO, They did NOT state the freshman) In fact she doesn't even have a clue who this girl is. Other people brought this girl into the picture. Her first post was frustrations that no one from WM made the team NOT that the other girls did. She told you time after time that she never felt these girls didn't deserve this wonderful honor, so if you are going to point fingers then you should be sure you point them in the right direction. As for Delaney, crackball has NO problem with her or ANY of the other girls making the All State team(In fact she thinks it is pretty cool that she did make it)....that is why she never mentioned names when sokerfan kept trying to get her to name names to be removed. And yes I know crackball personally. I happen to be her husband!

[mrjoe]

I've got a question...Is it possible for someone to obtain an actual list of the coaches that are voting members? I'm curious as to how many coaches are members and from which schools. Does anyone know or should I say...are we...the general public allowed to know?

[letemplay]

mrjoe -

You can go to the lhssca site and see the 2009-2010 members by gender by division. Whether or not they voted or not is another question. However, if these high school soccer coaches dedicated the time to become members, you know that these same coaches are involved at the highest level in high school soccer!

[letemplay]

Quite a few of the posters on this thread struck a nerve suggesting that premier club players are more likely to garner high school 'looks' versus a D1 club player. I have watched both levels of play for years. Some club players choose D1 due to the fact that they are multi-sport kids in high school and can't commit to premier club demands. Does that suggest premier players are better ... absolutely not! Oh, and premier players are seen in every section of the state where D1 players are not ... absolutely not. Oh, and premier players are the only players that deserve to represent the state on the ODP team ... absolutely not. Is it possible that some D1 players could bump premier players from their premier club roster ... without a doubt, yes! Some of the players mentioned on this thread represented the state of Louisiana last year in Region III regional play in South Carolina. Were there Louisiana high school coaches there to watch them play ... nope! Yes, some of the high schools in the state have coaches who coach at the club soccer ranks. Do these coaches get a chance to see the same players more often, yes! Should that factor into their all-state high school player decisons; in my opinion, no!

In the end, the schools that finished strong at the end of the year are soccer factories. Some of the ladies on these teams play one sport and one sport only ... soccer! Your high school soccer team is a product of the players at that school. This will not change. At the same time, some really good high school soccer players wait for their 4th or 5th year of play to see their name on that all-state list. To take that away is not fair ... and yes, life is sometimes not fair. Can some of the younger candidates wait their turn ... in my opinion, yes. That's not to suggest the younger players weren't deserving, but the younger players time will also come.

Congrats to all of the ladies that made the 2009-2010 all-state team. To the seniors who have played their last year of high school soccer ... the sport will never leave you. To the seniors who have an opportunity to play post high school soccer ... may the sport continue to bring you the level of satisfaction that it did when you touched your first soccer ball!

[sokerfan]

aliceshoe1, why did you have to pick noon on Friday, I'll be working, can we make it Saturday? HaHa!

letemplay, thanks for the info about where everyone can find the list of coaches. Maybe some of this bashing wouldn't have taken place if the posters would have found out that their coach didn't vote, so their argument would be with the coach.

I have to disagree with you on the seniors have been waiting issue. If a Freshman had a better year than the Senior then the freshman should be on the list. And that is regardless if the senior has been on it for the past 3 years.

You mentioned D1, premiere and ODP. My Wife took an ODP team to Oklahoma and she could have made calls and put together a better team than the team she went with. Yes it was an Olympic Development Team in name only. There are a lot of players that don't even tryout for ODP so you have the same thing across the board. D1 players that can play Club ball and players that are better than the ODP players.

The only differences between high school players only and premier/HS players is the fact that the premiere players go to showcase tourneys where college coaches from all over will be there. From Div I through NAIA colleges. High school players her in Louisiana are seen by a limited few local colleges. Also Club coaches and Club DOC's have contacts with colleges and can help place players that truly want to play college soccer. Do high school coaches that aren't club coaches have the same contacts? Some may, but then they may not. I know most high school players do not want to play in college, and that is fine, but for those who do, the premier route would give them the best chance to play somewhere and possibly get a paid education in the process.

[sonics3]

letemplay, you said,

"At the same time, some really good high school soccer players wait for their 4th or 5th year of play to see their name on that all-state list. To take that away is not fair ... and yes, life is sometimes not fair. Can some of the younger candidates wait their turn ... in my opinion, yes. That's not to suggest the younger players weren't deserving, but the younger players time will also come."

You have got to be kidding! Your first paragraph comparing Premier players to D1 players made sense. However, what is quoted above is absolutely ridiculous. Perhaps the LHSAA should pass a rule that will not allow freshmen to participate in sports so there will be no chance for a freshman to work hard, play her rear end off, impress coaches, and be rewarded for her hard work by being voted to the All-State team. God forbid that she work harder than an upperclassman and get recognized for it. You would have the younger candidates "wait their turn"?

Congratulations to all who were selected to the All-State Team. Especially Delaney and Julia. Two very talented underclassmen who I will enjoy watching play for years to come.

BTW- I am not a Mandeville parent or a Mandeville coach.

As I said in a different thread, if you are unhappy with the voting results, please encourage your child's coach to join the association and get involved in the process.

[letemplay]

sonics3 -

I think my statement may have been taken out of context. What I am suggesting is that the level of deserving players is deep. So deep, that it's possible that an upper class deserving player may not get a chance to be recognized as an all-state player until her junior or final year. Depending upon how deep the bench at a given school, that same player may not have seen the field enough until her upper class years. That's not because she is an average or below average player, just the depth of the school's program.

Some programs afford younger players an opportunity, and that's great; however that is not necessarily the norm. Are younger players deserving, you bet! It just depends on the depth of quality players at a given school. That's one of the reasons the the all-state freshmen team was formed.

Here's my point, look at the all-state freshmen team of last year on La Prep's awards link. I have watched many of these players grow up in the sport. These players display quality possession skills, have quality touch, have speed and are a presence on the field. Now, how many of those same players made the all-state team as sophomores ... not many! It's not because their play dropped off, it's because now they're in the mix of the upper class players ... the depth of the programs. Look back at that all-state freshmen list and remember those names. You'll see them show up again as juniors and seniors. That's what I meant by stating that 'their time will come'. It's the progression in any sport!

[kicks321]

As player, I have to say that I feel that this thread is taking much away from each and every girl this made All-state team this year. So I would just like to say congratulations to all of you, especially Yanci and Delaney. It is a great accomplishment and honor that most if not all strive to obtain.

Secondly I would have to say I think that grade level shouldn't have anything to do with being selected. It's just like saying a coach shouldn't start the best player on his or her high school team because she is a freshman and there are upperclassmen on the team's roster. But I do agree that being an upperclassmen does give you advantage only because you have been exposed for up to 3 season longer than an underclassmen.

Finally from a players perspective, I don't think BEATING a top ranked team has anything to do with being selected, but playing a top ranked team and holding your own against these top teams, contending with and staying strong against other top players, and showing that you are capable of playing at a more demanding, higher skill level and a faster pace game does.