Is Sportmanship still alive?

[BigDawg2]

I would like some feed back, because maybe I'm the lone wolf on this issue.

The Marshall high school hockey coach has the philosophy that the higher you can run up the score, the better you will be seaded at the end of the year. The other members of the Southwest conference are Worthington, Windom, Luverne, and Redwood Falls. I would estimate that Marshall wins their conference games by an average of 10-1, and outshoots their opponent by an average of 50-5. The coach plays 11 players exclusively on a 17 man roster, and the other 6 players average 2 shifts per game during conference play.

In a recent game against Worthington, Marshall was ahead 9-1 with about 5 minutes left in the third period, and the coach sent out his 1st power play unit when Worthington got a penalty.

Am I old fashioned, or is this completely out of line.

In the game tonight against Luverne, Marshall was ahead 7-0 and had outshot Luverne 35-3 midway through the second period, and 5 players still had not seen the ice.

So, my question is, what should a dominate team do in these type of games?

[MNHockeyFan]

I doubt very much that you are the lone wolf on this issue. I'm sure that most here on this forum would agree that what that coach is doing is not only unsportsmanlike, but very shortsighted. When that coach faces a good, fast skating team outside of the conference, like in sections, it will be very difficult for him to compete the whole game with just 11 players, and the others who've been sitting on the bench just won't have the experience to be of much help. It certainly can't help their attitude either.

Unfortunately, you do see this way too much these days, although usually not to this degree. I think when the game is well in hand, a coach should give all of his or her players a chance to play, and more than just a shift or two.

[hockeygod]

I see that way to much at all levels, the coach is not doing his job if he is this shortsighted, when his team needs the extra spark in a tight game it' not going to be there because he never trained half his team to step up in a game situation. The coach that relies on a small group of people rather than a system is destined to fail. a well taught system will hold up no matter who he puts in there.

[hockeyrube7]

You are not alone on this by any means. Unfortunately neither is Marshal, most teams tend to do this. I have seen this for many years, and I have never understood it either. What ever happened to having a 2nd line PP? Seen one team up 15-0, and everything they threw at the net fall in, out shot them I think 55-1, and still throw out 1st line PP in the last 5 minutes, and double shifted the 1st line in the 3rd period. H-G has it right on the money though, they will most likely fail in the end. Only exception I have seen was EP last year, they tended to do the same things, and really tried to pad the stats too.

[ruprecht]

You're not the lone wolf, but there are definitely hyenas out there who give Girls HS hockey a total pass when it comes to sportsmanship--and I mean fans and coaches in 'reputable' programs. I brought this up about a certain elite player last year who had scored 8, 7, 7, and 6 goals against overmatched opponents in blowout games. And this is a large program where there are plenty of skaters who could use the ice time. And then I was ripped for suggesting that someone (player or coach--more than likely both) is lacking in the sportsmanship department.
Apparently, some Girls' hockey boosters demand equal funding, equal facilities, equal attention, etc., but then won't expect minimal sportsmanship out of their coaches and players. If a boy player scores 8 goals in a blowout, the story will make news in a negative light. But so far girls' programs are getting a free pass.

[hockeya1a]

I watched an AHA game a bit back they were up 4-0 with 1.5 min left on the clock, and they pulled there goalie to get 6 skaters and try to score more. Not real classy in my mind.

[hockeygod]

systems based on a player or a group of players will hold up only as long as those players do, EP had the horses to run up the score no matter who was in there, most schools have 1 or 2 players that are star quality and they depend on them for the breakaway goal, I would much rather see the 3rd line bring the puck up the ice and work togeather for a goal...that takes coaching

[RSI]

Some of the scores you see in HS and youth hockey are out of control. I posted a couple comments last year on a U12b team that during League play beat a team by a total of 40+ goals in 2 games. I checked around the association and asked a few questions and learned the coach would switch players around by postion (forwards to "D" and "D" to forward). As minimal as that was, at least it was an attempt, it was not enough.

On a brighter note, there was recognition given at a recent Albert Lea School Board meeting to the Girl's Varsity coach, Steve Falk, for NOT running up the score. In a Conference game the coach directed the players to not carry the puck into the offensive zone, but to dump it in and let the other team carry it out. The game was already 7-0 after 2 periods and ended in with same score. It was tough to watch, but coach Falk made the right decision as they didn't need any more goals to get the win.

[hockeyrube7]

On the other hand, there are still a few out there, that do show good sportsmandship. I know one school, that the administration told them, after a blow out victory, said the score, and then "Now that is not very good sportsmanship!". Said this to some of the kids in the hall. So it is there, but very few and far between.

[hockeygod]

what I would like to see when a score gets out of hand like that is the third and forth lines getiing double shifted, put some stars out with non stars and make sure some of the people that never score get a goal...blowouts should be seen as opportunitties to teach everyone on the team, about pasing and setting things up, ensure the lesser player is enjoying the game and to give some people memorys of a liftime. not just a chance to make a bad team feel bad about themselves

[ilblade06]

I would like some feed back, because maybe I'm the lone wolf on this issue.

The Marshall high school hockey coach has the philosophy that the higher you can run up the score, the better you will be seaded at the end of the year. The other members of the Southwest conference are Worthington, Windom, Luverne, and Redwood Falls. I would estimate that Marshall wins their conference games by an average of 10-1, and outshoots their opponent by an average of 50-5. The coach plays 11 players exclusively on a 17 man roster, and the other 6 players average 2 shifts per game during conference play.

In a recent game against Worthington, Marshall was ahead 9-1 with about 5 minutes left in the third period, and the coach sent out his 1st power play unit when Worthington got a penalty.

Am I old fashioned, or is this completely out of line.

In the game tonight against Luverne, Marshall was ahead 7-0 and had outshot Luverne 35-3 midway through the second period, and 5 players still had not seen the ice.

So, my question is, what should a dominate team do in these type of games?

wheres the coach, some can see where it comes from though. empathy is a human instinct, he's(the coach) just got the trump one going for him right now.
i dont like it one bit, i think there has to be a certain level or respect even if they (the towns) do hate one another.

how did redwood falls do against them, do they even have a girls team?

[BigDawg2]

Here were the scores from last year:
Redwood Falls 15-0 and 15-1.
Worthington 10-1 and 10-1.
Windom 13-4 and 9-0.
Luverne 5-1 and 12-0.

Also last year:
Mankato East 14-1
Fairmont 9-2 and 14-0

This Year:
Redwood Falls 8-0
Worthington 9-1
Windom 12-1
Luverne 7-0

I don't beleive they beat over a couple teams with a winning record in the last couple of years. I agree that the system will make a program successful.

An old college coach of mine once told me that he has done a good job of coaching if he has built the confidence of every player on the team. Think about that statement for a while, and see how true it rings.

Life is to short, I wish high school kids could just play sports to have FUN!

[dumpandchase]

Life is to short, I wish high school kids could just play sports to have FUN!

I'm not condoning running the score up on anybody but I have a small prolem with the last statement.

Right or Wrong high school athletics is about more than just the players. It is community pride, it is about competing for the entertainment dollar. Yes in order to be successful fun often comes along with that but if kids just played for fun where is the work ethic, where is the striving to get better, where is the competition that will teach them as they go through life that you compete to be the best you can be. You compete for jobs, you compete to get into a good school, life is about competition.

Our town has a J.V. team that is full of kids who just "want to have fun" they don't want to do anything extra to get better which is not going to teach them any life lessons but they still get to play the game. If our Varsity team took that approach would anybody come to our games? Would kids be getting letters from colleges trying to get them to come to there schools?

Life isn't always about fun. If you don't like the game don't play it. If you do like it but just want to have fun find an outlet for that whether it is on a J.V. team or playing shinny hockey on the outdoor rink or going to open hockey. But if a kid just wants to have fun it isn't fair to the community, or there teammates-especially ones that have potential to get to college because of playing a sport.

[BigDawg2]

I am not going to argue about it, because life is to short for that also. I am all for kids getting scholarships because of sports. College recruiters are not stupid, they know college level talent. Where we definately disagree is that I think you can have a huge amount of fun playing High School sports and still be top notch competitive and get the top kids their college scholarships. A community can also be very proud of their team. Rural vs Metro mentality is and should be different. Rural communities show huge amounts of pride in their communities sports teams whether they win or not. That is a good thing.