19th Annual Earl Barden Football Classic

Just want to give a plug out there for the 19th Annual Earl Barden Football Classic All-State game. This game will be played on Saturday June 22, 1 pm, at Earl Barden Field on the campus of East Valley High School in Yakima. Quincy AD Bill Alexander and the Washington Football Coaches Association always do a superb job of hosting this great football game.

The East will be coached by Jim Fisk of Chewelah and will be assisted by Pat Gaffney of Chewelah, Keith Stamps of Deer Park, and Zac Farnam of Deer Park.

The West will be coached by Aaron Poquette of Morton-White Pass and will be assisted by Dan Teeter of Lakewood, Terry Jensen of Montesano and Lee Metcalf of Morton-White Pass.

I will posts the rosters of the game soon.

New WIAA Amendments restrict Summer Football Participation

In an effort to regulate the physical grind of year-round high school football, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association passed new regulations on Monday limiting the amount of summer football participation.

The 53-member WIAA Representative assembly ratified an amendment (57.3.0) effective immediately, that allows a maximum 20 team summer practices, with no more than 10 of them full-contact days.

Summer practices can be held from the day after spring-sports season ends until July 31.

According to the new amendment, if a high school player wants to turn out for team-related summer activities, he or she must first participate in three-consecutive non-contact practices, which count toward the 20-practice allotment.

Only after that will he or she be allowed to partake in full-contact football in any setting - a practice, scrimmage or team camp.

Players who travel to individual camps, combines or passing leagues will not be limited in their participation.

Other notable WIAA amendments which go into effect for 2013 and 2014:

NEW MERCY RULE: In Class 1B Football, games will allow a running clock to start when the winning team first leads by 40 or more points, and not delaying until the start of the second half. (Amendment 57.6.0)

Rosalia To Go On Own

A proposal by the Rosalia School Board to combine all sports with Tekoa and Oakesdale has been rescinded.

Due to lower numbers in some grade school classes, Rosalia put forth the idea in January which culminated in community meetings in Oakesdale and Rosalia. The proposal would have expanded the existing Tekoa-Oakesdale-Rosalia arrangement for football, baseball, softball, track, cross-country and golf, to include basketball and volleyball.

"The board decided to go on our own and just be Rosalia", said Bill Thurston, Rosalia Superintendent. The change will affect all three schools, beginning with Rosalia, which will compete as a 1B team this fall playing 8-man football. Thurston said the Rosalia district made the proposal to Tekoa and Oakesdale because of those declining enrollment numbers. "We didn't think we'd have enough kids to offer a jayvee and varsity in sports." Thurston said.

The result of Rosalia being on its own, he indicated, is that they will likely have the varsity level in every sport, but no junior varsity. The Rosalia school board voted to go it alone on March 28. As TOR, the combo competed as a 2B team in the Southeast 2B in District 9.

During the basketball season, Rosalia and Tekoa-Oakesdale competed at the 1B level in District 9. "There are alot of uncertainties," said Oakesdale Athletic Director Ken Lindgren. "What I'm hoping to see happen is we just get enough kids from Tekoa-Oakesdale that want to play football and go from there."

We Are Back!!!!

Wow....It's been a long while since I posted on here. You might have noticed that the title of the blog has changed. I am putting together a newsletter for small school football and basketball teams beginning the fall of 2013. Our newsletter will have standings, scores, schedules and statistics as well as stories and features on small school teams.

People say, why do a small school newsletter??? Well, you see all of those websites that just concentrate on the top athletes in our state. Nobody puts a lot of emphasis on the small schools (1A, 2B, 1B) in the State of Washington. We want to change that.

If you are interested in our A & B Football & Basketball Guide, feel free to contact me at (360) 237-4574 or by e-mail at: tuengel@comcast.net I will be posting more about our Football and Basketball Reports. Enjoy what is left of spring and I can't wait for fall to arrive!!!!

Dick Bennett's Five Biblical Principles

About 95% of my defensive philosophy comes from Coach Bennett. I believe Coach Bennett ranks as the top defensive coach of all time. Here are his five biblical principles.

1. HUMILITY

Know and be who you are, not what others think you are.
Know the shots you can make and shots you can take.
Know the ability you really have.
Don't let the pressures of the game take you out of your idenity.

2. PASSION

Don't be lukewarm.
Don't try to be cool.
Die Hard...Take losses hard.
It's about concentration.
Lack of passion will keep you from being great.

3. UNITY

Tough team. Team tough.
Unity is the only way you can touch greatness.
The way normal people become great is through unity.

4. SERVANT ATTITUDE

Serve one another.
It is the basis of everything we do.
Go out of your way - on and off the court - to make your teammates better.
Get every charge, every loose ball, every rebound, every save.
Help the helper on defense.
Help get each other open.
Hit the open man on offense.

5. THANKFULNESS

Acknowledge any help from a teammate.
If you can be thankful in all circumstances, it can bring great wisdom.
Take something positive from every situation.

A Half-Hearted Commitment Is Worse Than No Commitment At All

Another worthwhile passage from Lou Holtz's autobiography:

Every athlete who has ever played for me has heard me preach against the pitfalls of entering anything halfway. In my mind, a half-hearted commitment is worse than no commitment at all.

If you decide to take a class, you should give the professor and yourself the full benefit of your undivided attention., If you don't, you are wasting your time and taking up a valuable seat in the classroom.

If you're on a team, you owe your coaches and your teammates your total commitment. If you don't - - if you're unhappy because the coach doesn't start you, or because you aren't getting as many touches or as much playing time as you think you should - - you are hurting yourself and the entire organization. You and the team would be better off if you played somewhere else.

Commitment is the most critical component in any relationship. In sports, it's become axiomatic: Commitment beats talent every time!!!

THOUGHTS FROM COACH K

Team USA will play Turkey later today for the gold medal at the World Championships. Here are some thoughts from Coach K:

"This is what I do. I determine how good our kids can be by watching them, by getting to know them, by building relationships with them. I constantly try to take a realistic look at our team and try not to let the final outcome of any game spike emotions too high or too low. And then I also work with the guys over the course of the entire season to help raise them to their highest potential."

EVERY SEASON IS A JOURNEY:

During the season, your team should be led with exuberance and excitement.

You should live the journey.

You should live it right.

You should live it shared.

You should try to make one another better.

You should get on one another if somebody's not doing their part.

You should hug one another when they need it.

You should be disappointed in a loss and exhilarated in a win.

It's all about the journey.

It should be honest and it should be real.

It's not about winning games or what other people's expectations of us may be. We're not going to fall into traps that so many people fall into. That's not why we are going to play. We are going to play for innocence.

ON BEING A GREAT TEAM:

"When everyone on our team believes that our own personal signature is on everything our team does - then we have a chance to be as great basketball team. And not until we believe that every ball we play with says "DUKE" on it, will we be proud of our performance."

ON MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:

"Playing hard together, being the best defensive team and players building strong bonds with one another are shared goals that involve working together as a group over the entire year. If a team consistently concentrates on goals like that, major achievements happen."