Basketball families face challenge with playoff, Spring Break conflict - mlive.com

rumputhijauau.blogspot.com

When high school basketball returned and the Michigan High School Athletic Association released its adjusted tournament schedule, few of the relieved players and coaches looked beyond the first couple of weeks.

As the Hemlock athletic director and parent of a boys basketball player, Keith Green looked beyond. And as a father with a Spring Break investment, he most definitely looked beyond.

According to the Michigan High School Athletic Association, 63 percent of its member schools have scheduled Spring Break for the week of March 28. That includes Hemlock.

And that created a dilemma for not just Hemlock, but parents, coaches, players and families around the state. The week of March 28 includes boys and girls basketball regionals, along with wrestling individual and team state championships.

“The schedule that the MHSAA came out with puts families and players in a bad position,” Green said. “People that don’t see both sides of it are in error. I’m not sure if the MHSAA was shortsighted in the fact that it could be a problem.”

Green argues that families made Spring Break plans prior to the Feb. 8 “re-start” of the basketball season, some making sizable investments not just for a vacation for the player but for the entire family.

“You’re talking a financial investment that would be lost, and you’re not just talking a player … you have to think about the rest of the family, the brothers and sisters,” Green said. “For some families, this could be their last family vacation before the kids go off to college.

“You’re also talking about families that did not take a vacation last year or had it canceled because of the pandemic. It’s not as simple as some people might think.”

The Hemlock boys basketball team is ranked in the Top 10 and is undefeated heading into the Division 3 districts. They were scheduled to play in the district championship game last season when the season was canceled.

In February, a group of Hemlock players met and decided that even if they won the district, they would still follow their families to Florida instead of playing in the regional. Hemlock coach Matt Bauer, who won his 300th coaching victory this season, was disappointed, but not upset.

“Any other year, they would have been off the team … simple as that,” Bauer said. “You made a commitment. You have a responsibility. You’re going on Spring Break instead of playing with your teammates? You’re done. But everything this year seems to be a unique situation.

“There are seven or eight players whose families are really close, and they all went in and rented a place in Florida back when we weren’t playing. They paid the money. Then the MHSAA came out with the schedule.”

Bauer responded with an email, reminding them of their investment in the program.

“I certainly understand the situation they’re in, but I also want them to understand the investment we all put into this season and their responsibility,” Bauer said. “They met again and decided that the players would stay if we won the district, but their families would go.

“A big part of it was that our point guard, Nolan Finkbeiner, decided to keep playing. He’s been a four-year starter. They didn’t want to leave Nolan. They didn’t want to let him down.”

Bauer also pleaded for them to show some sportsmanship.

“This will come into play for a lot of players and families, but it may not even come into play for us,” Bauer said. “We’re in a tough district, and we’re not even the No. 1 seed. We could easily lose and not reach the regional. Reese is a tough, tough team and there are other good teams in the district.

“What kind of sportsmanship would it be though if we were to win knowing that we wouldn’t be able to play in the regionals? That’s not fair to the other teams in our district who should have the chance to play in the regional.”

Bauer understands the players’ quandary. He was going to take his family to Florida for Spring Break last year when it was canceled. He didn’t get his money back, but it was deposited for a vacation this year.

“I understand, because I’m looking at being out of my money and an opportunity to spend a vacation with my family,” Bauer said. “But part of this is a responsibility to each other on the team. They’ve been working toward this since middle school. We’ve all made an investment in this team to see it through.

“My wife and daughter are going. I’m staying home with my son. If we lose, we’ll all head to Florida. It’s just a weird year.”

The Hemlock players are making the same decision. Their families are going to Florida. If Hemlock wins, the players will stay home. If Hemlock loses, they will join their families in Florida.

“I’m glad we got the opportunity to play this season, and I’m grateful to get the extra games,” Green said. “In most years, I would agree that you’re not leaving your team for this. But people are going to lose a lot of money through no fault of their own. They would have never, ever booked a vacation during that time period if they had known it was going to be during the playoffs.

“I’m sure we’re not alone. With 63 percent of the state going on Spring Break that week, other teams and families are in the same situation. Our family has two other children. Do they sacrifice their family vacation because their big brother is playing basketball? That’s not fair to them.”

Hemlock, 15-0, opens the district tournament Tuesday against 9-6 Michigan Lutheran Seminary, with a Thursday semifinal game against either 3-13 Valley Lutheran or 14-4 St. Charles, with a championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m happy with our kids’ decision to stay, but am I happy with possibly losing up to $2,500? No,” Green said. “It shows their dedication to each other and to Coach Bauer, so I’m proud of them. But to say it was an easy decision, with everything that plays into it this year, it was not … as I’m sure it’s not for a lot of families.

“It’s not as simple as people might think. It’s not as simple as it would be any other year.

“But this year is not like any other year.”

Let's block ads! (Why?)

"conflict" - Google News
March 22, 2021 at 08:03PM
https://ift.tt/318eC6l

Basketball families face challenge with playoff, Spring Break conflict - mlive.com
"conflict" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bZ36xX
https://ift.tt/3aYn0I8

Bagikan Berita Ini