BBallGate II: What The Girls Want(ed)

The following is represented in the March 18, 2010 edition of the Sun Prairie Star as the list of Problems and proposed Solutions as Prepared (and signed) by 14 members of the girls varsity basketball team. Thanks to the STAR for providing this...we had planned to request this document via Open Records.

+++++++++++++ PROBLEMS - SOLUTIONS

The following -- Problems and Solutions to Varsity Girls Basketball 2009-10 Season - was submitted to Sun Prairie Athletic and Activities Director Jim McClowry and signed by 14
SPHS players and a team manager.

1. Problem: We are scared of individual conferences.
Solution: We will be allowed to have conferences with representatives ex: parents or teammate.

2. Problem: 18 girls on one varsity team with 5 freshmen.
Solution: Freshmen get a say whether they play varsity or not.

3. Problem: Attacks, derogatory remarks, yelling won't be tolerated.
Solution: Document everything.

4. Problem: Players feel there is preferential treatment to certain players.
Solution: Not Ashley's (Bartow) fault! Or any other players, they are put into these bad situations.

5. Problem: Playing time confusion and unclear communication.
Solution: Explain and set standards to stick to.

6. Problem: Split practices. Half the girls on one side of court, half the girls on the other, starters and non-starters.
Solution: Come together as a team, one side = one team.

7. Problem: VR is not being coached as it should.
Solution: Assistant coach should coach with actual passion and varsity players should be able to attend to support the team.
They should be able to go to away games and ride the bus with their teammates as they do for us in a regular game.

8. Problem: Try-outs meant nothing, teams were pre-determined.
Solution: Coaches shouldn't be able to tell players their standing before try-outs or anything about the team.

9. Problem: Private evaluations were read by others not meant to.
Solution: Keep personal responses confidential.

10. Problem: Before game conferences with select members of team.
Solution: All-or-nothing, it's selective and we need to be a TEAM.

11. Problem: "Height is more important than hard work" and "height is everything"- coach Bartow.
Solution: This is NOT true. Skill and hard work should over rank an uncontrollable trait like height.