High School Blow-Outs: Yes or No

Had an interesting discussion today over lunch with a basketball coach on the subject of total points scored in a high school game. All these kids with dreams to play in the NBA and make a pile of money - and many forgetting about a back-up plan or education. Got around to my big question: why crush an opposing team in a game by more than 80 points?

At first, we disagreed. After lunch, and we each paid our own, he ended up siding with me. I knew I should have been a lawyer. Remember, we're talking about a high school game. Ah, education and sports as my friends at OFSAA like to call it.

Some followers of this blog will know that I have a tendency to go on a bit of a rant on certain things - such as ridiculous scores that come across my desk. Yes, scores in which teams win by blow-outs in a 32-minute game. I know those games happen. I find out. I also am aware that some schools choose not to report scores knowing I will ask questions. Sorry, but that's my job - and, yes, ridiculous scores occur in many sports and I ask more questions.

I really can't understand why teams press and score, then score and press, when the other team is so weak. It must be depressing or demoralizing or both for players on the losing side - even though some will shrug their shoulders and say something to the contrary. If you've been on the losing side of a team that got hammered, you know what I am talking about.

And, of course, the reasons and excuses show up too. People trying to justify why it was so important to maintain whatever chemistry, other teams being inferior, that playing catch on the hardwood is not the right thing to do, and on and on. There are coaches in the U.S. who see nothing wrong with blow-outs.

Well, if piling up points and blowing teams away by ridiculous scores in a school game is fine with coaches, then some Greater Toronto Area schools should consider aiming for 212 points in a game - the U.S. national record held by Louisiana's Grand Avenue High from Quincy. They set that record back in 1964. Not sure if anyone keeps that kind of history in Canada.

I see Yates High School, from Houston, may be getting close to the Grand Avenue record. Yates, which has won something like 40 games in a row and set a Texas record, beat another high school 170-35 in a game that created lots of controversy and questions of sportsmanship. At halftime, it was 100-12. Nothing wrong with that either - right? Oh yeah, there was a scuffle too. Last I heard, no weapons.

It's time to do something about ridiculous scores or risk the consequences.

Comments

[bball coach]

There should be a mandatory rule that all bench players who do not see any floor time in the first half, start the first two minutes of the third quarter. These bench players deserve this time as they show up for early morning practices just like the starters and they miss important classes just like the starters. If a coach is any good at all he can teach his bench players to play a zone defence for 2 minutes so that they can get into the game and feel like they are part of the team. The whole team would benefit from this team approach and the impact on the game would be negligible. It's high time we stop using bench players strictly as cheerleaders and give them a chance to feel good about themselves and to build confidence in their game. Any coach that disagrees with this is coaching for the wrong reasons.

[Disgruntled Joe]

You're right. Trouble is coaches don't care. School boards don't care because they have volunteer coaches and athletic associations just hum along with the tune.
It's out of control.

[Jeffery]

David, the question of blowouts in sports is an educational problem and not just the result of a game.
Once teachers and coaches realize that they need to be teaching sportsmanship more and not winning by five touchdowns or 50 points in a basketball game we may see some results.
You will continue to get arguments from coaches who are defensive trying to justify how there teams are peaking or needing to strive for the championship drive.
I say that's a bunch of bull.
There's a way to win with diplomacy.
But good luck educating teachers.

[Morris]

You have opened a hornets nest.
Be prepared because I know of some insects who will want nothing better than to sting your .....

[Kennedy]

Good points. I enjoyed reading them and the links to the articles were very interesting. But people are too busy and caught up in other things than to pay any serious attention to making a school game, regardless of the sport, a positive learning school experience for winning and losing teams.

[The Truth]

I followed the Dallas Academy story very closely after the incident and even followed what happened months after. I have heard both sides of the argument and honestly, there is very little positives about continuing to run up the score. When your up by a large margin, your team will realize themselves that its getting out of hand and they need to demonstrate sportsmanship. And this, is much bigger then a sport will ever be

[J M]

Not sure if this will ever have a conclusion that all would like. The examples cited here are American, so I am not sure what the relevance here is? In most Leagues in Ontario, there are tiering systems that try to prevent it and some Leagues have mercy rules that time can be run or they stop keeping score when it gets to a certain point. I do not disagree that it does neither team much good. I am not sure why it has to be pursued as a matter of public record?

[Sports Junkie]

I have an idea. Once the score gets to be more than 80 points, call it a game and everyone reviews the game.
Sounds ridiculous, right.
Just as ridiculous as guys shaking hands after a game.
We need some fresh ideas.

[Good Grief]

Read the comment by "J.M." and that's just the attitude of a person that makes one want to cringe. Just because something is in the U.S., it doesn't happen here? Ridiculous rubbage. If that's the case, let's not do anything that occurs in the U.S. Who is this person trying to fool with excuses of Tiers and Mercy rules? He's a fence sitter and maybe should be a politician. Obviously, other people replying think this is a jetter of "public record". I see, ignore a problem. Right. This guy is the real deal.

[Ross]

There are things that you can do to try to keep the score down in those situations: starters deeply embedded on the bench, 5 - 7 passes mandatory before a shot, no fast breaks, no lay ups, reverse guards and forwards (bigs at guard and smalls at forward), turn the scoreboard off and others.
As a basketball coach, I have been on both sides of this issue and have employed many of methods listed above to try and keep the score down. I have also been at a loss to stop the "bleeding" and protect my team from the embarassment of a lopsided loss.
There is no honour in humiliating your opposition and it certainly does not send a good message to your players. Trying to mitigate the embarassment to both teams sends a very strong message to your players.

[Mr. Elliott]

Lots of people on this seem to know what they're talking about but I think the only way to get some action is for some schools to blow out another team by 100 points and then emotions go nuts and more. Then, something will get done. It's always that way. Wait for the problems rather than be pro-active.

[Zedko]

Anyone ever seem to figure out why these blowouts tend to appear in basketball moreso than any other sport.

[Allan]

I read your blog and I'm fuming, but not at you.
Anytime a coach, in any sport, allows a game to become an embarrassment, that person should be given a mandate to take a course in coaching or pack it in. We're dealing with the lives and development of young people and humiliating them in a game doesn't work for me.

[Dobber]

Athletes, and I am talking about students, will do anything and get away with anything unless coaches take control.
For years, teachers complained that community coaches had a bad influence on kids.
Well, I am a community coach and I say teachers are at fault for letting something like this become an issue and anyone who pushes this aside shouldn't be involved in school sports in the first place.
Let's work together and keep things within reason.

[J Elliott]

As a coach I have been on both ends of a blowout. Losing to a team who continues to run up the score demonstrates a lack of class on the winner's part. On the other hand, making a mockery of the game so you don't run up the score also embarrasses the losing team.
In our high school girls hockey we run the clock when the score difference is greater than 5 and encourage our coaches to treat the losing team with respect. At times it is a tough balancing act because of the discrepancy in team abilities. So to say every blowout is unethical isn't the case.
As educators and as individuals in recreational leagues, the respect and enjoyment of the opposition should be a greater consideration than it sometimes is. We should be teaching kids those lessons, not running up a score on a much weaker team. The victories and stats won in those victories are hollow. The satisfaction comes from a solid effort in a competitive game, win or lose.

[Jimmy Webber]

Why can't school teams play a game without kicking another team in the teeth?
Coaches should know better.

[Desmond J]

The idea is to learn, progress and get better.
I may be alone, but disagree with some of the others who have commented.
If the league allows teams that are not so good to be in the same league as the elite ones, then blame the organizers and not the team.
If a team wins 200-10, fine with me.
Maybe better planning is needed to have more Tiers like they do in Toronto. Five tiers is better thanj humiliation. If the teams pile up points, so be it. I don't see how any coach can tell his players to suddenly stop and go for a snooze.

[Lizzy]

I am a little late with this comment Dave, but check this score from Saturday Jan 30th, the Scarborough Blues tournament at the Hoop Dome
Novice Girls (9 years old and under) Caledon Cougars 47 York South Silver Knights 1 What on earth was the Caledon coach thinking!! It doesn't just happen in high school.