Scheduling: What's in it for them?

[jtjrmoney8]

It is talked about frequently on the MAB show about scheduling and how certain teams need to beef up their non-conference schedules to help better prepare them for the tournament..


Let's say that a small 1A-2A school is trying to put a solid 4A team on their schedule..my question is: Why would the 4A school want to schedule a small school team and what's in it for them?

Seems to me like the big school has everything to lose and little to gain..not to say that I don't enjoy watching these types of matchups, because I do..but from the perspective of the big school, seems like there could only be negatives that come from scheduling these types of games, especially if they lose

Curious to know what you all think about this subject..maybe I'm missing something??

[richsapper]

There are two sides to this.

The first is that improving the quality of the opponents that you play does not necessarily mean playing a larger school. It could mean scheduling tougher opponents and some from outside of the area. There is a huge program for teams, especially from Northwest Indiana, who only play teams in the area. They get used to one style of play, don't expose themselves to competition, officials , and environments outside of the region etc. I personally have had heavy criticism of the soon to be dead DAC double round robin for several reasons, but this is one of them. In the "old days" the Duneland schools used to play teams from across the state. Crown Point on the girls side in particular used to host a holiday tournament that featured teams like Noblesville, Carroll, etc. They were tough opponents and gave the CP players more exposure to those teams and some great players.

The other conference that I have been critical of is the PCC with playing each other in the regular season, in the PCC Tournament, the South County Tournament and then playing each other in the sectional. It does no one any favors to anyone to potentially play the same team 4 times in a season. Those teams could put Oregon-Davis, Luers, etc as examples on the schedule. Boone Grove has taken the opportunity to put some solid non-conference games on the schedule with the end of the South County Tournament.

Now, hopefully some games will open up with the end of both the South County and the DAC's double round robin. The teams do not need to play larger schools, just better schools.

The second part would potentially involve what you are talking about. Possibly play a larger team. What is in it for the larger school if they do you ask? Well, for one a chance to play someone different, someone who maybe plays a different style of offense/defense. Theose Boone Grove-Crown Point games were classics, and CP didn;t always win. A great game is a great game. If they schedule a small school with a great following there is a chance for a better gate. They have a chance (the larger school) to start the season off with a small school opponent who may not tax them the way that their conference opponent may. College teams routinely play smaller D-I, and even NAIA schools. I don't know how many times say Bethel College has Valpo, IU has played William and Mary and that type of thing. They can be a tune up game for the larger school, and get some experience for JV players and those tweeners that will be on the bench, as well as getting their starters on the same page. That is assuming that the smaller school is not as good or better than the larger school. If the smaller school is better, then the larger school has the benefit of making their schedule stronger.

Again though, normally when I talk about a better schedule, it does not necessarily mean that they are playing a larger school anyway.

[jtjrmoney8]

Those are some very good points..I went to one of the Boone Grove/CP games a few years ago and it came right down to the wire..CP won but only by a couple of points

[richsapper]

Thanks JT, I thought so

[crowntownmike]

I think there is good in playing smaller schools too. I know that you are talking about basketball, but I like that Crown Point plays Lowell and Hobart every year. It helps us get ready for the tough DAC schedule. I think this helps in every sport.

[indianbacker]

There should be no small schools. Small schools should be combined to make bigger schools.