WBB: GSAC

MCScotsFan · September 01, 2006, 05:04:02 PM

Leave it to Cooper to bring us the lastest update! And a great one at that!

Reminds me of when we thought Placeres was gone SR year! Glad Coach Pardue helped her work this out.

scottiedoug · September 02, 2006, 12:21:00 PM

What was the issue as to why Mel was "gone?"

MCScotsFan · September 03, 2006, 12:06:19 AM

She had accrued so much debt in her two years at MC. I think the amount for an education can be so overwhelming these days, that it truly scares these kids and rightly so. However, she said that Coach Pardue was helpful in reworking her package with MC and she is able to continue her education. Spoke to her today and she seems very excited about the upcoming season and very happy with Coach Pardue and how things are coming together

scottiedoug · September 03, 2006, 02:32:01 PM

That is good to hear. It is too bad that as a country we make it harder and harder for anybody but wealthy kids to get a good college education. Pell grants get smaller, incomes go down, debt and bankruptcy rates go up, etc. These are problems not easily solved a family or college at a time. It is good to hear Mel feels ok about the coach; she was not one of the players on the search committee.

GottaHaveHeart · September 03, 2006, 02:54:51 PM

Somebody tell whoever updates MC athletic website to add her back on the roster!!!

Unreal what the costs at MC is.....talked to one guy from up there in the weight room.....said he would owe over $100,000 when he leaves....tough start into real life owing that much from the start.

I hope whatever they did, some thought was put into what they can do to keep her next year also, since she is just a Jr and probably might have the same issues next year.

GSAC Killer · September 05, 2006, 12:25:45 PM

It is a good thing they brought her back!!! Forget the sport aspect of it but for her education.. Melissa is a young lady who is very peronable and capable of amounting to great things but needs to get her schoolwork in order...
No doubt that her being on the court will guarantee a spot in the NCAA tournament especially if she goes back to her killer attitude she had in high school...
The lady Scots should have a real good starting line-up with Beth,Mel,Summer,Nat , and Saxe

MCScotsFan · September 05, 2006, 12:57:56 PM

I totally agree with you! Coach Pardue has some amazing talent to work with and I am sure there is new talent that will also be awesome!

Long after the games are over, there is a lifetime of work and successes to come! Having a college education means a lot these days and for these student athletes to get into a lot of debt and then not even graduate is tough. I hope Coach Pardue will look out for these women like Coach Lambert seems to for the men. I know the students have to be responsible for their grades but it won't hurt to have some influence and give some direction to them. Something they'll be grateful for in years to come!

I know our area high schools don't always prepare students for a college such as Maryville. It is a great injustice and these kids sometimes come in w/o even knowledge of *how* to study.

Congrats on the article in the Mountain Press, GSACKiller. It was a great one!

GottaHaveHeart · September 07, 2006, 06:22:01 AM

Starting lineup looks very solid......Guard position still has me a little concerned after you get by Beth and Mel. All other backup positions appears to be ok, on paper anyway. Seems as if the Coach likes a up-tempo game.

Hope Mel gets her schoolwork in order, which should be first priority for all involved anyways.

Can't wait to see the Coach coach the talent he has.

GSAC Killer · September 07, 2006, 12:48:44 PM

Thanks!! It was a nice article... As for Coach Pardue he should be alright.. He should go 14-0 in the conference and the win 6 out of 11 non conference games and he is in the NCAA Tournament.. Its that simple...

MCScotsFan · September 07, 2006, 04:24:53 PM

Well, you make it sound simple! I say, "Bring it on!!!"

I'm ready for the season to start!

GottaHaveHeart · September 07, 2006, 06:45:42 PM

Interesting article in thedailytimes about Mel. How is she doing in her school work? Is she going to make it?

MCScotsFan · September 08, 2006, 01:04:13 AM

Quite interesting article. Hadn't seen it. I hope she can work those grades out. Maryville isn't an easy school and too often our high schools don't prepare students for what it takes to make it there.

Not sure how her story got so confused. I thought that staff could help work things out for them to an extent.
Well, whatever the case, I hope she gets it all worked out and is back on the court and ready to play when the season starts. And, Coach Pardue has my respect for his thoughts...academics should come first.

scottiedoug · September 09, 2006, 11:58:14 AM

Part of the point of Division III athletics is that there is supposed to me no connection between financial aid/scholarships and athletics. That would mean the coaches should not have a role in who gets admitted or gets money.

I doubt that every D3 school plays it by the theory.

It would be a huge disservice to recruit athletes and not be serious about insisting that they do the work it takes to graduate. Nobody, or almost nobody, is going to go from D3 to professional sports except as a coach or administrator, and you need the degree for that or for much of a chance to get any other job that you can live on.

MCScotsFan · September 09, 2006, 08:39:44 PM

I knew that was the "theory". I figured they might get creative or something to help players who want to play and go to that school actually do it. I don't mean anything illegal, I just thought they could help them figure out the best way to meet the goal. When it costs so much to go to these schools, I am sure you have to look at every possible angle.

scottiedoug · September 11, 2006, 11:34:25 AM

There are people at MC whose job it is to help students deal with financing and I suspect that the coaches have good relationships with those people and make sure the players take advantage of their expertise. That is some different from the coaches having the power themselves to make adjustments or to be able to order someone to do so. The trick is to make sure student/athletes do not have access to money and loans that non-athlete students do not have access to.