Lansing Head Baseball Coach, Hoops Junkie, Jayhawks Fan, Chiefs Fan, History Nut, Star Wars Nerd
Lansing, Kansas
Joined August 2015
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Michael Basler retweeted
We talk about this a lot, and it’s long overdue that school leaders start having this conversation.
High school athletic departments are years behind the classrooms they operate alongside.
Think about that.
In classrooms, educators are challenged to innovate, adapt, embrace technology, think differently and find creative ways to connect with every kid, as one coach recently noted.
In athletics, we ask kids, families, coaches and communities to conform to outdated systems, because it makes the adults’ jobs easier.
That’s completely backward.
How connected are athletic programs with one another at schools? How many head coaches interact their kids with other programs? Kids want that, and that connection helps the culture year-round at schools.
But here’s a bigger problem: Athletic departments are massively understaffed, underfunded and underutilized.
We expect one athletic director to be an administrator, event planner, fundraiser, marketer, disciplinarian, facilities manager, transportation coordinator and community liaison at many schools.
Then we wonder why innovation isn’t happening.
Read this and think: Athletic departments should be among the most powerful departments in any school district.
Yes, they should. Athletics are more than JUST games, and some people just continue to miss it.
Sport has the ability to connect classrooms with communities, build relationships with local businesses, create student-leadership opportunities, generate revenue, enhance school and community pride and provide real-world educational experiences that extend far beyond these overpriced scoreboards.
Athletics should be a true extension of the classroom, not an isolated department operating on an island.
You can’t expect innovation when your entire operating model is built around survival.
And yes, most ADs are in survival mode more times than not. Think about that statement, because that is hard truth.
School leaders and school boards need to stop looking at athletics simply as an expense, a schedule of games or another administrative headache.
Start looking at it as an investment in kids, families, schools and communities.
Give athletic departments the staffing, resources, technology and freedom to actually innovate. Hold them accountable for creating opportunities, not simply managing schedules or buses.
All of these things are achievable. The issue is the school “hamster wheel” I refer to.
The goal shouldn’t be making life easier for the adults running high school sports. It should be making the experience better overall for all kids participating in them.
That’s what “education-based sports” are supposed to be about vs just an administrative talking point.
#MoreThanJUSTGames
Michael Basler retweeted
🎬According to the 1985 film, 'Back To The Future,' Marty McFly travelled back in time to November 5, 1955
Michael Basler retweeted
Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate, delivering a stunningly decisive rebuke of Republican governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.
Follow live results: apnews.com/projects/election…
ALT Democrats win the US Senate. Key wins allowed Democrats to claim majority in the chamber in a stunning rejection of President Trump's power.
Michael Basler retweeted
Wisconsin high school baseball has a coaching problem that I don’t think we’re talking about enough.
We’re asking schools to find qualified coaches willing to spend hundreds of hours developing young athletes for stipends that often range from $3,000–$5,000 per season.
These coaches are expected to build programs, develop players, communicate with parents, coordinate with youth organizations, and create positive experiences for kids.
And finding people willing and qualified to do all of that is becoming increasingly difficult.
Yet we continue to place restrictions on when those same coaches can work with their own players.
Think about that for a second.
A qualified baseball instructor can work with kids throughout the year.
A travel baseball coach can work with kids throughout the year.
But when that same person becomes a high school coach, suddenly there are additional restrictions on when they can help develop the very players they’re responsible for coaching.
How does that make the high school coaching position more attractive?
How does that encourage someone who makes a living teaching baseball to take a high school coaching job?
And how does it help retain passionate, qualified coaches who want to build something beyond a three-month season?
I’m not advocating for mandatory offseason workouts, year-round practices, or turning high school baseball into a 12-month obligation for kids.
Quite the opposite.
I’m advocating for allowing qualified coaches to work with willing players who WANT additional instruction, without forcing those coaches to navigate unnecessary restrictions.
Participation should always be voluntary. Kids should be encouraged to play other sports, and nobody should feel their playing time depends on offseason attendance.
But we should also recognize that restrictions intended to protect athletes can create unintended consequences for the people we’re trying to attract to coaching.
In April, WIAA member schools voted 359–10 to remove certain offseason coaching-contact barriers for newly hired coaches.
That’s a pretty overwhelming acknowledgment that these rules can complicate hiring.
So why not take the next step?
If we want better high school baseball programs in Wisconsin, we need to make coaching those programs more attractive.
We probably aren’t going to dramatically increase coaching stipends anytime soon.
But we can remove unnecessary barriers that discourage knowledgeable, passionate baseball people from getting involved.
And we can give coaches who genuinely love developing players more reasons to stay.
Eliminating offseason coaching restrictions isn’t about making kids play more baseball.
It’s about making it easier for great baseball people to coach high school baseball.
I think that’s a conversation worth having.
Michael Basler retweeted
Kansas City Chiefs thoughts after tonight (5-2):
The Good:
- Emmett Johnson showed he can be a real 1-2 with Kenneth Walker and is a great receiving back with high potential.
- Rashee Rice at times made big plays for the offense
- Offense looked good enough tonight. Some killer penalties, missed FG, and false start on game-winning TD
- Chiefs dominated the first 3 quarters with a ton of mistakes, while on the road.
- The Defense is young and will keep improving.
- Chiefs have winning DNA and have won a SB with worse rosters.
- Chiefs play the Jets, Falcons, and Cardinals. Multiple “get right” games and should win all three. Going into the gauntlet of the schedule 8-2 is likely.
- Broncos may prove me wrong, but they can’t keep winning the fourth quarter comebacks + Bo Nix is average at best. Chiefs wounds were self-inflicted.
- it’s not time to panic, Chiefs have time to get these issues corrected. This loss just makes every game a must-win for home field advantage by winning the AFC West and any shot at 1 seed in AFC (unlikely).
The Bad:
- The pass rush is not getting better, good to see a lot of tipped passes. However, the Chiefs just cannot generate sacks. This is very problematic and of the Chiefs don’t dominate time of possession with a lead in the second half - the opposing team is always in the game with forever to throw
- The Safeties look completely lost. Something major is off, I think Chiefs can overcome this with Spags and a healthy Mansoor Delane on lockdown.
- Caliendo is awful, not much else to say. Kingsley needs to play and the issues with the coaching staff need to get resolved.
- Josh Simmons missing at LT hurts, if he returns, a lot of these issues resolve themselves. Blind side clearly has bothered Mahomes vs good pass rushes. Not convinced Simmons returns, but we’ll see.
The Ugly:
- Harrison Butker has the most missed kicks since last season (16: FG+PATs). He has to go, unfortunately. It was a great run. It will cost the Chiefs a playoff game if he stays.
- The Pass Rush will have to be addressed in-house and just hope someone steps up. Trade capital if used will go to WR or potentially (less likely) Safety.
- Several young players cannot even get lined up correctly in this offense, let alone run the correct route.
- Xavier Worthy showing no signs of stepping up and this WR group isn’t good.
- Penalties and missed opportunities on critical plays continue to plague the Chiefs. It keeps getting worse, not better.
Michael Basler retweeted
Freddie Freeman says his 69 year old dad still throws him batting practice everyday and says the hour they spend together is worth more than any amount of reps with a real pitcher or coach
“He’s 69 years old and he still throws. The last two years he goes, ‘Freddie, I’m not very good anymore.’ And I said, ‘Dad, that’s not the thing. It’s not about that. It’s about the hour we spend together.’”
“I’ll figure it out in spring training. I hit every day there. I just want to hit with you. This is our thing. He thinks he’s not very good, but I think he’s great.”
(Via @newheightshow)
Too many controllable mistakes by @Chiefs got to be better control the controllables
Michael Basler retweeted
Since KSHSAA playoff football began in 1969, Washington reached the playoffs just twice—losing in 1980 and 1985. After 57 years, the Wildcats made history last night with the program’s FIRST playoff win! A milestone 57 years in the making!!! #WhoseHouse #WashHouse #WildcatCounty
Congratulations to @ZychLindsay stack up the 🏆Ships! 🐾🦁⚾️🐾
Congrats to our volleyball girls and head coach @ZychLindsay and staff!! Such an elite program with an elite coach. They do everything the right way, and with class. Loved watching it on the live stream. State champs!!#GoStagsGo
Michael Basler retweeted
Congrats to our volleyball girls and head coach @ZychLindsay and staff!! Such an elite program with an elite coach. They do everything the right way, and with class. Loved watching it on the live stream. State champs!!#GoStagsGo
Bishop Miege wins its 30th state volleyball title, defeating Andale 25-21, 19-25, 25-20 in the Class 4A final.
Clay Center takes third, rallying past Eudora 18-25, 25-19, 25-22.
#KSHSAACovered
Michael Basler retweeted
Congrats to Washington High in Kansas City, Kansas, on its first playoff win in school history. Down by 1 with 0:22 left in the game, @WashHouseFB used WR @CamRon5Fields 49-yard TD to
knock off Blue Valley Southwest 42-35 in the first round of the Kansas Class 5A state playoffs. – at Independence, MO
Michael Basler retweeted
Lucas Cross | SO | RHP
@MccWolves
FB: 87-91 | BB: 75-77 | CH: 80-82
Pitchability RHP. Effective cut to the FB. Strike thrower, competes. Threw the baseball well yesterday.
#PGJC
