Huron coach to bench two players against state power Detroit Country Day for skipping class
Prior to the beginning of the girls basketball season, Huron High School girls basketball coach Steve Vinson openly reprimanded two players from his team for skipping class. As a result they were not allowed to practice with the team that day.
“This is serious,” Vinson told the team that day. “These rules will be enforced.”
Apparently the message was not received, and now the punishments will affect the team as they take on state powerhouse Detroit Country Day Thursday night. Once again, two players were caught missing class and Vinson is punishing them.
“Certain things are more important than wins and losses,” Vinson said. “We’ll just kind of play it by ear and see how it goes tomorrow. They’re certainly not going to play as much as they would have.”
Huron girls basketball coach disciplined two players for missing class this week. Those players will see a reduced role in Thursday's game against Detroit Country Day.
Annarbor.com file photo
“This is a real issue, you can’t play basketball if you don’t go to class. That’s the bottom line,” Vinson said.
As Wednesday’s practice wound down, Vinson admitted that not having two of his players with “high basketball IQs” in practice hurt his team.
“It’s a big game, but in the grand scheme of things, the world won’t end if we don’t win tomorrow,” Vinson said.
During the practice the team spent a lot of time working on a variety of sets they expect to see from Country Day including presses, zones and traps. With the season still relatively young, Vinson is still more concerned about the X’s and O’s than wins and losses.
“I’m just hoping we make some progress in terms execution. Making sure that with our game plan, that we follow our game plan.
“Last year they killed us in transition and their guards, once they get the ball they’re fast, they’re quick and they can score,” Vinson said. “We have to make sure our floor is balanced and we have to get back in transition defense. And today we’re not doing that very well.”
Detroit Country Day is 1-2 on the season, but is coming off a state quarterfinal appearance.
Huron opened the season with a 55-24 win last week over Salem.
Tip off for Thursday’s game is at 7 p.m. at Country Day.
Comments
hattrix
Fri, Dec 14, 2012 : 3:44 a.m.
I give this coach a lot of credit for treating his better players the same as the rest. His quote about the "grand scheme of things" was right on.
mlivesaline
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 10:14 p.m.
Wow, harry b has commented so many times you'd think he gets notified every time someone comments. So let me get this straight, before the season 2 girls skipped class. The punishment was no practice. Now for a second time 2 girls skip class and the punishment is that they won't start but could play in the game. Since it's already happened once, this punishment is WEAK! The Huron girls team is very good and they shouldn't have to go through distractions like this. The coach needs to put the hammer down and make sure these kids know there are serious consequences to skipping class. They are student/athletes. The "student" part of that comes first for a reason.
Jack
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 8:11 p.m.
As a parent of an athletic, way to go Coach Vinson! First of all, these games count, because if you want or expect your child to attend college on a scholarship, than you better come and perform when you play a well know school, like Detroit County Day. They are old enough to be taught what will happen if you are not responsible and trust me college is a whole lot worse. At least Coach Vinson knows that an education is far more important and so should every one else!
golfer
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 4:02 p.m.
sending messages is important. take michigan football. same thing. yes they are kids and kids do stupid things. maybe they will learn this now. if they do not it will happen in college and the same thing will happen. some times they are kicked off the team. i say way to go keep it up and be firm. i just wounder what the parents would do? my guess is let it slide i could be wrong.
harry b
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 5:38 p.m.
You think the parents would let it slide? Have you ever met the parents? Obviously not, because they have not published the names of the kids. What would make you think that?
Steve
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 2:54 p.m.
How did this make the news? Is this really worthy of reporting? Two high school kids skip classes, call the governor.
harry b
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 5:43 p.m.
I agree with Pete. This is the ann arbor news. I am glad they are reporting local news. This is a huge match up.
Pete Cunningham
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 3:41 p.m.
Huron is returning from a Class A state semifinals appearance last year, Detroit Country Day made the Class B quarterfinals last yea, so this is a big early season matchup that we planned to preview. What you read is what our reporter found out. I don't expect our sports pages will resemble a truancy report anytime soon, but this is something we found worthy of reporting.
garrisondyer
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 2:31 p.m.
Steve is an excellent coach. I didn't know he was now the head coach at Huron... great to hear! I always appreciated his coaching when he was on the staff of my team from high school.
easy123
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 1:57 p.m.
This is an outrage! The purposes for the school are primaily for sports, because education is an option. How dare the coach suspend these kids for skipping classes. Let the parents rise and protest!!!
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 12:50 p.m.
Seems like the punishment more than fit the crime. I would expect further problems would meet with increasing penalties. You want to use this as encouragement to do the right thing, not to end the season before it starts and have the kid say "the heck with it" and quit altogether.
WalkingJoe
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 12:50 p.m.
This is what we can expect when high school athletes see college and pro athletes get away with much worse and get no punishment or a slap on the wrist.
harry b
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 5:41 p.m.
All he said was he supports the coach. I do too. You said college and pro athletes get away with much worse so this is what we can expect from kids who play sports. So we should blame all misbehaven kids on pro athletes. I think that is a huge stretch.
WalkingJoe
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 4:33 p.m.
@harry b, check out golfer's comment below. It says everything that I meant and more.
harry b
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 3:48 p.m.
You have never skipped a class in school(high school/college)? They didn't commit a felony. THEY SKIPPED ONE CLASS. Relax. It has nothing to do with pro athletes. They are kids. Kids do this from time to time.
Claude Kershner
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 11:13 a.m.
If you really wanted to send a message the suspensions would kick in at districts. They already know these games mean little other than tough workouts against great teams and the threat of not playing is something they are ok with. They mock your rules because they know they can. If there is a history of skipping class from prior seasons make the punishment stronger. The message isn't getting through.
harry b
Thu, Dec 13, 2012 : 3:31 p.m.
Relax they skipped one class this year. There is a punishment at the school level but this basketball coach is taking it farther which I agree. These kids love to play basketball and this is a determent.