In NE Salem, Oregon, last season, the girls' basketball team had a winless season during 2017-18. The boys team had a special group of seniors that had played together for years. Those seniors had some talent and also worked extremely hard in the off-season, which was an important key.
Despite the great season and talented boys of 2017-18, the Royal Scots still fell one game short of making the playoffs.
The boys' basketball team at McKay High School has a great coaching staff that sacrifices much of their time for the kids. They also coach for academic progress and life-skill lessons. They put a kid's growth in doing the right things more important than playing him to win a game.
The girls have a new coach this year and it has helped. Their record has improved from last year. The girls' team also has several seniors that have improved tremendously due to their hard work the last three years during the off-season. Despite a better record this season, the depth is just not there. Those seniors will be gone next year, and from what I've witnessed we could go back to another winless season. Again, great coaching staff for the girls' team this season, wonderful people, they do their best.
We're halfway through the 2018-19 regular season and the girls are 6 - 10 overall. It will be tough for them to make the playoffs -- we're all hoping they do. The boys have dropped to a winless season at 0 - 16 with a young squad that lacks experience. Both girls and boys teams have players that love basketball and are hard workers.
It shouldn't always be about winning, but when a team doesn't win much year after year, it is felt by the kids, their parents, and even the community. Don't get me wrong, it is priority to look at the wonderful things that sports provide. Some of these kids do improve year after year. The community is always proud of the decent young men and women that graduate with honors in academics and the life skills learned through sports.
How do we improve the team sports at McKay High School? I'm referring to team sports like basketball and football. Our teams normally don't have the height to compete in basketball, so we get out-rebounded in most of our games. The football team normally doesn't have the size for the offensive line or the defensive line -- just a couple of examples.
I had the pleasure of speaking at McKay High School a couple of years ago. I was amazed at the attendance of the school -- over 2,000 kids. Some of these kids were over 6' 5". Why aren't these kids going out for the sports teams?
In my opinion, McKay is at an unfair disadvantage in competitive sports. Let's compare the NE side of Salem with the South, West, and even Keizer (McNary High School). And now the OSAA has added Bend, Mountain View, and Summit to the conference. It's getting darker to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
While some may disagree, there are factors that prevent McKay's sports teams to compete fairly in the Mountain Valley Conference.
1. The families that are financially blessed (whether inheritance or hard work) will have more opportunities to send their kids to basketball camps, football camps, etc. I commend those families, and I at first hand know they have worked hard to provide better for their kids. At McKay, there are many dysfunctional families that will never have that opportunity. Some kids walk miles to school in the cold weather -- I've seen it. There are a few parents in the McKay area that are blessed like in other areas to provide better opportunities for their kids -- just not enough of them.
2. McKay has a dominance of Hispanics, Islanders, Asians, and a few African Americans. Every year I see less Caucasians. I've observed taller Caucasians and African-American kids. I feel the height will always be an issue in basketball. Though we have had tall and talented African-American kids at McKay, they have transferred out of the program to join a more stacked team, which is another issue that hurts McKay in sports.
3. The sports culture seems to be lacking in many of these minority families in the NE Salem Area. Most of the kids get introduced to sports at a later age compared to the other 6A Salem schools. It's truly amazing to see the kids at McKay that really want to excel in sports, but just haven't had the necessary skill-set training. In basketball, most of the starters from the other 6A schools have played basketball since they were in the first grade -- some start at kindergarten. One example is the KYBA League in Keizer, Oregon. The best players out of that crop will all eventually feed into McNary High School.
These are just a few factors, I'm sure there are more. What kid wants to attend a school that has a losing team? The transfers won't choose McKay, they'll choose a winning team, that's a fact.
What needs to happen at McKay?
1. There has to be programs that introduce the younger kids to sports in the NE Salem Area. One program that's had some success is Salem Hoops Project (free skill-set training). The non-profit program has been around for five years. We need more of this to help the community that lacks the funds to send their kids to camps during the summer, or to give them private instruction.
2. Sports culture has to rise in the NE Salem Area -- not putting academics second, adding it as priority in the package. The parents have to get involved in their kids' school activities. The school administration can help by sending out information or leaving phone messages with free basketball clinics or any type of activity that will help the child. In addition, transportation has to be provided somehow if the parent can't bring the child. Transportation is a huge obstacle.
3. Many of the high-school athletes at McKay have to work during the summers, and the priority for them to improve their skills diminishes. There needs to be a way that these kids can practice their skills and not just work. I fully understand that some have no choice. It is also possible to be employed while practicing during off-work hours ... I did it when I was a kid, I came from poverty -- it can be done.
4. NE Parents need to encourage their kids to attend three-on-three basketball tournaments, workouts at the gym with coaches, or anything that might teach them needed skill-sets. Encourage them to hang out with friends that play basketball on the weekends at the park. There are many opportunities that are affordable or free. Go search for them at the City of Salem (Parks and Recreation), or at the schools.
5. There has to be some incentive to keep the talented athletes at McKay High School. By developing them at a younger age together with their peers, they will form a bond that has less chance to be broken. I know that there are people in the NE Community that are helping many McKay athletes already, we just need more.
It is a frustrating time for McKay Basketball. I feel bad for the coaches, players, and fans. It's not an easy thing to watch your team lose so much ... especially to more advanced teams with taller and more experienced athletes. On a good note, when I see the kids that are out on the basketball court, and how hard they are trying, I feel better about being part of the community. I'm thankful for those kids that don't give up.
Yes, it is more fun to win games. The food afterward tastes better and everyone is laughing and having fun, but despite the fact that McKay is struggling with the win-loss column, it's important that we continue to support them in any way we can as a community. If we take action to help the kids of this community, the school will one day be able to compete evenly in the Mountain Valley Conference. McKay can make it to the state tournament one day. I would love to see that.