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Odessa American, Texas, Lee Scheide column
[November 09, 2012]

Odessa American, Texas, Lee Scheide column


Nov 09, 2012 (Odessa American - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- To say the 2012 season has been trying for the Odessa High football team is an understatement.

From the first preseason practice through tonight's season finale against Amarillo Tascosa, the Bronchos have battled heat, a lack of size, injuries and apathy among the ranks of the older players to fashion an 0-9 record as they get ready to host the Rebels at 7:30 at Ratliff Stadium.



You shouldn't be laughing after getting routed each week.

Yet, save for a dedicated few, that's been the modus operandi of this year's Bronchos' team.


Through it all, head coach Ron King has been in the eye of the storm -- and make no mistake, there has been and is a storm brewing about the Bronchos' season.

And it's taking a toll on King.

He's lost weight and had to come off a bus to rescue an assistant coach after he was surrounded by angry parents following a loss.

Parents have a right to be passionate about seeing their son on the field, because most live vicariously through their child every Friday night.

They have no right whatsoever to stop and berate a coach that has been at work every day since the first week of August trying to find a way to get the best 11 players on the field in order to give OHS a chance at victory.

If your son isn't on the field, there's a reason.

That situation brought about an immediate remedy from King, who changed the way the team arrives and leaves the stadium, keeping the parents away from the players until they are back at Odessa High.

Once that issue was addressed, another reared its head as members of the booster club began to voice their displeasure about the season and why certain players weren't getting more playing time.

BOOSTER Club seems to be an oxymoron for OHS these days.

King has been ever faithful in his duties with the booster club, going to the meeting each week and standing up and absorbing the questions about the team and why it's not winning.

Read that as "Why isn't my kid on the field " See answer above.

King knows that he is the main target for the program and he's the first to deflect the attention from the players to himself, constantly talking about making sure that the players are better prepared so they have the best chance to win.

But that's a smokescreen this season as King has battled defections, injuries and grade issues that have decimated the team.

Each week, he's had to plug a hole with a new player, hoping to get him up to speed quickly enough to stay safe against bigger, faster, stronger players on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

If they make plays, even better for all involved.

When the Bronchos take the field tonight against the Rebels, 18 of the 22 starters will be juniors and sophomores -- on senior night.

That, in a nutshell, says it all.

Contact Lee Scheide on twitter @OALeeScheide, on Facebook at OA Lee Scheide, or call 432-333-7703.

___ (c)2012 the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) Visit the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) at www.oaoa.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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