What happened to Joplin Parkwood?
- Thread starter JNreturns
- Start date
From the outside looking in? That merger was short-sighted and they've never really recovered. They created a very large high school and with it came a lot of problems that typically come with large enrollment numbers. Especially when it doesn't happen organically ----more of a BAM! Go be a giant high school. I know. It's not pure smash mouth football speak, but, I don't think you can underestimate what losing that rivalry within the community did to the community. VERY LITTLE excitement for many years for Joplin athletics. A spark here and there. Both merging AND separating schools can be a tricky business and I would think you would put a butt ton of preparation into either. Joplin is a HUB for southwest MO commerce and population doesn't accurately tell the story. POLITICS and power spoil so much in that city. I mentioned the other day I am 'hopeful' for them next year. However, there is no sudden unified mission. They have recently made a move to combine sports teams at the middle school level in an effort to help bring this thing together as they enter the COC. In talking with a parent recently? No one's really sure how this plays out. Helpful? Not? They said in watching the basketball program each game felt like the boys were there in an individual tryout. Every game. Lots of every man for himself type play. This might improve???
Tricky business. They have to find a way to come together enough that they can get more kids to summer programs too. Requires a lot of parental sacrifice. It'll be tough.
Tricky business. They have to find a way to come together enough that they can get more kids to summer programs too. Requires a lot of parental sacrifice. It'll be tough.
Seems to be symptomatic in a lot so sprawling suburban area high schools...every man for himself. Difficulty in getting program buy-in. You can have 2,500 students, but might field a team of individuals that don't care to play as a team. Thus, we have a class 6, where the bottom 16/32 teams would probably lose to anyone in the top 12 in Class 4.
That is accurate JN.
The parent I talked to said it would require a boatload of commitment on the part of coaches, parents, leaders etc to bring the community together in this area and they're just not sure the interest to make the investment is there. Decisions are still made on much more of a political level than they are any kind of plan for success. Too many cooks in the kitchen and they don't have a plan. If you've got a 5' 11" 12-year-old kid wildly driving the basketball down the court -with all of his quicker and shorter and better ball handling teammates looking on? After the inevitable turnover, the conversation needs to become "PASS the ball" instead of "you'll get it next time" or "try the jump stop". They struggle to team build from day one on. It will be a BIG job if anyone can ever pull it together.
The parent I talked to said it would require a boatload of commitment on the part of coaches, parents, leaders etc to bring the community together in this area and they're just not sure the interest to make the investment is there. Decisions are still made on much more of a political level than they are any kind of plan for success. Too many cooks in the kitchen and they don't have a plan. If you've got a 5' 11" 12-year-old kid wildly driving the basketball down the court -with all of his quicker and shorter and better ball handling teammates looking on? After the inevitable turnover, the conversation needs to become "PASS the ball" instead of "you'll get it next time" or "try the jump stop". They struggle to team build from day one on. It will be a BIG job if anyone can ever pull it together.
The topic is in another thread as well. I think Joplin has a ton of potential, not just football but other sports too. A combination of factors took them from a perennial power to a barely mediocre program and they have struggled to shake that. I don't know all the reasons and was only a kid when it happened. But I have heard they believed pooling all their resources and students and talent would propel them forward in all aspects including sports. I see the logic but in reality I think it's just created a mega school that is out of sync with this part of the state. Plus the district has been plagued with more than it's fair share of bad publicity, political power struggles, scandals, lawsuits, tragedies, you name it - they just absolutely can't get a break.
Personally I really hoped they would rebuild as 2 schools - mainly for selfish reasons so that we could have another local road game. But admittedly, if I were in the position to make that decision it would be tough because knowing the history of how things seems to work - I think going back to 2 schools would tear the community apart, figuratively and literally.
Personally I really hoped they would rebuild as 2 schools - mainly for selfish reasons so that we could have another local road game. But admittedly, if I were in the position to make that decision it would be tough because knowing the history of how things seems to work - I think going back to 2 schools would tear the community apart, figuratively and literally.
Its really strange and I certainly dont have the answers but have watched them flounder at times over the past 25 plus years. One would think a school with 2100/2200 students would have great athletes running around everywhere. Well ive watched all kinds of Joplin sports over the years, been in and around the school, they really most of the times have had average class 4 talent it kinda blew my mind at times how little athleticism id see on the field. I came from a day of a D1 athletes being on the field most seasons and if not a D1 player or 2 there were 5/6/7 true D2 players. I just dont see that often anymore. There is also a certain attitude winners have and its not easy to get that attitude but they like every other school are working toward trying to build that illusive mindset, Its a battle and I think its harder the larger the school. Maybe the talent is just more spread out between Joplin, Webb city and Carl Junction than in my day. Now with all this said Joplin has some good athletes right now but some are one sport athletes which is too bad really but what can you do. As a fan even though I dont see great athletes all over the place they should be able to compete year in year out in the COC, no exceptions. I realize I could eat those words but Im fine with that.
I wonder what it would be like sometimes to be back to 2. In today's environment it would get ugly if one school dominated the other , people would be moving all over the place lol
Joplin schools won state titles in 75, 76, 77, 77, 78, 80, 83, 84
1977 or 78 Memorial won basketball and track
Parkwood state football runner up 1984
Parkwood 83 football champs also won1984 baseball title
Memorial football state champ in 76 (13-1) Parkwood went 10-0 that same season, yes Memorial lone loss Parkwood. If Missouri didnt have that stupid point system could have both Joplin schools won state titles in the same year. Parkwood Class 4 (largest class then) Memorial class 3.
Since the Eagles and Bears became one school, Joplin has played in 2 state title games the past 32 years, both in Baseball.
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