Keith Edmonds is a 32-year veteran of teaching and school administration from Fort Wayne. He coached boys high school basketball as an assistant at Snider High School, North Side High School and was the head boys basketball coach at Elmhurst High School for 12 years, advancing to the Class 3A State championship in 2003.
Basketball season is such an exciting time of the year for our area teams and schools. We have so many talented programs and coaches in this area that if you’re fortunate enough to have one of your basketball teams having a good season, it creates a buzz in the school that something special just might be around the corner. Now, if you’re fortunate enough to have your girls and your boys teams having winning seasons, then that’s when you can use the word special for your school.
The reason that I’ve entitled this article ‘Double Jeopardy’ is to bring recognition for schools that have both their girls and boys programs enjoying successful seasons, making it tough on rival schools that compete against them. It’s rare, but not uncommon, for this to occur for our area teams as we can look at traditional programs such as Homestead and Norwell doing very well with both programs. But, we also see other schools having seasons that are making noise in the girls and boys gyms as well.
Now, I know that I may miss a few schools (forgive me) but here are some of the programs that are getting it done in the gym this year with their girls and boys hoops programs. I just want you to know that I see you Norwell, Carroll, Marion, Warsaw, Homestead, Central Noble and Bellmont.
With so many conferences going to doubleheader scheduling the past few years, it’s so rewarding to see schools have two teams in their building that are going to give you more than you asked, for a small $6.00 admission. I, for one, am glad that the area athletic directors decided to do this as it brings recognition to both programs on any given night and gives the fans an opportunity to see area schools that maybe they’ve read about, but don’t get an opportunity to see.
Think for a moment how many times have you said to yourself “I’ve heard that (name school) was pretty good but I just haven’t had the opportunity to see them play.” Now with the way the schedule falls, you get that opportunity on any given night!
If you have the opportunity to compete against schools that have competitive boys and girls programs, then you’d better get ready to get down and dirty because they will battle you all night. It seems that they carry the mantle of their school each time they play and yes, I’m sure that there are some bragging rights involved between the two programs as to who’s the best in the school in that particular year. So that makes it fun as well.
I just enjoy a good game, and I don’t think that I have to go to Indianapolis, South Bend, or Muncie to find one. Northeast Indiana basketball satisfies my hoops hunger pains and whether it’s on the weekends, or a mid-week contest, I can see quality schools and programs playing at a high level. Area fans continue to support these players working hard every night to represent their respective schools and beware of ‘Double Jeopardy’ coming straight at you in the very near future.
Courtside with Coach Edmonds will appear every Monday during the prep basketball season at Outside the Huddle. These opinions represent those of the writer. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers.
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