Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

[Reality]

I do understand why the team would go to Rapid City for the PR from a practice and kids clinic. I would, however, recommend that Coach Stig, the new coaches, and a few players (injured) go to Rapid City and leave the rest of the team and coaches home to practice.

I just don't think it is a good idea for a number of reasons, but most importantly is the time of the semester. The last few weeks are absolutely critical for projects and exams (or at least they used to be). I simply don't see how this trip might not have a negative impact on academics for many students.

Also, the weather sounds crummy in Rapid City for the weekend and we certainly don't need any injuries during Spring Ball.

[JackJD]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

For context: here's a link to the story on GoJacks.com

http://gojacks.com/news/2016/4/6/football-jacks-to-practice-hold-clinic-in-rapid-city.aspx?path=football

The WestRiver Jacks organization is providing financial support for the event. Personally, I think its a good move. We have a large, very loyal group of Jackrabbit fans who support SDSU well and should get a visit once in a while. And, the state's premier football program should show its stuff out west once in a while. For some on the team, it will be their first trip to the Hills and its a part of the state they should see.

I know the Alumni Association sent out an email blast to Jacks fans west river.

[BTownJack]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

I do understand why the team would go to Rapid City for the PR from a practice and kids clinic. I would, however, recommend that Coach Stig, the new coaches, and a few players (injured) go to Rapid City and leave the rest of the team and coaches home to practice.

I just don't think it is a good idea for a number of reasons, but most importantly is the time of the semester. The last few weeks are absolutely critical for projects and exams (or at least they used to be). I simply don't see how this trip might not have a negative impact on academics for many students.

Also, the weather sounds crummy in Rapid City for the weekend and we certainly don't need any injuries during Spring Ball.

Football players travel less than any other athlete of any other sports team in college. They have 5 or 6 road games a year for which they miss one day of school each for. Most other sports are 2+ days away from the classroom, many time throughout the season. Football players will be just fine especially considering they won't miss any school for this trip.

[Danger41]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

As one of the very few West River alums of the team, I can tell you that the team may as well be the ESDSU (Eastern South Dakota State University) to a lot of the RC area. Athletically, there's good athletes out there for recruiting. Scholastically, there's lots of bright students that could get brought into the school (in this context, the athletic program). But most importantly in the real world, there's a large market that is pretty untapped financially.

And on the argument of overloading a student too much to take a cross-state trip for a practice, I wouldn't worry about that too much. Pretty much every high school athlete in the state makes that trip weekly. If these guys can't handle this much of an academic burden in a program that touts itself for it's academic prowess, maybe they need to reevaluate their priorities.

Bottom line, the team should do these (and more) trips to the states' far reaches to get out of the East River bubble.

[West-River_Jack]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

There are quite a few football season ticket holders in the Black Hills and surrounding areas. While I don't believe we are owed a visit, there is still untapped support here. Interest in the Jackrabbits is far more visible than it was ten years ago. SDSU needs to insure that interest keeps growing. I see far more blue clothing than red in the area, and most of the red has a big N on it.

[jacksfaninne]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

I simply don't see how this trip might not have a negative impact on academics for many students.

Seems like the positives for the student athletes -- exposure to a new region and new people; interacting with kids; public service experience; team building, etc. -- probably outweigh any brief time away from the books. Sending a few coaches and injured players would send a pretty clear message to west river alums and fans, and it wouldn't be a good one. Maybe they could hand out some worn out practice socks and threadbare t-shirts while they're at it. Be a good way to get rid of some of that crap.

[mango4]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

I do understand why the team would go to Rapid City for the PR from a practice and kids clinic. I would, however, recommend that Coach Stig, the new coaches, and a few players (injured) go to Rapid City and leave the rest of the team and coaches home to practice.

I just don't think it is a good idea for a number of reasons, but most importantly is the time of the semester. The last few weeks are absolutely critical for projects and exams (or at least they used to be). I simply don't see how this trip might not have a negative impact on academics for many students.

Also, the weather sounds crummy in Rapid City for the weekend and we certainly don't need any injuries during Spring Ball.

How dare they try to get more exposure in other parts of the state!!!

[AZjack]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

How dare they try to get more exposure in other parts of the state!!!

Exactly. It would be nice to get another WY wrestling dual to this side of the state as well. That was well attended a couple years ago.

[ringthebells]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

I think it is great to get out west of the river. We need more presence in the area.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

I do understand why the team would go to Rapid City for the PR from a practice and kids clinic. I would, however, recommend that Coach Stig, the new coaches, and a few players (injured) go to Rapid City and leave the rest of the team and coaches home to practice. ...

Send injured players to Rapid City? I think that would be insulting. I commend the team and the hosts in Rapid City for arranging the practice and a clinic in the Black Hills. The Jacks should step up its outreach to western South Dakota. The Jacks need to nurture more statewide support.

[JackJD]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

Reality, you may have to change your message board alias.

As noted in another post: lots of alums in West River including many former athletes and lots of season ticket holders. We have great support in the Hills.

[Reality]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

Whoa. Let me provide some context that I thought was clear, but obviously wasn't:

"I do understand why the team would go to Rapid City for the PR from a practice and kids clinic." I get it - Rapid City is an important part of the state that our coaches need to have good relationships and the program needs to be conducting clinics, etc. as allowed by the NCAA.

"The last few weeks are absolutely critical for projects and exams (or at least they used to be)." As some of the posters indicated, football doesn't travel very much so it is likely that some of the players haven't planned very well for the weekend. Because so much of the academic work is now online, I'm curious if the buses have wi-fi for the 12 hours on the road? The university prides itself in academic rigor for its student-athletes. Even after reading the posts from many faithful west river supporters, I'm not convinced the engineering students can do everything they need on the road at this time of the semester. This is a different time for academics with the emphasis of online access including labs, projects, and programs.

Finally, I'd like to know if the NCAA will include FCS schools as they recently shut down of off-site camps for FBS schools.

[mnjackrbt]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

Finally, I'd like to know if the NCAA will include FCS schools as they recently shut down of off-site camps for FBS schools.

Since it was an NCAA rule on the satellite camps, I would assume that it involves all levels of NCAA- D1, D2, D3. This, however is not a camp that HS players are coming to to get recruited. It is a trip/practice for the players.

[mnjackrbt]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

I do understand why the team would go to Rapid City for the PR from a practice and kids clinic. I would, however, recommend that Coach Stig, the new coaches, and a few players (injured) go to Rapid City and leave the rest of the team and coaches home to practice.

I just don't think it is a good idea for a number of reasons, but most importantly is the time of the semester. The last few weeks are absolutely critical for projects and exams (or at least they used to be). I simply don't see how this trip might not have a negative impact on academics for many students.

Also, the weather sounds crummy in Rapid City for the weekend and we certainly don't need any injuries during Spring Ball.

They are student-athletes, most of them are more on top of their school work than the general population. If the baseball and softball teams can survive being gone for a month at a time in February/March, I'm sure the football team can afford to be gone for a day or two. Assuming they leave either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, they will miss a day of class.

Not only is it a great way to show off SDSU to the western part of the state, but it is a great way to show off the western part of the state to the SDSU athletes who have never been there. Players from AZ, or TX or somewhere that have never seen the Hills or Rushmore, get a greater understanding of the State they are playing for. They get to take a very short trip that they were not fortunate enough to take with their families growing up. They get to make memories. I'm assuming the team is also doing some kind of service work out there, visiting a hospital or shelter or something, and those are memories that are created for both the players and the patients/victims/children/etc.

[NWHSUandSDSU]

Re: Practice in Rapid City - Why & Why Not

Since it was an NCAA rule on the satellite camps, I would assume that it involves all levels of NCAA- D1, D2, D3. This, however is not a camp that HS players are coming to to get recruited. It is a trip/practice for the players.

NCAA has stated rule only applies to FBS.