Why is Salem successful?
- Thread starter southbottomU
- Start date
southbottomU, you should’ve offered another choice: Salem is not just a HS team. It’s a system that brings players up thru all levels from Rec ball thru Varsity. I’ve always been impressed by that.
You left off "People in Salem care more about football. And put their time, effort, and money where their priorities are (kids and adults)."
This community support thing might be overestimated. Lake Taylor has little community support and they are an elite program. Pulaski has community support and they haven't been relevant for a while now. It's important, and probably part of the equation, but not the only thing that brings success.
Had to add "they recruit and get all the officials calls" for all the haters. I wonder if those two voters really believe that?
I agree, but would it work no matter the system? Is there something about the system that helps in their success? Would Salem be as good if they ran the single wing, spread, or wing t?
Wasn’t referring to an Offense or Defense, but to the involvement of Mags and staff with the lower levels.
Imao the reason given by cd2018 is about 95% the reason that Salem is so successful. I would have voted in this poll if this reason would have been included in the answer to the poll. It would be interesting to add this explanation to the answers and see how many would change there votes.
Salem Park and Rec and football = NR United and Blacksburg soccer
Between 1989 and 2016, It’s what you had to play in Bburg to win a state championship. All kidding aside, 1bburgfan made a great comparison.Soccer? What's soccer?????
I think the reason for Salem's success is a combination of factors: running the same system from REC league up, coaching, fundamentals and technique, strength and conditioning, emphasis on physical play, film study and knowing your opponent's strengths and weaknesses, balanced offense, aggressive defense, community support, etc...
Salem is more physical than most teams they play. Coach Mags had enough sense to not fix something if it’s not broke. They still run the I with the QB under center for the most part. It would be interesting to know if they still have very physical practices with full pads. Many teams don’t do that anymore. Their execution is superb. Talent is above ave. They do get a little help from time to time with a transfer or two but that’s not the reason for their consistent success. They play football the old fashioned way.
I think it's a combination of factors like I said previously, but I voted for physical play. I got to go in the locker room after the Charlottesville, Blacksburg, and Sherando games and Coach emphasized and praised the physical nature of the games they had played. I was pumped up after the Blacksburg game and Coach let me say a few words to the players and physicality is what I emphasized as well. They basically refused to lose and took over in the 4Q, when they were down 2 scores. Salem is physical football. Control the LOS, control the game!
The physicality talk in this thread is spot on. I believe it's why EV has turned into a pretty good 4A team. In my years watching they have become a very physical team. Early on, they were just athletes with attitude, now they are athletes with the attitude of hit hard, hit first. High school kids (and to be honest people in general) can be very intimidated by physical force. You see it on film all the time, fear! It helps to be big and strong, but that's not enough. If you add very physical to big and strong, that kid, that team, they will win games. You can see kids that are afraid on film. I'm not saying I blame them, football is a tough sport, but most kids out there, they don't really have it in them. So not misunderstood, I'm saying it's not really all that "normal" to be unafraid. Maybe a few are born that way, but the environment you grow up in plays a huge role in how you deal with fear and it sounds like maybe Salem football and the community have built a pretty good environment that breeds the kids just a little bit less afraid
The other thing I would say is the history before you and not wanting to be that team that changes it. I grew up in Bethpage NY. The high school football team at the time was always undefeated. You felt that as a kid. The middle school team was the same way. They always talked about it. The kids also wore football jackets, that had the undefeated record etc. It was always in your face. Expectations were set. The fear of losing was the worst feeling, you didn't want to be that team. I'm guessing Salem has a little bit of that.
The other thing I would say is the history before you and not wanting to be that team that changes it. I grew up in Bethpage NY. The high school football team at the time was always undefeated. You felt that as a kid. The middle school team was the same way. They always talked about it. The kids also wore football jackets, that had the undefeated record etc. It was always in your face. Expectations were set. The fear of losing was the worst feeling, you didn't want to be that team. I'm guessing Salem has a little bit of that.
Salem’s advantage is 100% coaching. Mags is a great one, you cannot argue with his results. Salem has talent for sure, but they are rarely the most talented team when the playoffs start. This guy sees things and makes the necessary adjustments. A perfect example would be the 2 Bburg games. My personal opinion is that Bburg was more talented and beat Salem by almost 5 scores in the first matchup. In the second matchup when it mattered, Mags made the adjustments and beat a very good Bburg team. In most cases it is the Jimmy and Joes, but Mags makes a huge difference because he is simply better than his local and state counterparts. Nothing but Respect!!!
I don’t think they recruit but I did give that my choice as the officials does favor them. All the others are true as they are fundamentally sound , physical and have a great coach and community support. Definitely not a hater, I mean who really hates on high school kids, it’s not that deep bro.. I think their are a lot of teams that have their fair share of favoritism, however, I believe Salem stands out the most because they actually win.
Tradition and expectation, great coaching, the Mules and dedicated student athletes. They refuse to lose, you have to beat them they don’t beat themselves, a great example of how high school football ought to be done. Even in off years they are still Salem, and that ain’t bad.
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