PREPNET / SPEAK OUT

How accurate are the statistics kept by high school sports teams, and how much should that information weigh in determining postseason honors?

LAUREN MURRAY

Huntington Beach, Basketball

Statistics are important to determine leaders, especially in basketball. However, they should be taken from game videos by an impartial individual and never a parent. Most schools already implement this method, such as El Toro, but not Huntington Beach. Since not all schools use the same procedure, the stats are not always accurate. Without accurate stats, the value of postseason honors are, unfortunately, diminished greatly.

KRISTEN MANN

Foothill, Basketball, Softball

I don’t like stats because it makes individuals ‘Me, me, me.’ Everyone looks to see where their name is. Team statistics would be better, because it would diminish some of the egos that exist, and make it more of a team approach.

DAVE TORRES

Anaheim, Baseball Coach

I know our stats our pretty accurate, but I know that sometimes we miss stuff. I’d say they are about 75% right. But I don’t think they should use the stats to pick all-county teams. That should be up to the coaches, since they get to see the teams and the players.

JOHN KULISICH

Water Polo/Swimming Official

In swimming, you know the times are accurate [because of automatic electronic timing] so it’s not an issue. In water polo, some teams don’t keep accurate statistics. When selecting all-league or All-[Southern Section] teams in our sport, I don’t think coaches take stats into account. Some kids can pile up big numbers if their teams don’t play a tough schedule. Some good players won’t have the stats because their team plays against all the tough teams. It’s more how their team finished as opposed to a player’s individual stats.

DAVID GELLATLY

San Clemente, Baseball

In seven years as head coach I’ve never had a guy hit over .400 and that makes me question a little what’s going on. How are all these teams that are not winning, putting up batters at .600? It’s really hard to monitor the accuracy of the stats when you have several coaches and parents taking stats. I have never had parents take stats or call them in, and I never will. I want to be as honest as I can be. And unfortunately people aren’t always objective. As far as picking all-county teams, there is no other way. It’s the only thing everyone has to go by.

JESSIE JAMES

Club Basketball Director

I don’t believe that stats are very reliable. There is confusion as to what is an assist or what is a team rebound vs. an individual rebound. Who really gets the steal, the person who pops the ball loose or the person who picks up the loose ball? There should not be different opinions on that. Colleges train their stat-takers. Football coaches take stats seriously and review game films to be accurate. But no one trains people to take high school basketball stats correctly. No question, stats are going to determine how honors are passed out, but high school basketball coaches first need to understand how to do stats the right way.

NEXT QUESTION

Should a student be allowed to transfer to a different high school for athletic reasons? Why or why not?