2) Top Teams Don't Play in the State
Quarterfinals
Every year, it seems like two of the top teams get matched up
in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament, ensuring that the losing team
will not get to play for a trophy on Saturday. My wish is that the luck of the
draw results in a balanced set of pairings for this year's event.
3) All Coaches Submit All-Sectional Ballots
Several candidates for All-Sectional and All-State honors
were shutout from the voting as a result of their own coaches not turning in
sectional ballots. My wish is that all coaches submit the required forms and
that no player is unfairly left unrecognized for their efforts.
4) Avoid Weather Cancellations
Last season, both snow and rain forced across-the-board game
cancellations twice during the 2013 season. Many of those games were unable to
be rescheduled. My wish is that Mother Nature will cooperate during the water
polo season.
5) Add a Day to the State Tournament
My dream of having separate weekends for the boys' and girls'
state tournament events probably won't come to fruition this year, but how about
adding another day to the state tournament festivities? Play the quarterfinal
rounds on Wednesday and Thursday, the semifinal rounds on Friday, and the state
finals and consolation games on Saturday. With a state title on the line, my
wish is that all of the teams are fresh and rested for the biggest game of the
season, not hopping in the water after enduring a 12-hour day away from home
after playing in a semifinal game earlier in the day.
6) Sectional Hosting Decisions
My wish is that all sectional hosts have been declared by the
time the sectional assignments are made. Last year, as in previous years, a
"TBA" sectional was still listed at the time the teams were divided up. And, of
course, make sure every sectional is played in an all-deep facility.
7) More Coaches/Teams Send Information
Some teams and players will have every one of their games and
performances reported on the web site. Others will get little to no coverage at
all. My wish is that every team and/or coach will submit game information so as
many players can get recognized for their efforts as possible. I also wish that
I can get these scores by 11:00pm so I can go to bed at a decent hour and
continue to perform my "real" job.
8) 1,000 Twitter Followers
The illpolo.com Facebook page has well over 1,000 likes, but
now my wish is that the @illpolo twitter account can surpass that number as well
to allow more people to get the latest news and updates about the sport as soon
as they happen. Plus, you'll have chances to win free pizza and other items via
random contests and trivia questions.
9) One Million Page Views
The illpolo.com web site has generated over one million page
views for the past two seasons. Not bad for a high school sport that lasts only
three months. My wish is that the same sort of interest keeps this streak alive
and that players and teams across the state get the recognition they deserve.
10) Support for Illpolo.com Coverage
There are many things that you can do to help support the
illpolo.com coverage, which in turn helps the players get their well-deserved
recognition. My wish is that more people will participate by submitting a score,
spreading the word about the web site, making a donation, or doing anything else
that can help the sport continue to thrive and keep this coverage going through
Year #12.
