Why would they need to start a middle school team?

 

It is more of a "want to" than a "need to". In 2004, the original "Latonia Indians" team was started, intended to provide players for Holy Cross (and increase enrollment). That team lost a lot of games because most had never had played a down of football in their lives. In 2005, there was noticeable improvement. In 2006, at Holy Cross, that core of players won the Northern Kentucky Freshmen championship and went undefeated. Many believe that was the turnaround of the HC program to what it is today. Money started coming in for the program via grants and fundraisers. Rosedale became the Eva G. Farris Sports Complex. Since then, there have been a few Boone County families in St. Henry feeder schools that have sent their sons to HC to play football. That original set of players did not win the school's first state championship, but they did go beyond the first round of playoffs in both 2008 and 2009 and gave DeSales scares both years. The momentum was created and HC kicked in the door in 2011 for their first state title. Bottom line - a successful program is created when adults (administration, coaches, parents) step out and make it happen. Ok...money helps too! If St. Henry were ever to start a football program, they should commit properly (not just create another thing for boys to do to equal out with the girls). Commit to winning and it will eventually happen. HC is proof of that!

And look at the football powerhouses that they feed into---Trinity, St. X, etc.

Just as the Indy CYO program fed into Cathedral and Brebeuf. The Catholic grade school football program is a huge part of that football culture that is missing in NKY.

If there were 3rd-8th football teams at IHM, St Paul and St Henry grade schools, that would provide the community support for St Henry HS football.

 

IMO, the difference in the skill set of a kid who starts playing a sport in 1-3rd grade versus those who wait till even 6th grade is leaps and bounds ahead. To me, in my years of observation, it's not just the fundamentals, but an understanding of the game, one's role, and the concept of "team" that sets them apart.

I would say there is nothing preventing a male from trying out for cheerleading.

So I would not classifying cheerleading as a female sport.

 

SHDHS lists cheer as a part of girls athletics on their website. While I agree with you in principle, there is no arguing how they choose to classify the sport. So, if having a corresponding sport based on gender is a requirement, they could add football and fulfil that requirement.

 

Playing devil's advocate, there is nothing stopping a female from going out for football either.

Technically Cheer leading in KY is considered COED, just like Wrestling.

I was curious as to what was the largest school in Kentucky not playing football so I looked at the KHSAA enrollment reports. What struck me was that St. Henry has around 250 boys, yet doesn't play football. Located in football crazy northern Kentucky one would assume there would be interest. Can anyone enlighten me as to why St. Henry doesn't play?

Soccer, XC and $$$$

Get what you're saying. But for Title IX purposes, cheerleading is a sport.

 

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Actually cheerleading Money and the participants are not included in the Title IX reports.

It is more of a "want to" than a "need to". In 2004, the original "Latonia Indians" team was started, intended to provide players for Holy Cross (and increase enrollment). That team lost a lot of games because most had never had played a down of football in their lives. In 2005, there was noticeable improvement. In 2006, at Holy Cross, that core of players won the Northern Kentucky Freshmen championship and went undefeated. Many believe that was the turnaround of the HC program to what it is today. Money started coming in for the program via grants and fundraisers. Rosedale became the Eva G. Farris Sports Complex. Since then, there have been a few Boone County families in St. Henry feeder schools that have sent their sons to HC to play football. That original set of players did not win the school's first state championship, but they did go beyond the first round of playoffs in both 2008 and 2009 and gave DeSales scares both years. The momentum was created and HC kicked in the door in 2011 for their first state title. Bottom line - a successful program is created when adults (administration, coaches, parents) step out and make it happen. Ok...money helps too! If St. Henry were ever to start a football program, they should commit properly (not just create another thing for boys to do to equal out with the girls). Commit to winning and it will eventually happen. HC is proof of that!

 

2004? They've been playing football longer than that!

2004? They've been playing football longer than that!

 

I believe nkypete is talking about a middle school team called the Latonia Indians. Holy Cross varsity football started 14 or 15 years ago, somewhere around 1998.

The could start female bass-fishing and balance it out with football.

Off-topic BUT Bass Fishing is now a sanctioned KHSAA sport.

 

Dave Otte has long been opposed to starting football at St. Henry. They are successful at what they do, feel they offer a quality product, and seem to be very successful at what they are doing. The big item is that there is probably no demand for it. So, at St. Henry if its not broke, they aren' fixing it.

 

Brossart started football for a number of reasons, one of which was to help bolster enrollment. There was no demand for it within the school at the time and it was built on sort of a "build it and they will come" premise. My concern at the time was that it needed to be somewhat successful from the get-go, and couldn't be an embarrassment and work against us. The jury is still out on that, but after witnessing Brossart football for the past five years, it has provided a niche for a lot of kids who didn't play soccer, and has drawn in a few who would have gone to NCC or Campbell to play football. The soccerjocks still play soccer and our soccer program is our most popular fall participation sport.

 

I also feel your timing has to be right for starting football. Had we started football in 2002, with the guys from 2005 and 2007 coming in, we would be an established, successful football program now, and wouldn't still be going through all of these growing pains. Unfortunately, we started football when our athlete pool was somewhat depleted and it has been an uphill battle since then......and of course the state did us no favors by placing us in Class 2-A, depriving us an opportunity to create a nice niche, and a big school alternative, in 1-A. St. Henry would face those same obstacles.