So the answer to the question is yes, no, maybe, a little bit.

Roughly.

IT IS A FACTOR! I didn't say it was the sole reason. There are plenty of large schools that aren't committed to a successful program so it doesn't matter how many kids they have. There are others that don't have large numbers but are very successful. You must have a commitment financially, from the community and coaching staff. With all of that, it's simple math. Pick 300 boys and 1,000 boys randomly. Which would you like to start a program with?

 

Of course there are exceptions. There are schools like Highlands that can compete with larger schools. Most seasons Mayfield, Beechwood, NCC...etc. But to say it has zero impact makes no sense.

 

Not sure how you can say it doesn't matter but want 4 classes?

 

Too broad of a question. Where are the 300 and 1000 boys from? That makes more of a difference than the number. Give me 300 boys from Ft. Thomas over 1000 boys from any area of 95% of Ky and bring it. I'm not worried about the size of my group if I know the boys in that group were brought up dying to prove their worth to the program.

 

Substance. Not size.

 

I'd love four classes.

Too broad of a question. Where are the 300 and 1000 boys from? That makes more of a difference than the number. Give me 300 boys from Ft. Thomas over 1000 boys from any area of 95% of Ky and bring it. I'm not worried about the size of my group if I know the boys in that group were brought up dying to prove their worth to the program.

 

Substance. Not size.

 

I'd love four classes.

 

I think its more about the program..I think the numbers do matter when you compare the really good programs for example....Beechwood has a great program as do Highlands but Highlands is going to win that game almost everytime because they have more good players to choose from. The programs are both elite programs but HHS has more kids to choose from.

I think its more about the program..I think the numbers do matter when you compare the really good programs for example....Beechwood has a great program as do Highlands but Highlands is going to win that game almost everytime because they have more good players to choose from. The programs are both elite programs but HHS has more kids to choose from.

 

I agree to an extent. Highlands is better than 99.99% of the programs in this state. Not just Beechwood. I'd also argue that 1A Beechwood is better than 75% of the state as well. Quality of the program.

I agree to an extent. Highlands is better than 99.99% of the programs in this state. Not just Beechwood. I'd also argue that 1A Beechwood is better than 75% of the state as well. Quality of the program.

 

I dont disagree with your post....but look at the elite programs St.x, Trinity,Boyle, Bowling Green, Highlands, New Cath, Beechwood, Danville, Mayfield, Lex Cath and I may be leaving some off but if you ranked these teams based on how they would fare with each other on the field year in and year out i bet for the most part the higher enrollement would be at the top.

Does success in football drive increased revenue in independent school programs? Do you think tuition enrollments would be as high if football did not exist? Would the same level of donations be there if football did not exist?

 

Yes, same as it would for any school! Because more people go to the games! You always make it sound like independent schools have an advantage. They are just city schools instead of county schools. They have a district (just like county schools) and kids must pay to come to that school if they are out of district (just like county schools). That's it! No other difference! They are governed by the same exact associations as county schools. They are KY public schools. Again, why not discuss the others I mentioned. Because they are good in football right! Well I can name more independent schools that AREN'T good in football than are. I just feel you are really confused about what an INDEPENDENT school is.

 

HHS didn't just create the school and declare they are going to be good in football so send all your kids to HHS! They created a great enviroment and tradition over the years that made it attractive for kids to want to go there. Their academics don't hurt either. I can't tell you how many athletes (boys or girls) that I talk to that come to HHS. The first thing they mention is how good the schools are. Most times they aren't even aware of how good the athletic program is. But football kids do come to HHS for football, but acedemics too.

 

As for tuition revenue and attracking kids and accepting them to increase revenue, then explain why they locked down tuition students this year and are not accepting ANY tuition students until further notice. The school is only so big with no room to grow. They are at their max now because of developments that have been built in Ft Thomas over the years. I live in Cold Spring and have a 2nd grade boy. I have be trying to get him into Ft. Thomas for 2 years. They have not had room. I am taking him there for the acedemics, not football. I'm not even sure he wants to be an athlete yet. Shows very little interest in sports right now. I'm still going to send him to HHS if we can ever get in!.

Edited October 29, 201213 yr by RCC9

I dont disagree with your post....but look at the elite programs St.x, Trinity,Boyle, Bowling Green, Highlands, New Cath, Beechwood, Danville, Mayfield, Lex Cath and I may be leaving some off but if you ranked these teams based on how they would fare with each other on the field year in and year out i bet for the most part the higher enrollement would be at the top.

 

Could be. I think that is more because of the resources they have available to commit long term to the continued success of a program. Plus, of all those schools you mentioned only 2 are 6A schools and only 1 is a 5A school. I believe the top 5 schools in 4A would defeat at least 7 of the top 10 schools in 5A and 6A and that is my main sticking point in my belief that size doesn't matter but substance does.

There are a ton more kids that pay tuition to go to HHS for academics than football.

 

You're right! A TON!

Could be. I think that is more because of the resources they have available to commit long term to the continued success of a program. Plus, of all those schools you mentioned only 2 are 6A schools and only 1 is a 5A school. I believe the top 5 schools in 4A would defeat at least 7 of the top 10 schools in 5A and 6A and that is my main sticking point in my belief that size doesn't matter but substance does.

 

4A is very strong and I dont disagree that they have 5 schools that would beat most 6A schools. Size only matters when the elite is playing the elite except for the few exceptions and the norm is playing the norm if that makes sense.

Harry - If you have a 3A boys enrollment, you're a 3A school. Where they come from doesn't make any difference. You talk about this sprawling NKY metro area as if it's the suburbs of New York. And you're forgetting that our little metro area here is divided among 21 football schools.

 

Have you ever lived any amount of time in a truly rural area? Lets say a county of around 12,000 with the biggest town being about 2,500?

 

I never insinuated that NKY was a metropolis like NYC. Louisville-Jefferson County is considered a metro and it's nowhere near that of an NYC, nor close.

 

While NKY (over 325K in the last census bt Kenton, Campbell and Boone) is far from an NYC, you are just as far from being one of these communities that have only a few stop lights in the entire county as well.

 

We'll just agree to disagree that what I mentioned plays no relevance.

 

For the record, I'm a Highlands fan. I love everything that the school, community and football program stand for.

 

I'm just one that feels there are many demographic factors (many to choose from, obviously) that can play a very underrated part of a schools success (or lack of); be it football or academics.

This may have been said already so if it has oh well, I'm not reading 8 pages to find out...

 

Enrollment maters but not nearly as much as the size of the over pool. What I mean is, yes T has 2000 boys (or whatever the number is) but more importantly is those 2000 come from an over all pool of how many? Everyone kills the private schools and claim they have an unfair advantage but how many privates outside of T and X and owning their respective class? Put T in Marshall Co and my guess is they don't have any titles.

You're right! A TON!

 

About a half million worth annually. That would be a lot of kids playing sports if they were just there for athletics.

4A is very strong and I dont disagree that they have 5 schools that would beat most 6A schools. Size only matters when the elite is playing the elite except for the few exceptions and the norm is playing the norm if that makes sense.

 

I agree. You say size matters when elit play elite. I agree. I think the question to this thread is. Does size make them elite. Or that's how I take it. And it's already been said it boils down to and always will coaching. The program. Take a small program coached right. They'll beat a poorly coached big program every time. Now on the other hand. Take a small program against a big program. Both programs coached well, and I'll take the bigger deeper program all day. So IMO size is a factor. But not as big as coaching. And I'm sure this has been said. To get to the bottom of this. What makes a elite program elite? And that answer is not enrollment. So my final answer is no size doesn't matter. If a program is ran right. And I may have just sounded stupid but oh well. Lol

Size of a high school does not matter. What percentage of kids start a sport as a Freshman or Sophmore? Not many. What matters is the feeder programs and a coaches ability to manage or influence those programs. Scott County has about 700 kids in its feeder program at any one time and it has been this way for a few years. This is the reason you have seen an improvement in SC play. Its not how big SC is at the Highschool level, we have always been big but not consistant.

Size of a high school does not matter. What percentage of kids start a sport as a Freshman or Sophmore? Not many. What matters is the feeder programs and a coaches ability to manage or influence those programs. Scott County has about 700 kids in its feeder program at any one time and it has been this way for a few years. This is the reason you have seen an improvement in SC play. Its not how big SC is at the Highschool level' date=' we have always been big but not consistant.[/quote']

 

There's a reason there is a fight not to put another school in Scott County..... Similar to what happened to Boone County. Wonder why they tapered off????