So in a couple years your saying Cooper will have the kids to be able to do so?

 

I've said if the numbers continue to improve the way they have this year then they should have over 60 players on the team in 3 years from now which is a great start.

 

I'm hoping the program continues to grow like it has starting this year.

And those areas have a much larger population than the area that Highlands draws from. And I don't know the answer, but would open enrollment make a huge difference in Boone county Schools?? How many more athletes do you think Cooper (or Boone, Ryle or Conner for that matter) get. Would it really be enough to make a difference?? Cooper has done a great job in it's short existence, and I know several of the coaches, and they really are very good. And they seem to be doing a good job at the youth level, so maybe in time they will turn into consistent winners.

I think open enrollment would defiantly benefit the football program. Many of the kids grew up playing together for 8 years and if had a choice would have some Choose to go to the school with the better football program. I could be wrong, but with the schools so close in proximity of each other I would guess there would be several players choosing to play together in HS of they had the choice to.

I bet HHS plays more kids than any team in the state of Ky..

 

With that number of kids I would hope so.

I think open enrollment would defiantly benefit the football program. Many of the kids grew up playing together for 8 years and if had a choice would have some Choose to go to the school with the better football program. I could be wrong, but with the schools so close in proximity of each other I would guess there would be several players choosing to play together in HS of they had the choice to.

 

Assuming, football is the main reason kids choose a high school. My oldest (Scott High School) played on Boone County on a team with Brandon Johnson (holmes) Brayden Combs (Beechwood), and other kids that went on to play at Boone, Connor, Cooper, SK, and Scott. 20 some kids, and at least 7 different high schools. I don't think football influenced any of those kids choices as to where they went to school (at least the ones who didn't attend a Boone county school)

Assuming, football is the main reason kids choose a high school. My oldest (Scott High School) played on Boone County on a team with Brandon Johnson (holmes) Brayden Combs (Beechwood), and other kids that went on to play at Boone, Connor, Cooper, SK, and Scott. 20 some kids, and at least 7 different high schools. I don't think football influenced any of those kids choices as to where they went to school (at least the ones who didn't attend a Boone county school)

Could be. Something we will never know. I do know about 5 kids who played together growing up always talked about playing together in HS back when they were growing up before Cooper opened. Something we just won't know for sure I guess.

95 kids? With that many you should have 2 offensive teams and defensive teams that should alternate in and out every 2 downs to keep them fresh. Why don't you all do that? Don't have the coaches to coach the players up enough?

 

Is there a possibility that the two platoon system has played a big role in Highlands getting so many kids to join the football team? Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't remember Highlands consistently having such large squads until they went to the two platoon system. Instead of it being: you have to have a whole bunch of players to two platoon, maybe it's: you have to two platoon to get a whole lot of kids to play football?

 

As football, like every sport, has become more demanding and more of a year around sport, the prospect of getting time on the field makes those demands much easier for kids to accept. If you are not a superstar, the idea of busting one's butt year around for several years and not likely to see the field until your senior year because you are a back up to a kid playing both ways isn't real appealing to a lot of kids these days (with all the other alternatives out there for kids time).

 

 

Am I delusional in thinking that a multi sport player's thought process could go something like this: do I concentrate on just basketball (or whatever the other sport is) or do I decide to also play football? I'm a frosh needing to make that decision. Based on what I'm seeing, because the football head coach plays a lot of players both ways, unless I give up basketball (or whatever the other sport is) to concentrate on football, I'm probably not going to be good enough of a football player to see the football field in significant action until my senior year, and maybe not even then. I really love basketball but I like football too. But I don't want to put in the time that football requires if I'm not going to see the field until I'm a senior. I think I'll give up football.

 

And a player that could have contributed to the football program is lost.

 

While we have talked about the many, many benefits of a two platoon system, I don't think we've emphasized enough the impact it has on a kid's decision to even play football. The rare kid is happy just to be on the team. A large majority want to be on the field. The greater the opportunity to be on the field, the greater the chances that kids will decide to play the sport. The more kids making the decision to play football, the easier it is to successfully two platoon. It does become a "self fulfilling prophesy" if you will. There are some lumps involved in the early years of the implementation, but long term it is a no-doubter in my opinion.

 

My opinions and thoughts may be all wet, but that's how I see it. As I mentioned in the CovCath Boone County game thread, if the BC coach is implementing the two platoon system (and it would make sense if he is, as he came from a two platoon system), his teams will take some lumps that otherwise could have been avoided if he played his best players both ways, but in the long run, the program will be much better.

I believe I heard there are 5 kids out of 95 kids on the team that are from out of district..

 

I KNEW it was more than 3!!!

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Sorry, just couldn't help myself.

Maybe Raiderbird knows this, but how many out of district kids does Highlands have that are big contributors?? I don't know of any kids in my school's district that are at Highlands, and I've been around the youth program for quite a few years. If open enrollment, established feeder programs and facilities were the answer, Kenton County Schools should be killing everyone. Dixie and SK have had long term feeder programs and great facilities, and Scott's facilities are the best in the region.

 

I just don't buy into open enrollment as being a huge issue as to why schools don't (or can't succeed). Sure you might lose a kid or two, but often you gain a kid or two as well. And one or two players for the most part don't take a team from average to excellent. I think the biggest problem that other schools have is there is little cohesion from what is being taught at youth levels. So much emphasis is put on winning, that even with 30+ kids on a team, only 13-14 play. Too much blitzing, and feeding one kid the ball every play, doesn't develop skills that kids need to play. So many kids get ignored, and not taught, and get no playing time, the game becomes no fun and kids quit, and the one's that stay, don't develop. Smaller teams, mandatory playing time, and more focus on fundamentals will help prepare more kids to be able to play at the next level. A quality youth program (not just a youth program) seems to be the difference to Highlands.

 

 

Hit nail on head rjs. I would simply add good buy in from youth level coaching staff to varsity at Highlands. kid or two, but often you gain a kid or two as well. And one or two players for the most part don't take a team from average to excellent. I think the biggest problem that other schools have is there is little cohesion from what is being taught at youth levels. So much emphasis is put on winning, that even with 30+ kids on a team, only 13-14 play. Too much blitzing, and feeding one kid the ball every play, doesn't develop skills that kids need to play. So many kids get ignored, and not taught, and get no playing time, the game becomes no fun and kids quit, and the one's that stay, don't develop. Smaller teams, mandatory playing time, and more focus on fundamentals will help prepare more kids to be able to play at the next level. A quality youth program (not just a youth program) seems to be the difference to Highlands.

 

Agreed rjs and great take. I would add good buy in from youth football to varsity at Highlands ( plenty of indians and a few good chiefs ). Dixie Raiders get diluted between Covcath, Beechwood, and Dixie. Little Colonels are beginning to impact Covcath like FTJFL has and Spartans stalwarts kids choose between Covcath, Beechwood, and Dixie in that order.

 

The varsity HCs who surround themselves with a good staff, communicate, delegate, are innovative, and know their kids strengths and weaknesses well, imagine this...HAVE SUCCESS! Always nice to have 4 FTJFL 8th grade teams to "coach up" and fill in the depth chart as freshmen if they choose to continue their football journey. Amazed the same buy in hasn't been replicated in other youth programs.

 

No need to worry about Dixie their middle school program leader doesn't play well with others and runs a one man show!

delete

Hit nail on head rjs. I would simply add good buy in from youth level coaching staff to varsity at Highlands. kid or two, but often you gain a kid or two as well. And one or two players for the most part don't take a team from average to excellent. I think the biggest problem that other schools have is there is little cohesion from what is being taught at youth levels. So much emphasis is put on winning, that even with 30+ kids on a team, only 13-14 play. Too much blitzing, and feeding one kid the ball every play, doesn't develop skills that kids need to play. So many kids get ignored, and not taught, and get no playing time, the game becomes no fun and kids quit, and the one's that stay, don't develop. Smaller teams, mandatory playing time, and more focus on fundamentals will help prepare more kids to be able to play at the next level. A quality youth program (not just a youth program) seems to be the difference to Highlands.

 

Agreed rjs and great take. I would add good buy in from youth football to varsity at Highlands ( plenty of indians and a few good chiefs ). Dixie Raiders get diluted between Covcath, Beechwood, and Dixie. Little Colonels are beginning to impact Covcath like FTJFL has and Spartans stalwarts kids choose between Covcath, Beechwood, and Dixie in that order.

 

The varsity HCs who surround themselves with a good staff, communicate, delegate, are innovative, and know their kids strengths and weaknesses well, imagine this...HAVE SUCCESS! Always nice to have 4 FTJFL 8th grade teams to "coach up" and fill in the depth chart as freshmen if they choose to continue their football journey. Amazed the same buy in hasn't been replicated in other youth programs.

 

No need to worry about Dixie their middle school program leader doesn't play well with others and runs a one man show!

 

Um, could you expound on the above sentence please?

Is there a possibility that the two platoon system has played a big role in Highlands getting so many kids to join the football team? Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't remember Highlands consistently having such large squads until they went to the two platoon system. Instead of it being: you have to have a whole bunch of players to two platoon, maybe it's: you have to two platoon to get a whole lot of kids to play football?

 

As football, like every sport, has become more demanding and more of a year around sport, the prospect of getting time on the field makes those demands much easier for kids to accept. If you are not a superstar, the idea of busting one's butt year around for several years and not likely to see the field until your senior year because you are a back up to a kid playing both ways isn't real appealing to a lot of kids these days (with all the other alternatives out there for kids time).

 

 

Am I delusional in thinking that a multi sport player's thought process could go something like this: do I concentrate on just basketball (or whatever the other sport is) or do I decide to also play football? I'm a frosh needing to make that decision. Based on what I'm seeing, because the football head coach plays a lot of players both ways, unless I give up basketball (or whatever the other sport is) to concentrate on football, I'm probably not going to be good enough of a football player to see the football field in significant action until my senior year, and maybe not even then. I really love basketball but I like football too. But I don't want to put in the time that football requires if I'm not going to see the field until I'm a senior. I think I'll give up football.

 

And a player that could have contributed to the football program is lost.

 

While we have talked about the many, many benefits of a two platoon system, I don't think we've emphasized enough the impact it has on a kid's decision to even play football. The rare kid is happy just to be on the team. A large majority want to be on the field. The greater the opportunity to be on the field, the greater the chances that kids will decide to play the sport. The more kids making the decision to play football, the easier it is to successfully two platoon. It does become a "self fulfilling prophesy" if you will. There are some lumps involved in the early years of the implementation, but long term it is a no-doubter in my opinion.

 

My opinions and thoughts may be all wet, but that's how I see it. As I mentioned in the CovCath Boone County game thread, if the BC coach is implementing the two platoon system (and it would make sense if he is, as he came from a two platoon system), his teams will take some lumps that otherwise could have been avoided if he played his best players both ways, but in the long run, the program will be much better.

 

You know, for a Highlands fan, you're pretty smart.

With that number of kids I would hope so.

 

And with fewer to choose from than Cooper. Your problem is a program that can't convince kids to come out for the team.

disregard

Heard that over 70 kids got on the field for HHS against UC...Say what you want about HHS but that is a ton of kids that got to see the field Saturday..

I bet HHS plays more kids than any team in the state of Ky..

 

Ask the Florida coach what he thinks about Highlands numbers. Its one thing to have numbers, its another to have numbers that talent level does not drop off from 1 thru 3.

 

That is called depth and I attribute that to Highlands coaching imo, not open enrollment and the 5 out of district Student/Athletes...Just sayin:thumb: