Tommy, I started reading your post and sensed the passion.

 

However, it is SO hard to read (maybe it's just me) when you post so much in one HUGE paragraph.

 

Not sure why but my brain doesn't function as well when trying to read such a long post.

 

Help a brother out next time and break it up into paragraphs. I sense there's a lot of good stuff in there .

 

You should see him at a hoops game, lord have mercy!!! :eek: :lol:

 

Good post tommyb.

It was a good post Tommy. I agree wholeheartedly. It is a changed landscape.

 

The one point that continually gets thrown out in these HHS threads is "look at the success of the current 6th,7th,8th,9th graders" -- with the implication that help is on the way. Posters seem to think that Coach Listerman has a pipeline of players to look forward to and that HHS will be back at the top sooner rather than later. I really hope this is true, but........

 

Just a bit of recent HHS basketball feeder history. The same things were said about the current senior class, junior class and sophomore class when they were MS and frosh players. These classes were extremely successful throughout those years. Winning at very high percentages. All three groups had records of about a 75% win percentage.

 

I know most about the current junior class. A group that would have ranked in the 5-6 range in N Ky basketball for all those years. A very successful group as freshmen, beat Holmes (with James Bolden) in the frosh tourney, only to be eliminated by CovCath in the semi's. Of the current junior class, the 20 or so kids that have been on the HHS rosters from 7th - 9th grade, only 2 have played all the way through. Two kids that have stuck with basketball since 7th grade. Justin Weyer plays football and Parker Harris is a golfer. Neither competes year round playing hoops.

Highlands is not big enough to have talented athletes choose one sport. Really concerned with all the parental/AAU coach/HS Coach hype that "you should choose on sport and stick to it". Unless you child is 6' 8", 6' 9"/ 6' 10" or bigger and can ball it up, or 6' 3" and can knock your block off in football or 5' 10" and can field like B Phillips. Until there is mutual understanding amongst coaches, parents and administration that all "KIDS" (because that is what they are) should be encouraged to play multiple sports, this BS is going to continue. Witnessing it already in the lower ranks with my own little guy.

 

Bottom line, IMO, let our kids experience as many "extra-curricular activities" as they want. Too many stories that I have personally witnessed to dictate what a kid can and can't do at the age of 10-14 yrs. old. Doug Pelfrey was probably a better Baseball/Basketball Player in HS. Yet, he wound up one of the most "prolific field goal kickers in the history of the NFL". He lived his dream, but probably learned a lot about his profession by experiencing differnet aspects from all of the sports in which he participated. I am sure we have all witnessed these types of experiences.

 

Sorry to vent, just tired of the AAU Basketball/Knothole/Southwest Ohio League/Soccer Coach/High School Coach/Name It, telling really young kids that they should make a decision about what they are going to do, so they can hang plagues on their wall or put "hardware" on their shelves to say, "What a great coach I was!" Unfortunately, that has what it has come to, in many of the cases, not all.

Great post indy.

Highlands is not big enough to have talented athletes choose one sport. Really concerned with all the parental/AAU coach/HS Coach hype that "you should choose on sport and stick to it". Unless you child is 6' 8", 6' 9"/ 6' 10" or bigger and can ball it up, or 6' 3" and can knock your block off in football or 5' 10" and can field like B Phillips. Until there is mutual understanding amongst coaches, parents and administration that all "KIDS" (because that is what they are) should be encouraged to play multiple sports, this BS is going to continue. Witnessing it already in the lower ranks with my own little guy.

 

Bottom line, IMO, let our kids experience as many "extra-curricular activities" as they want. Too many stories that I have personally witnessed to dictate what a kid can and can't do at the age of 10-14 yrs. old. Doug Pelfrey was probably a better Baseball/Basketball Player in HS. Yet, he wound up one of the most "prolific field goal kickers in the history of the NFL". He lived his dream, but probably learned a lot about his profession by experiencing differnet aspects from all of the sports in which he participated. I am sure we have all witnessed these types of experiences.

 

Sorry to vent, just tired of the AAU Basketball/Knothole/Southwest Ohio League/Soccer Coach/High School Coach/Name It, telling really young kids that they should make a decision about what they are going to do, so they can hang plagues on their wall or put "hardware" on their shelves to say, "What a great coach I was!" Unfortunately, that has what it has come to, in many of the cases, not all.

Weyer leading scorer for both teams. :ylsuper:

 

Too bad there werent 2 Weyers on same team...would have made things a little more even in the paint.

 

Nice job by both of them !!

Always has been, but they have had their share of success on the hardwood as well. Listerman knew that going in and he is taking the correct approach IMO. First time in the last 4 years or so that the kids are being held accountable. That will go a long way in getting this program headed in the right direction.

 

This...

My dear friend, now a President at Cintas, once told me "some things in life are better left unsaid tommy."

Well I guess that's why I'm not President ....i tend to chime-in on issues I'm passionate about and OPEN MY MOUTH (like now). I enjoy this forum and great conversation from you all - it's fun and compelling. I suspect it's a LOT more fun for the Dads & blogging Grandfathers, but NOT so much for the talented kids investing all this time working hard playing and competing. I'm sure we all keep that in mind when we chime-in. There is one VERY CRITICAL point I'd like to make in regards to THIS GENERATION of high school athletics. The HERE & NOW. You see, when we reference "programs" - we usually refer to the school "titles" right? A macro data view...like a Kentucky Program or a North Carolina "program". The discussion usually starts with titles right? Well - the HERE AND NOW - is very different in high school athletics and hoops especially than when Highlands was winning all this 9th Region titles....(For you "program" folks - since the great Cov Cath /NC Ron Dawn run in mid '70's - lets say - since 1975 - For last 40 years - Highlands has won it's fair share - i think NINE 9th Region titles. NC ? Forty years? 2. Cov Cath - 40 years? 3. That's not a bad run by that HHS "program" for a small football school. But again - VERY DIFFERENT set of circumstances TODAY. THE HERE AND NOW. Today, there is a very dangerous trend in High School sports - across the nation. Not just impacting Highlands, Beechwood and Bellevue and other small to mid-sized enrollment schools - but all of them across the nation. What has changed? YEAR ROUND SPORTS and AAU/Club teams. Stay with me now...IF you are a 3A enrollment school or smaller - AND you have a successful football PROGRAM & YES a successful fall SOCCER program, well then Houston we have a problem. Football is year round now - like most sports - AND if a small to midsize enrollment school has FOOTBALL and successful SOCCER - guess what sports fans? What BODIES are left to compete on the basketball floor from August to December? Answer? NADA. Sooo - what happens? The Ben Weyer's of the world - the hoops only talented kids - look up with their parents and say - WOW - NOPE. Not gonna practice dribble drills and rebounding drills all fall long with 8th graders and BB. Nope. I'm going to a "basketball program" to get better and COMPETE against BODIES all fall long AND to win CHAMPIONSHIPS. Who can blame them. Net, across the country - if you are at a high school campus with great Football and great soccer - and your enrollment is small - you are going to be very hard pressed TODAY (here & now) to generate a very competitive basketball team. It' just a fact and the numbers speak for themselves. Lets look at the top (5) teams in virtually every region - they are going to have 5-7 AAU basketball players on their team. Period. CC, NCC, HOLMES, DIXIE, BROSSART: All AAU players 1 thru 6 AND the great majority of these great players: Basketball ONLY!! WELCOME TO THE HERE AND NOW. Again - i'm not whining - just speaking in terms of the HERE AND NOW. Basketball is not about "programs" - this sport is about "players". IF you don't have them - you go get them. Look at the last few years in the 9th Region....Newport...went and got them for their titile. Holmes - to win the state - had to go get those missing links. Newport Catholic? 2 titles in 40 years. Well - they are doing something about that with the addition of great Walton Verona talent and attracting the talents of Ben Weyer. That is NOT recruiting - that is simply PLAYERS wanting to WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP. And it is what it takes in the "here and now" - and it's being done all over the country. Again, welcome to the HERE AND NOW. It's not your father's high school basketaball. Programs win in football - got that. PLAYERS win in basketball. And yes, it will take a wonderful "program" like Cov Cath/ NC/Brossart/Holmes to attract those PLAYERS - but "programs" don't win night in and night out in hoops - PLAYERS do. When Brossart graduates their wonderful 5 senior AAU players this year - how's that program looking next year? PLAYERS. MY ONE IMPORTANT POINT - is WHAT do we do for the 3A & under enrollment school teams - that don't have 10 high school talented players to scrimmage against from August to Dec. 10th ? What can be done ? Not sure there is an answer. Coach Listermann at HHS is wonderful - and I'm sure he's even a better teacher than basketball coach - so hopefully he stays there as a teaching/coaching professional for a very long time. Here is the good news for Highlands fans. Next winter, the best middle school ballers in NKY will be in their incoming 6th grade & 7th/8th grade. The 6th grade incoming class is something else and chocked-full of talent and size and AAU players. HOWEVER, we are 5 years away from that sort of talent - AND as we all know - ALOT can happen to those young athletes in the next 5 years right ? They have to pick a sport right? The HERE AND NOW right? NOT all of them - but dare i say - the core? OK - love stirring the pot - and I love that little talented quick wonderful point guard on Highlands - and all the high school athletes out there competing. Good Luck to all of the great student athletes and your favorite teams and players - and I wish them all the happiness & success in the world. AND - If you have a solution for small schools with great Fall sports - and the ISSUES that causes for winter sports PRACTICES - just chime-in ...ove to hear from ya. Take care.

 

Always enjoy reading your posts.

Tommy, I started reading your post and sensed the passion.

 

However, it is SO hard to read (maybe it's just me) when you post so much in one HUGE paragraph.

 

Not sure why but my brain doesn't function as well when trying to read such a long post.

 

Help a brother out next time and break it up into paragraphs. I sense there's a lot of good stuff in there .

 

Here you go Clyde...helping a brother out.

 

 

 

My dear friend, now a President at Cintas, once told me "some things in life are better left unsaid tommy."

Well I guess that's why I'm not President ....i tend to chime-in on issues I'm passionate about and OPEN MY MOUTH (like now). I enjoy this forum and great conversation from you all - it's fun and compelling. I suspect it's a LOT more fun for the Dads & blogging Grandfathers, but NOT so much for the talented kids investing all this time working hard playing and competing. I'm sure we all keep that in mind when we chime-in. There is one VERY CRITICAL point I'd like to make in regards to THIS GENERATION of high school athletics. The HERE & NOW.

 

You see, when we reference "programs" - we usually refer to the school "titles" right? A macro data view...like a Kentucky Program or a North Carolina "program". The discussion usually starts with titles right? Well - the HERE AND NOW - is very different in high school athletics and hoops especially than when Highlands was winning all this 9th Region titles....(For you "program" folks - since the great Cov Cath /NC Ron Dawn run in mid '70's - lets say - since 1975 - For last 40 years - Highlands has won it's fair share - i think NINE 9th Region titles. NC ? Forty years? 2. Cov Cath - 40 years? 3. That's not a bad run by that HHS "program" for a small football school. But again - VERY DIFFERENT set of circumstances TODAY. THE HERE AND NOW.

 

Today, there is a very dangerous trend in High School sports - across the nation. Not just impacting Highlands, Beechwood and Bellevue and other small to mid-sized enrollment schools - but all of them across the nation. What has changed? YEAR ROUND SPORTS and AAU/Club teams. Stay with me now...IF you are a 3A enrollment school or smaller - AND you have a successful football PROGRAM & YES a successful fall SOCCER program, well then Houston we have a problem. Football is year round now - like most sports - AND if a small to midsize enrollment school has FOOTBALL and successful SOCCER - guess what sports fans? What BODIES are left to compete on the basketball floor from August to December? Answer? NADA. Sooo - what happens? The Ben Weyer's of the world - the hoops only talented kids - look up with their parents and say - WOW - NOPE. Not gonna practice dribble drills and rebounding drills all fall long with 8th graders and BB. Nope. I'm going to a "basketball program" to get better and COMPETE against BODIES all fall long AND to win CHAMPIONSHIPS.

 

Who can blame them. Net, across the country - if you are at a high school campus with great Football and great soccer - and your enrollment is small - you are going to be very hard pressed TODAY (here & now) to generate a very competitive basketball team. It' just a fact and the numbers speak for themselves. Lets look at the top (5) teams in virtually every region - they are going to have 5-7 AAU basketball players on their team. Period. CC, NCC, HOLMES, DIXIE, BROSSART: All AAU players 1 thru 6 AND the great majority of these great players: Basketball ONLY!! WELCOME TO THE HERE AND NOW. Again - i'm not whining - just speaking in terms of the HERE AND NOW. Basketball is not about "programs" - this sport is about "players". IF you don't have them - you go get them. Look at the last few years in the 9th Region....Newport...went and got them for their titile. Holmes - to win the state - had to go get those missing links. Newport Catholic? 2 titles in 40 years. Well - they are doing something about that with the addition of great Walton Verona talent and attracting the talents of Ben Weyer. That is NOT recruiting - that is simply PLAYERS wanting to WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP.

 

And it is what it takes in the "here and now" - and it's being done all over the country. Again, welcome to the HERE AND NOW. It's not your father's high school basketaball. Programs win in football - got that. PLAYERS win in basketball. And yes, it will take a wonderful "program" like Cov Cath/ NC/Brossart/Holmes to attract those PLAYERS - but "programs" don't win night in and night out in hoops - PLAYERS do. When Brossart graduates their wonderful 5 senior AAU players this year - how's that program looking next year? PLAYERS. MY ONE IMPORTANT POINT - is WHAT do we do for the 3A & under enrollment school teams - that don't have 10 high school talented players to scrimmage against from August to Dec. 10th ? What can be done ? Not sure there is an answer. Coach Listermann at HHS is wonderful - and I'm sure he's even a better teacher than basketball coach - so hopefully he stays there as a teaching/coaching professional for a very long time. Here is the good news for Highlands fans. Next winter, the best middle school ballers in NKY will be in their incoming 6th grade & 7th/8th grade. The 6th grade incoming class is something else and chocked-full of talent and size and AAU players. HOWEVER, we are 5 years away from that sort of talent - AND as we all know - ALOT can happen to those young athletes in the next 5 years right ? They have to pick a sport right? The HERE AND NOW right? NOT all of them - but dare i say - the core? OK - love stirring the pot - and I love that little talented quick wonderful point guard on Highlands - and all the high school athletes out there competing.

 

Good Luck to all of the great student athletes and your favorite teams and players - and I wish them all the happiness & success in the world. AND - If you have a solution for small schools with great Fall sports - and the ISSUES that causes for winter sports PRACTICES - just chime-in ...ove to hear from ya. Take care.

Highlands is not big enough to have talented athletes choose one sport. Really concerned with all the parental/AAU coach/HS Coach hype that "you should choose on sport and stick to it". Unless you child is 6' 8", 6' 9"/ 6' 10" or bigger and can ball it up, or 6' 3" and can knock your block off in football or 5' 10" and can field like B Phillips. Until there is mutual understanding amongst coaches, parents and administration that all "KIDS" (because that is what they are) should be encouraged to play multiple sports, this BS is going to continue. Witnessing it already in the lower ranks with my own little guy.

 

Bottom line, IMO, let our kids experience as many "extra-curricular activities" as they want. Too many stories that I have personally witnessed to dictate what a kid can and can't do at the age of 10-14 yrs. old. Doug Pelfrey was probably a better Baseball/Basketball Player in HS. Yet, he wound up one of the most "prolific field goal kickers in the history of the NFL". He lived his dream, but probably learned a lot about his profession by experiencing differnet aspects from all of the sports in which he participated. I am sure we have all witnessed these types of experiences.

 

Sorry to vent, just tired of the AAU Basketball/Knothole/Southwest Ohio League/Soccer Coach/High School Coach/Name It, telling really young kids that they should make a decision about what they are going to do, so they can hang plagues on their wall or put "hardware" on their shelves to say, "What a great coach I was!" Unfortunately, that has what it has come to, in many of the cases, not all.

 

I struck him out 3 times in one game, couldnt have been that good.:banana:

I struck him out 3 times in one game, couldnt have been that good.:banana:

 

Straight fastballs or were you throwing a spitter or scuff-ball?

Straight fastballs or were you throwing a spitter or scuff-ball?

 

Knuckler !!!

Highlands is not big enough to have talented athletes choose one sport. Really concerned with all the parental/AAU coach/HS Coach hype that "you should choose on sport and stick to it". Unless you child is 6' 8", 6' 9"/ 6' 10" or bigger and can ball it up, or 6' 3" and can knock your block off in football or 5' 10" and can field like B Phillips. Until there is mutual understanding amongst coaches, parents and administration that all "KIDS" (because that is what they are) should be encouraged to play multiple sports, this BS is going to continue. Witnessing it already in the lower ranks with my own little guy.

 

Bottom line, IMO, let our kids experience as many "extra-curricular activities" as they want. Too many stories that I have personally witnessed to dictate what a kid can and can't do at the age of 10-14 yrs. old. Doug Pelfrey was probably a better Baseball/Basketball Player in HS. Yet, he wound up one of the most "prolific field goal kickers in the history of the NFL". He lived his dream, but probably learned a lot about his profession by experiencing differnet aspects from all of the sports in which he participated. I am sure we have all witnessed these types of experiences.

 

Sorry to vent, just tired of the AAU Basketball/Knothole/Southwest Ohio League/Soccer Coach/High School Coach/Name It, telling really young kids that they should make a decision about what they are going to do, so they can hang plagues on their wall or put "hardware" on their shelves to say, "What a great coach I was!" Unfortunately, that has what it has come to, in many of the cases, not all.

 

Completely disagree. Choosing 1 sport is not BS at all. Think of it like a bell curve - at the top - 20% are exceptional athletes who are great no matter what they play, so no need to specialize. At the bottom - 20% will never be exceptional, so might as well play multiple sports and have fun. But in the middle stands 60% of kids - with the potential to become exceptional in 1 sport if they focus and play just that sport. They are not part of the top gifted 20% so they are going to have to work for it. For them, it's better to excel at one thing, than to be average at many. Check every HS in NKY and you will find examples of this being a win for the athlete.

Completely disagree. Choosing 1 sport is not BS at all. Think of it like a bell curve - at the top - 20% are exceptional athletes who are great no matter what they play, so no need to specialize. At the bottom - 20% will never be exceptional, so might as well play multiple sports and have fun. But in the middle stands 60% of kids - with the potential to become exceptional in 1 sport if they focus and play just that sport. They are not part of the top gifted 20% so they are going to have to work for it. For them, it's better to excel at one thing, than to be average at many. Check every HS in NKY and you will find examples of this being a win for the athlete.

 

Define a 'win' for the athlete. If we are talking college opportunities, they are few and far between in this area for all sports especially if we are talking full rides.

Define a 'win' for the athlete. If we are talking college opportunities, they are few and far between in this area for all sports especially if we are talking full rides.

 

A win is happiness. Why does everyone assume athletes are miserable playing just 1 sport? Like somehow that's not letting them be kids? Every kid I know that focuses on 1 sport does it because they love it, they can't get enough of it, and they don't miss the other sports at all. Specialization is a good thing for that 60% majority of kids.