Lexington Catholic is withdrawing from the transfer agreement made 4 years ago with Fayette County Public Schools and Lexington Christian Academy.

 

Although I’m an outspoken critic of LexCath, I don’t think there’s any secret agenda here – the agreement was shameful, and has had the unintended consequences we all predicted of impacting families negatively when there is no sports-related intent behind students switching schools.

The response of FCPS will determine how these programs schedule each other going forward.

 

School website has statement: Fayette County High School Sports Agreement Update - Lexington Catholic, Lexington Kentucky

This is good for LexCath. Starting last year people have seen the talent level in the lower classes start to drop off. The best kids in Lexington don't want to come play for Catholic if they have to sit out their freshman year. Catholic hasn't gained much from this in my opinion. I would much rather them play top teams from around the state then try and manufacture local rivalries that often left the stands half full because of poor support from other Lexington teams.

For those of us not familiar with the issues and/or the agreement can someone summarize it for us?

 

What did the previous agreement allow/disallow?

 

What is the letter referring to in regards to hardships for the families ?

For those of us not familiar with the issues and/or the agreement can someone summarize it for us?

 

What did the previous agreement allow/disallow?

 

What is the letter referring to in regards to hardships for the families ?

 

LexCath may have already removed the agreement from their website, I sure can’t find it. The following is from the Lexington Christian Academy website. It is a summary, not the full wording, as it does not mention that the oversight panel for decisions is stacked with FCPS people so they win every vote.

 

Here’s the edited version:

 

Eligibility

 

Effective August 11, 2010, Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS), Lexington Catholic High School (LCHS) and Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) agreed to abide by the terms in the following agreement:

 

All references below to “sport” or “sports” refer to KHSAA sanctioned sports.

References below to ineligibility in terms 1 and 2 mean that a student may not participate in game competition or practice for any sport at any level for one full calendar year from the initial date of enrollment at the applicable high school. Students affected by this rule may participate in off-season athletic training and conditioning activities per KHSAA guidelines and in which no coaching supervision is provided.

 

1. Participation in the 8th grade “play-up” rule.

If a Fayette County area student plays a high school varsity sport as an 8th grade student, then transfers from the FCPS system to LCHS or LCA, or the reverse, as a freshman student, he or she will be ineligible in all sports practice and competition at all levels for one year from the initial date of enrollment for their high school freshman year.

Example: If an 8th grade student at Beaumont Middle School plays a varsity sport at Dunbar High School then enters LCHS or LCA as a freshman, that student will be ineligible for all sports participation (practice and games) at any level for one calendar year from the first day of enrollment at LCHS or LCA.

 

2. Fayette County high school transfer students.

Any Fayette County high school student who transfers from a FCPS to LCHS / LCA or the reverse after the first day of enrollment of their freshman year or subsequent years will be ineligible for all sports participation (practice and games) for one full year from the date of enrollment at the new school regardless of whether or not the student has played sports at any level at the previous high school.

Possible exceptions to this rule involving extenuating personal, family or financial circumstances may be submitted to the Athletics Oversight Committee for review and decision.

 

3. Eighth Grade “Transfer” Rule.

An entering freshman student who has “transferred” after the 8th grade from a Fayette County public middle school to LCHS / LCA or from a Fayette County Catholic elementary school to a Fayette County public high school will not be eligible to play any sport at the varsity level during their freshman year. Such students will be able to play at the freshman and junior varsity level.

This rule is superseded in the case where an 8th grade student has “played up” as an 8th grader at a Fayette County school on the varsity level, in which case term # 1 above will apply.

In the case of an 8th grade student transferring from one school system to the other during the 8th grade year, the determinant school will be the one at which the student was enrolled as of the first day of the school year. The Athletics Oversight Panel will review all situations in which athletics is considered a possible primary deciding factor as to why the transfer occurred.

 

4. Formation of the Fayette County High School Athletics Oversight Panel

An oversight panel will be assembled composed of public and private school representatives who will serve as a standing review and decision-making committee of all Fayette County student transfer situations that are not clearly governed by KHSAA rules and points of agreement in this document. All parties agree to abide by the decisions rendered by the panel.

The agreement was established to thaw out a complete break down of interactions between LexCath and FCPS. It was not great. The ban on athletic participation even for kids who had never played sports at all was probably the worst part.

 

It was not great but it was better than the outragous "Prop 2" rules proposed by Wilson Sears.

 

The statements about communications are completely accurate. The vast majority of parents have no idea of KHSAA rules much less a special agreement like this.

 

Hopefully the outragious accusations do not return. Coaches should behave and never chase a kid or recuit a kid soley on athletics.

"Basically" he is a very basic summary of what happened. Prior to 2010 the Fayette County Public Schools would not play LexCath (or LCA) in any regular season sport because they were of the opinion that LexCath and LCA were skimming the good athletes to their programs. LexCath and LCA were having much difficulity scheduling many sporting events so they ended up in an agreement with the Fayette County Public Schools to make kids sit out for one year it they transferred into LexCath. LexCath (and LCA) agreed to these terms and for the last four years the Fayette County Public Schools have played LexCath.

 

The result has been seen in some dropoff LexCath sports talent so they no longer want the be part of the agreement and will try to schedule outside the county. I dont think that either party is really to blame here its just that LexCath wants to try filling up their schedule outside the county and be able to have kids transfer in.

 

What makes this kinda unique is that unlike the Jefferson County Catholic schools there is really no "feeder" catholic system in Fayette County like there is in Jefferson County so alot of kids have to sit out a year. I think LexCath will be fine and not have any trouble filling up their schedules. Only time will tell I guess.

I think the real issue here is that Lexington Catholic has not been to the boys state basketball tournament since 2009. Lexington Catholic athletics although solid have been in decline since Danny Haney left. My children go to a feeder Catholic school here so, I don't know where the no feeder system comment comes from. In fact all of the feeder middle schools combine to form a single entity for sports like football. Enrollment at Lexington Catholic is down, athletics used to be a major calling card--especially in male sports--if your kids went to Catholic you knew you had a chance. I'm hard pressed to find one sport right now where Catholic is the premier team in Fayette Co., Catholic had a great year in basketball last year but still lost in the first round of the region. Also, Catholic lost for the first time ever to public schools in football this year. This move is not coincidence.

The agreement was established to thaw out a complete break down of interactions between LexCath and FCPS. It was not great. The ban on athletic participation even for kids who had never played sports at all was probably the worst part.

 

It was not great but it was better than the outragous "Prop 2" rules proposed by Wilson Sears.

 

The statements about communications are completely accurate. The vast majority of parents have no idea of KHSAA rules much less a special agreement like this.

 

Hopefully the outragious accusations do not return. Coaches should behave and never chase a kid or recuit a kid soley on athletics.

 

That's a name, a proposition and a time I had hoped to never think of again.

 

What makes this kinda unique is that unlike the Jefferson County Catholic schools there is really no "feeder" catholic system in Fayette County like there is in Jefferson County so alot of kids have to sit out a year. I think LexCath will be fine and not have any trouble filling up their schedules. Only time will tell I guess.

 

Confused by this statement. Not sure what the "system" is Louisville.

 

In Louisville there is more cross-over both ways between 8th and 9th grades.

 

What was happening is that kids who played up on a HS team were played, intentionally, by coaches to 'taint' them according to the letter of this rule.

 

This rule is superseded in the case where an 8th grade student has “played up” as an 8th grader at a Fayette County school on the varsity level, in which case term # 1 above will apply.

 

....

 

 

 

1. Participation in the 8th grade “play-up” rule.

If a Fayette County area student plays a high school varsity sport as an 8th grade student, then transfers from the FCPS system to LCHS or LCA, or the reverse, as a freshman student, he or she will be ineligible in all sports practice and competition at all levels for one year from the initial date of enrollment for their high school freshman year.

 

So an MS kid gets some token 'varsity minutes', mom and dad are very proud. But if they make a decision to attend LexCath the kid is banned from all sports his/her first year there just when sports would be a good way to assimilate into a new school system.

That's a name, a proposition and a time I had hoped to never think of again.

 

Amen to that.

 

The only good thing of it was it lead to me to this forum (some disagree that was good thing!).

 

But it was on the table. LCA had already accepted it to 'make peace' after their really bad actions were found. There was a concept in play to just accept it to get rid of the boycott.

Amen to that.

 

The only good thing of it was it lead to me to this forum (some disagree that was good thing!).

 

 

It was DEFINITELY GREAT thing. BGP wouldn't be the same without you. Seriously!:thumb:

I think the real issue here is that Lexington Catholic has not been to the boys state basketball tournament since 2009. Lexington Catholic athletics although solid have been in decline since Danny Haney left. My children go to a feeder Catholic school here so, I don't know where the no feeder system comment comes from. In fact all of the feeder middle schools combine to form a single entity for sports like football. Enrollment at Lexington Catholic is down, athletics used to be a major calling card--especially in male sports--if your kids went to Catholic you knew you had a chance. I'm hard pressed to find one sport right now where Catholic is the premier team in Fayette Co., Catholic had a great year in basketball last year but still lost in the first round of the region. Also, Catholic lost for the first time ever to public schools in football this year. This move is not coincidence.

 

Freshman class was maxed out this year.

It was DEFINITELY GREAT thing. BGP wouldn't be the same without you. Seriously!:thumb:

 

Well thank you. We may have some lively discussion in other parts around here. But I know we all care about how sports impacts kids and how to try to make it better for them. This has been a great 4 years here.

Amen to that.

 

The only good thing of it was it lead to me to this forum (some disagree that was good thing!).

 

But it was on the table. LCA had already accepted it to 'make peace' after their really bad actions were found. There was a concept in play to just accept it to get rid of the boycott.

 

NEVER!

 

While we disagree on a few things, I find your insights and contributions to be a great benefit to this site.

Well thank you. We may have some lively discussion in other parts around here. But I know we all care about how sports impacts kids and how to try to make it better for them. This has been a great 4 years here.

 

Lively discussion isn't a bad thing. If we all thought the same about everything, it would be a horribly boring world...an entirely unsettling.