With more and more MS kids mixing into high school sports, this seems to be a great question and needs some discussion. I can see both sides. It's been a hot topic in these basketball forums...what say you!

Ok now I'm going to reveal my age. I remember when freshmen couldn't play on varsity. So to answer the question, with wild west mentality in girls b ball, it's starting to resemble college ball. I love me some wildcats but understand why some people don't. The top notch programs will probably always stay there, parents will send their kids to them hoping for a d1 scholarship. So In the end I think the parents have changed the game, I just glad I don't have to raise kids in today's new age. But I will cheer for the underdog and the kids that stay in the same school.

I've said it forever ... the only athletes playing for any school, in any sport, should be the students walking the halls ... period, no exceptions. If you can't field a team with the kids who attend the school, you don't have a team .. it's that simple.

 

If that were the case, we wouldn't have this discussion, in every sport, in every season ..... justsayin'.

In my opinion, girls are different maturity-wise and some are ready in middle school to play at that level. I say play the best players. And what about the schools with very low enrollment? I'll use Rose Hill for example. If they don't field a team with some middle schoolers they don't field a team. I'd hate to put a blanket rule out there forbidding it, and hanging a program with too few kids otherwise. Not everyone has an angle like some here would like to portray.

If they are good enough to play, let them play. PT should be given on the basis of merit. Period.

I've said it forever ... the only athletes playing for any school, in any sport, should be the students walking the halls ... period, no exceptions. If you can't field a team with the kids who attend the school, you don't have a team .. it's that simple.

 

If that were the case, we wouldn't have this discussion, in every sport, in every season ..... justsayin'.

 

Let's say your varsity roster is full. Your JV roster is full. You have a bunch of frosh who want to play, but not enough for a team. No exceptions? No 8th graders to fill out the frosh roster?

Let's say your varsity roster is full. Your JV roster is full. You have a bunch of frosh who want to play, but not enough for a team. No exceptions? No 8th graders to fill out the frosh roster?

 

Correct. I know it sounds harsh, but it solves so many problems. You try to convince your freshmen to go find some friends who want to fill out the team, or the coach makes some tough decisions and plays with a JV/Varsity squad only.

 

Let kids be kids .. it goes by so fast as it is. We don't need to be rushing Susie in to the high school ranks, especially if it's just to solve the high school coach's problem. I don't care if Susie is as good as Jamie Walz was. She was a rare talent, and would have been just as good if she waited until the 9th grade to lace 'em up.

Quick - what famous Kentucky golfer was a multiple letterman before he finished grade school?

And yes, I know we're talking girls' basketball here.

Fact is this practice will continue whether they change rules or not!!! I understand it in small school situations but large schools not hurting for players is a whole different story!! Sounds like dribbledrive & I are of the same age bracket because I can remember some large schools that couldn't field a JV team since the freshmen class wasn't at the high school...high school was 10-12 grades & middle school was 7-9 grades.

The fact remains that no college recruits a player because they played Varsity as a middle schooler so that status means nothing unless they can prove they belong playing at that advanced level. I agree that NKy has a couple youngsters that have proven themselves but I've seen many more that were all hype & no action!!

Quick - what famous Kentucky golfer was a multiple letterman before he finished grade school?

 

J.B. Holmes

I've said it forever ... the only athletes playing for any school, in any sport, should be the students walking the halls ... period, no exceptions. If you can't field a team with the kids who attend the school, you don't have a team .. it's that simple.

 

If that were the case, we wouldn't have this discussion, in every sport, in every season ..... justsayin'.

 

Back to my original argument in the other post, MS players need to play MS, HS play HS. Period. It's back to the integrity of it all. To say your a varsity player and get that letter meant something. Most other states don't allow it, unfortunately KHSAA does.

Back to my original argument in the other post, MS players need to play MS, HS play HS. Period. It's back to the integrity of it all. To say your a varsity player and get that letter meant something. Most other states don't allow it, unfortunately KHSAA does.

 

So , applying your logic to academics, if you are an intellectually gifted student who is not challenged by the middle school grade their age dictates they place, do you keep them there even though they are not challenged by an age appropriate curriculum?

So , applying your logic to academics, if you are an intellectually gifted student who is not challenged by the middle school grade their age dictates they place, do you keep them there even though they are not challenged by an age appropriate curriculum?

 

Lol, that was argued in the other post by RCC9. This is not academics and there is no gifted and talented assessment in HS for sports, period. The fact is KHSAA allows for players to play up, I disagree as probably over 70% of the other states do too. And yes, can you believe Lebron had to play MS and not be allowed to play HS as a MS player in Ohio? Crazy, but true.....

So , applying your logic to academics, if you are an intellectually gifted student who is not challenged by the middle school grade their age dictates they place, do you keep them there even though they are not challenged by an age appropriate curriculum?

This is a girls basketball thread, an athletic team not academic team & if my kid was 12 yrs old but had the intelligence level of a 16/17 yr old...NO I wouldn't move them up 3 grade levels because no matter how smart a 12 yr old is, they do not have the social maturity of a 16/17 yr old!!! There are plenty of online learning sites they could get on to keep "challenging" their mind, just like plenty of AAU or club teams they could play on to "challenge" their skill level!!!