I've seen first hand a program allow too many to play up to high school that it left the middle school program in shambles. Not enough players with experience left to even field a team. The few they get to cobble a team together hated it, because they weren't competitive in any measure.

 

High school will have zero new players coming up for at least two years.

She is very good, but (not being mean) I would have to say you need to see more basketball games. There are several very good bball players right around her age. And if that is the case, she is a lock to start and would be the best player on the court...like Walz was in the 7th grade. I'm not even sure she is better than the two 8th graders they are talking about at Ryle. Let alone the Conner and HHS 8th graders AND the loaded freshman class in front of them.

 

And man you are forgetting some really good players that have passed through the state. You are comparing her to the best that EVER played in the state. Pretty strong! You'd think you'd know her name then!! (kidding) Her name is Maddie Scherr. I know she is going to be a good one, but don't put so much pressure on the poor thing right now.

 

I am not trying to discredit any of the other players around here. I am just going with my opinion of who I have seen. Maybe I should have been a little more clear on my comparisons as well. Let's me restate that then...the best NKY player that I have seen since Walz and I am talking middle school wise not Varsity level. There are some very good 8th graders in NKY but I have only seen a handful of them play.

I didn't want to state her name because I you never know when you going to get blasted with a rules violation email on here.

I am not trying to discredit any of the other players around here. I am just going with my opinion of who I have seen. Maybe I should have been a little more clear on my comparisons as well. Let's me restate that then...the best NKY player that I have seen since Walz and I am talking middle school wise not Varsity level. There are some very good 8th graders in NKY but I have only seen a handful of them play.

 

She is very good, especially if you see her against school teams. Again, very nice player, but still has some time before I would consider her truely varsity ready. Especially this year...there are some REALLY good PG's in the region that could make it really hard on a young player.

Ockerman middle lost 3 8th graders to the hs, they had 4 8th graders tryout but have picked up 7 girls who have never played. The 7th grade had 9 tryout and the 6th grade had 9 tryout. Not shambles but moving up players has hurt this program.

Ockerman middle lost 3 8th graders to the hs, they had 4 8th graders tryout but have picked up 7 girls who have never played. The 7th grade had 9 tryout and the 6th grade had 9 tryout. Not shambles but moving up players has hurt this program.

 

Legit question here...you and others have said "hurt the program". I get it for maybe depleting numbers but...is the middle school program for winning or developing and preparing kids to play. Moving up the best players now provides an opportunity for others to step up and gain some experience that they may not have been given. I know the best player from Ockerman very well. If she stayed down, how many others would be handling the ball...especially in pressure situations? Now those other girls will get that opportunity to grow and experience that without relying on her. And a social connection for some kids. To me, it sounds like some kids are coming out that never played. Would they have been engaged if the others didn't move up? If you're pulling in other kids now, is that a bad thing in MS?

That is incorrect!!! I know a middle school girl playing up on Freshman in a Boone County High School!!! Get your story straight before you post it.

 

I do not have a dog in this fight but since you have challenged someone to "get your story straight" prior to posting, I thought I would share the Boone County rule with you. Below is what I actually cut and paste from the Boone County Schools website:

 

"Middle school students may participate in high school volleyball and basketball as follows:

1. A middle school student may be elevated to a high school athletic team under the following conditions:

a. S/he must compete on the varsity level; and

b. S/he must be a “starter” or have significant playing time."

 

You may want to retract your statement to cheezy, if there is a freshman playing at Boone County there may have been an exception made based on numbers through the board. As for the rule, it clearly states what cheezy implies.

RCC, good points. I think if an 8th grader can play at the varsity level they probably should move up, Juliette can absolutely play at that level. I am not so sure about moving someone up that's not going to play varsity. Also, I wonder how it is going to effect the girls that are playing ms now, it's going to be a long and difficult year for them.

I appreciate your input. But how do you know where she is playing and what plans they have for her. I know many Ryle players and they are in the dark as to what the season holds for them and the underclassmen. Ryle has a very strong junior class. Five of them are being recruited from D1 down...would be hard to keep any of them out of the line up and start an 8th pr 7th grader ahead of them.

I appreciate your input. But how do you know where she is playing and what plans they have for her. I know many Ryle players and they are in the dark as to what the season holds for them and the underclassmen. Ryle has a very strong junior class. Five of them are being recruited from D1 down...would be hard to keep any of them out of the line up and start an 8th pr 7th grader ahead of them.

 

Who is your question directed towards? And I know we throw D1 around with this group and I would hope nothing better for them, but I think we may be going a little far with the D1 stuff. If Ryle has 5 D1 recruits, they would be number one in the state!!! Even last year they would have been the clear favorite for the region and they didn't even get out of the district! And they aren't picked to win it this year. Heck, there are only 2D1 kids (with commitments) in the entire region and only a handful in the state! So let's sit back and see what they end up doing. With my experience, most of the 2016 classes should be very close to being complete at the D1 level, so it would be interesting to see 5 kids go D1 that haven't already committed. There is a HUGE difference in getting looks and getting offers!

 

Again, I know just about the entire JR class and I know some are big and have a lot of upside and I love the games of a couple of them, but D1 just doesn't happen a lot around here. Are any of them better that Kiernan from last year?

Let me ask this...I know the Ryle group is pulling up some very talented young kids. Now, what do you do with them? The Jr class had some very good players. And some kids that can handle the guard spots. Maybe not ideal PGs, but guards that can manage the game well enough. With the size they have, wouldn't you want someone that plays ball control and makes good decisions, rather than turning the keys over to a youngster that has potential? I can promise you all those young girls would struggle in pressure situations against any of the top teams. That means you have to live with it if you play them. So two questions. Do if you play the young kids, is that fair to the older girls that want to win now? Secondly, if you bring them up, does the coach have pressure to play them because of the Boone co rule?

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'.

 

It works this way in Ohio.

High school sports is an extracurricular activity. No kid should get cut so a junior high kid can play against better competition. That example has absolutely nothing to do with the "high school experience" and more to do with it being a minor league stop on their way to college ball. Let them play up in AAU against better competition.

Something to ponder....middle school tryouts are usually prior to varsity tryouts...if a MS player forfeits their ms tryouts and waits for high school tryouts have they already been promised a spot on the team...or have the parents done enough politicking to secure their spot prior to tryouts....

Something to ponder....middle school tryouts are usually prior to varsity tryouts...if a MS player forfeits their ms tryouts and waits for high school tryouts have they already been promised a spot on the team...or have the parents done enough politicking to secure their spot prior to tryouts....

 

At Highlands, our MS tryouts are after the HS tryouts