What does Apollo need to do to improve in 2015? What do they need to keep doing to be successful? Remember, please be constructive.

Locally, i suppose their has been a major outcry in social media about the Apollo football program. Rates Lewis has left Apollo and will be playing for OHS next season. Kids seem to be leaving the program at a rapid rate, as there has been no effort shown to change the direction. I know there are several unhappy parents and alumni. At this point, its not even about wins and losses for Apollo. Its about fielding a team that can compete. Apollo lost to its 3 city county rivals by a combined score of 140-21 last season. That is embarrassing no matter how you slice it. In their 9 losses, their margin of defeat was 36 points per game. They had a running clock in 8 of their 9 losses. To top it off, the only 2 wins they had were a nail bitter overtime win over an 0-10 Ohio County and vs a Hopkins Central team that hasnt won a game in 7 years. Its completely unacceptable for a school with the athletes Apollo has to field this type of team. There is no reason for optimism unless changes are made somewhere.

 

I know there are several people behind the scenes working to try to help this problem. Im not sure what can or will be done to start getting this thing going in the right direction. I do know that Burns middle is coming off its best season in years and has the talent to help this program compete again. The biggest question is, will they go to Apollo. Ive already heard rumblings of several kids going to other schools around the city. Von Williams, incoming freshman running back, is a game changer. I dont know if he ends up at Apollo or Owensboro Catholic. We shall see. Either way, i am not optimistic about the direction of Apollo football.

See what you did!!! Lol. The first thing Apollo needs to do is decide if the want to take football seriously. The talent is there to have a very solid 5A program. They just need to get the staff in place to make it happen. Guys like Jacque Williams, Boomer Fountain, and Bryan Wilson have done a good job at Burns Middle. Maybe Apollo should bring those guys up. If nothing changes I expect another long season in 2015.

Apollo has a very good coach. What I have seen is what improvements have they done to the stadium, weightroom, locker room, etc? I mean a coach can't fundraise that kind of money.

 

OHS made improvements to such facilities the stadium, weightroom, and locker room in the past 10 years and it wasn't Joe Prince. It was the commitment to the Owensboro Public School Board to get OHS where it needs to be. Weight room is nice (just used by football only) Title IX where are you? Rash Stadium looks beautiful especially with the new turf and endzone seating now. Locker room made some improvements as well.

 

OHS with all these improvements probably should of made a bigger impact earlier then in 2014, but very well accomplished work.

 

My point is, administration doesn't care. Nick Saban could come into Apollo and would leave in 1 day because he would figure out that administration do not care. The best athletes in town would not want to play at Apollo because the admin doesn't want to make improvements. PERIOD!

 

I wouldn't BASH the coach! Bash the DCPS for their lack of concern. They have the $$$ and they $$$ to put new turf down at both Apollo and Daviess Co. that would be a start. OHS and Catholic have turf fields. I mean Catholic has SKYBOXES with TV's in them. The stadium they built for KWC was awesome and seats 5000.

I dont disagree with what you are saying. I do question the commitment to the football program in general and the changes that im calling for to be made arent necessarily the head coach. Maybe he just needs more support. More assistants. Something. While im not sure a better field, stadium or locker rooms helps a program compete, it could most definitely help change the culture. I do know the school hired a new strength and conditioning coach from Trinity last year and i have heard nothing but good things about him. Like i said, im not optimistic changes are coming.

I just don't think it's on him. He won at Ohio Co., a place where they REALLY don't care about football. Admin has to show the kids they care. I have heard nothing but great things too with their strength coach and that's a great hire. Until facilities are improved and admin can hug kids and tell them how great they are and love all over them, but until they improve some facilities the kids know they don't care. It needs to start on the new turf which they have the DCPS have the $$$, but they don't want to go toward both DCHS and AHS. Starts from the WAY TOP. They got to have the commitment. Crume can give them the X and O's all he wants and be a great field commander which he is, but until the Brass at the top of the schools does something it won't change.

 

Remember brass did things to help Gooch. Gave him in-school weights and their own weight room. Kids loved it. What have they done for these kids since then? It's been 15 years.

Edited February 8, 201511 yr by Rambo4343