I thought this would be interesting topic being that we are getting ready to go into tournament time. I wanted to know what everyone thought it takes to be that overall dominating program.

 

We all know it takes talent, so that is the obvious. I'll start this off by saying a strong freshman program. Something that breeds the kids for the next levels success.

 

And go......

Looking at the local paper today and I got to thinking about something.

 

How many Finalist have a Football Player as a key player on the Basketball team?

Looking at the local paper today and I got to thinking about something.

 

How many Finalist have a Football Player as a key player on the Basketball team?

 

As far at the 9th, Dixie comes to mind.

In no particular order:

 

1. Excellent coaching staff

2. Strong and supportive administration

3. High quality booster club

4. Strong feeder programs

5. Strong educational system at the school

6. Strong community support

In no particular order:

 

1. Excellent coaching staff

2. Strong and supportive administration

3. High quality booster club

4. Strong feeder programs

5. Strong educational system at the school

6. Strong community support

 

Add continuity to the list.

In no particular order:

 

1. Excellent coaching staff

2. Strong and supportive administration

3. High quality booster club

4. Strong feeder programs

5. Strong educational system at the school

6. Strong community support

 

I'll buy into what your selling here but we obviously are going to need a few more added.

 

Highlands has most if not all of 1-6 and the basketball program is way down. I don't buy the frosh program thing either. Most of the better programs in N Ky have their best frosh play up (CovCath, NCC, Cooper, Holmes) to the junior varsity/varsity teams.

 

I'll add:

 

7. A majority of team being non-football playing basketball athletes.

 

You can be two sport as long as second sport is not football.

 

 

8. Boys that play the sport year round.

 

You can mix in a few footballers (Dixie has 2 FB out of 8 contributers) if you have the nucleus of your team playing year round.

I'll buy into what your selling here but we obviously are going to need a few more added.

 

Highlands has most if not all of 1-6 and the basketball program is way down. I don't buy the frosh program thing either. Most of the better programs in N Ky have their best frosh play up (CovCath, NCC, Cooper, Holmes) to the junior varsity/varsity teams.

 

I'll add:

 

7. A majority of team being non-football playing basketball athletes.

 

You can be two sport as long as second sport is not football.

 

 

8. Boys that play the sport year round.

 

You can mix in a few footballers (Dixie has 2 FB out of 8 contributers) if you have the nucleus of your team playing year round.

 

 

Good additions.

 

Singling out Highlands in my next question:

 

Does their basketball program have the same type of enthusiasm and focus in their feeder programs as the football program does?

I thought this would be interesting topic being that we are getting ready to go into tournament time. I wanted to know what everyone thought it takes to be that overall dominating program.

 

We all know it takes talent, so that is the obvious. I'll start this off by saying a strong freshman program. Something that breeds the kids for the next levels success.

 

And go......

 

 

You need to be one of three things, or some combination thereof.

 

#1.) A school with a large student population relative to the schools you'll compete against, AND/OR

 

#2.) A school with a large athletics budget relative to the schools you'll compete against, AND/OR

 

#3.) A school where, for some reason, whether it be socioeconomics, tradition, whatever, you get some of the more talented athletes relative to the other schools you'll compete against.

 

 

When you've really arrived, you are at the point where one or two of those has grown so much that it's began to overlap into at least two, but usually all three of those categories.

 

If you have none of those three, then you are hoping that you are the coach who gets some once in a generation player that comes through your program and is so good that they can carry it, and you hope that once that becomes apparent, you hope that you can keep him from going to one of the schools who has more of those three luxuries who'll come after him.

 

Champions are built over a number of years, and lots of things that aren't directly related to the game can definitely influence them. The State Champions ten years from now will probably be made up of kids playing grade school AAU right now.

 

There are different ways schools and communities get there. Sometimes it's kind of lightning in a bottle.

 

While Coach Hicks is building his record at Corbin, Georgetown is a city that wasn't nearly the size it is today. Toyota came, people moved to the jobs, the school grew, and it became an attractive job. I'm not saying the "Scott County's players parents work at Toyota" bit. I'm saying the "Scott County became more of a destination for people seeking gainful employment and the Georgetown community and the school grew" thing.

 

For a team like Trinity who won it in the 2010's, it's Brian Brohm and company paving the way and building the tradition after the school moved to hire a Coach who'd won a Texas HS Championship.

 

For a team like South Laurel in 2005, it's the group getting there a few years before in 2001, 2003, and all that getting combined with a talented class who developed together from the middle school ranks. All those kids probably grew up hearing about the 1982 Laurel County team who won it and could name their trips in between.

Edited February 16, 201511 yr by JokersWild24

Responding to PP92's question:

 

Feeder program = Middle school teams.

 

Have been very successful the last 8-10 years. Win games at a 70% clip. Current seniors and juniors very competitive up through frosh seasons.

 

This years 6th and 7th grad teams were a combined 58-3. Numbers 7 and 8 above will be the key to continue success.

Responding to PP92's question:

 

Feeder program = Middle school teams.

 

Have been very successful the last 8-10 years. Win games at a 70% clip. Current seniors and juniors very competitive up through frosh seasons.

 

This years 6th and 7th grad teams were a combined 58-3. Numbers 7 and 8 above will be the key to continue success.

 

Gotcha. Thanks for the answer. :thumb:

As far at the 9th, Dixie comes to mind.

Andrew Hedger 6'5 235 and Drew More 6'3.

I'll buy into what your selling here but we obviously are going to need a few more added.

 

Highlands has most if not all of 1-6 and the basketball program is way down. I don't buy the frosh program thing either. Most of the better programs in N Ky have their best frosh play up (CovCath, NCC, Cooper, Holmes) to the junior varsity/varsity teams.

 

I'll add:

 

7. A majority of team being non-football playing basketball athletes.

 

You can be two sport as long as second sport is not football.

 

 

8. Boys that play the sport year round.

 

You can mix in a few footballers (Dixie has 2 FB out of 8 contributers) if you have the nucleus of your team playing year round.

 

 

Don't know if I really agree there, at least completely. Some schools like Mason County, Warren Central, Central, Trinity, and to a lesser extent, Lexington Catholic, Hazard, Ashland, Owensboro, etc. have had some really good teams with a few two-sport athletes.

 

I don't know how playing basketball really effects someone who plays football, but you can usually take a look at a kid on the hardwood and tell that he's a football player, and if you mistakenly think that a kid who isn't one is, then it's usually taken as a compliment and sign of respect.

Coaching

Athletes

 

The rest takes care of itself.

We have had the multi-sport/single-sport debate numerous times and it usually sparks a good discussion.

Coaching

Athletes

 

The rest takes care of itself.

 

Sounds good, but those Jimmies and Joes don't just fall off trees. Solid development and feeder system is critical.