The groundwork for the Kentucky All-A-Classic was formed in 1980 through the efforts of coaches like Stan Steidel of Dayton, Father Ed Heile of Covington Latin, Bill Frey of Covington Holy Cross and others. The inception of a small school basketball tournament began in January of 1980. The first Class "A" Tournament was held at Holy Cross High School in Latonia with eight teams. In 1981 it moved to Bellevue with ten teams, all from Northern Kentucky.

 

The 1982 to 1989 Classic went statewide by inviting six Class A schools from around the state to compete with the ten northern Kentucky schools. In 1990 the All "A" Classic experienced a dream come true: A statewide championship tournament with sixteen boys' regional tournament winners competing in Lexington in February. Then in 1991 the All "A" Classic expanded to include the field of 16 boys' regional winners and included four girls' sectional winners competing in the statewide finals. In 1992, the statewide tournament again expanded to include eight girls' teams and in 1993 included the full complement of 16 boys and 16 girls’ teams.

If Btown means Bardstown, you are correct. They been playing football in 2A for

years and playing basketball in 1A. Pathetic I think, but finally was made to move out of 1A.

 

There is no such thing as 1A in basketball...

I always gave credit to Stan Steidel of Dayton and Mike Swauger of Bellevue for being the Patrons of this with the help of Fr. Heile from Latin and Frey from Holy Cross.

The groundwork for the Kentucky All-A-Classic was formed in 1980 through the efforts of coaches like Stan Steidel of Dayton, Father Ed Heile of Covington Latin, Bill Frey of Covington Holy Cross and others. The inception of a small school basketball tournament began in January of 1980. The first Class "A" Tournament was held at Holy Cross High School in Latonia with eight teams. In 1981 it moved to Bellevue with ten teams, all from Northern Kentucky.

 

 

The 1982 to 1989 Classic went statewide by inviting six Class A schools from around the state to compete with the ten northern Kentucky schools. In 1990 the All "A" Classic experienced a dream come true: A statewide championship tournament with sixteen boys' regional tournament winners competing in Lexington in February. Then in 1991 the All "A" Classic expanded to include the field of 16 boys' regional winners and included four girls' sectional winners competing in the statewide finals. In 1992, the statewide tournament again expanded to include eight girls' teams and in 1993 included the full complement of 16 boys and 16 girls’ teams.

 

Not exactly sure where you're going with that. I know that history and the format. I'm not asking to change the format.

Not exactly sure where you're going with that. I know that history and the format. I'm not asking to change the format.

 

But you want to boot a school that was in it from the beginning and hosted the first All-A ................because the Girls team won the 9th region for the first time in 8 years and went on to win the State tourney.

But you want to boot a school that was in it from the beginning and hosted the first All-A ................because the Girls team won the 9th region for the first time in 8 years and went on to win the State tourney.

 

I didn't say boot them. I said it could be another solution. One of the other solutions I had could include them. But I will also say, things change over the years. Things need to adapt. Many things have changed according to that article. Well maybe it's time for another change. It's dominated by a very few teams, but marketed as "a shot for the little guys". Give me a break!

 

I'm not mad, upset, jealous...just like discussion and I just think this thing is very hypocritical. I would LOVE it if there was a way to keep the perennial winners out of the tournament. Of course all the argument comes from the fans from the perennial winners. But the majority of the participants in this tournament have no chance. So it's fun for a minority and nothing for the majority. I know its not going anywhere and most likely isn't making any changes, but the argument is that "it's intended for the teams that don't have a shot" sailed a long time ago.

The groundwork for the Kentucky All-A-Classic was formed in 1980 through the efforts of coaches like Stan Steidel of Dayton, Father Ed Heile of Covington Latin, Bill Frey of Covington Holy Cross and others. The inception of a small school basketball tournament began in January of 1980. The first Class "A" Tournament was held at Holy Cross High School in Latonia with eight teams. In 1981 it moved to Bellevue with ten teams, all from Northern Kentucky.

 

The 1982 to 1989 Classic went statewide by inviting six Class A schools from around the state to compete with the ten northern Kentucky schools. In 1990 the All "A" Classic experienced a dream come true: A statewide championship tournament with sixteen boys' regional tournament winners competing in Lexington in February. Then in 1991 the All "A" Classic expanded to include the field of 16 boys' regional winners and included four girls' sectional winners competing in the statewide finals. In 1992, the statewide tournament again expanded to include eight girls' teams and in 1993 included the full complement of 16 boys and 16 girls’ teams.

 

Why the bolded? Do they get a lifetime pass just because they started it? 1980 was 35 years ago. Populations shift, schools open and close. They tournament clearly no longer serves it's original purpose. be bolder and change it...

 

change the enrollment requirement.

make your own districts and regions instead of copying the KHSAA.

put all the private schools in 1 region, and make the other 15 all public

RCC9, if it was changed to the way you want it, it would no longer be called "The All A Classic". It would be called the "All L Classic" because all the schools have no chance of winning anything. Why label them as inferior? That was not the original intent. Also, RCC9, most of the other regions are public schools unlike the 9th. The All A is great for those who participate and I'm sure you would love it if your school met the criteria to participate. Quit bashing it and get over it!! It's here to stay!

RCC9, if it was changed to the way you want it, it would no longer be called "The All A Classic". It would be called the "All L Classic" because all the schools have no chance of winning anything. Why label them as inferior? That was not the original intent. Also, RCC9, most of the other regions are public schools unlike the 9th. The All A is great for those who participate and I'm sure you would love it if your school met the criteria to participate. Quit bashing it and get over it!! It's here to stay!

 

Under RCC9's plan, any small school that has a year or stretch of years where their team is better than usual and can better compete for an A region title, won't be eligible for the All A. Sigh.

Really, that is the beauty of the All "A" - watching a smaller school make a run and experiencing something the players will remember the rest of their lives. The All A is fine the way it is. leave it alone!

RCC9, if it was changed to the way you want it, it would no longer be called "The All A Classic". It would be called the "All L Classic" because all the schools have no chance of winning anything. Why label them as inferior? That was not the original intent. Also, RCC9, most of the other regions are public schools unlike the 9th. The All A is great for those who participate and I'm sure you would love it if your school met the criteria to participate. Quit bashing it and get over it!! It's here to stay!

 

Not going back to this discussion, see all posts in the last 3 years if you want an answer to this. Just remember, it has been changed multiple times in the last and it is an invitational. Not bashing the tournament at all. I think it's a great concept that needs to evolve.

 

But I am curious to hear what you feel was the original intent then? And I would like to hear why you feel a very small group of kids deserve two chances to experience something that the majority of other kids don't. If you can compete otherwise (like the majority of teams that have perennial success in the A) why is there a need those kids to have a separate opportunity to win and experience something special whe the majority of other kids never ever get a chance to experience that feeling. I can name you countless of very large schools that have never won a thing. So why is so important to highlight teams and give them a "opportunity" when the majority of the time they are much better than several larger schools?? Are you telling me those kids "deserve" more chances just because they go to a small school??? In KY, you get one chance for a championship. Just the way it is. If your odds of winning that championship are the same as 80% of the rest of the schools in KY, why in the world do you feel it's okay to comepete in a tournament that gives your kids (and not other kids) a increased chance to win a championship??? Isn't that segregation?? If you can competed otherwise with the other 80%, then you don't need this "opportunity". No one else gets a second chance. Are your kids special??

 

And before you go there and it sounds like a couple of you are, it has absolutely nothing to do with whether my team is invited. I could care less. It's about the discussion and principal of it for me.

 

Make it for the true small schools that truly have legitimate struggles to compete and it awesome. If you can compete and have the same opportunity as 80% of the rest of the state, then you should only have the same chance to "experience success" as that 80%. It's how we do it in KY. If you don't like that, then let's go to classes. I'm fine either way! But I'm not fine with double dipping and providing a special situation for a very small number of kids that can compete just as easily as the rest of the state! That only doesn't make sense to the perennial winners because it's fun for you and your kids!

Under RCC9's plan, any small school that has a year or stretch of years where their team is better than usual and can better compete for an A region title, won't be eligible for the All A. Sigh.

Really, that is the beauty of the All "A" - watching a smaller school make a run and experiencing something the players will remember the rest of their lives. The All A is fine the way it is. leave it alone!

 

 

Again...see all past posts and the one above.

Here's an interesting observation: the only people gnashing their teeth over the All A, are those who don't participate. In the last 2+ years of this constant drivel, I've yet to hear someone from Dayton/SilverGrove/Calvary/Latin/Villa/NameYourSchoolThatDoesn'tHaveAChanceToWin complain that the tournament is "not fair". It's comical.

 

As one wise sage once said, "there's golf to played and tennis to be served".

 

LET...IT...GO.

give it a rest.

get over it!!

LET...IT...GO.

 

Usually when these pleas are posted, we're getting a little closer to the truth. Funny how no one wants to discuss this, but the posts keep coming. No one is making you read this. Unplug your computer if it upsets you this much.

Here's an interesting observation: the only people gnashing their teeth over the All A, are those who don't participate. In the last 2+ years of this constant drivel, I've yet to hear someone from Dayton/SilverGrove/Calvary/Latin/Villa/NameYourSchoolThatDoesn'tHaveAChanceToWin complain that the tournament is "not fair". It's comical.

 

As one wise sage once said, "there's golf to played and tennis to be served".

 

LET...IT...GO.

 

It's just a couple of wackos that don't get it and really, don't need to get it. Move along. Nothing to see here ... All "A" is fine. They need to just deal with it.

Really, that is the beauty of the All "A" - watching a smaller school make a run and experiencing something the players will remember the rest of their lives.

 

Yes, that would be fun - a Hoosiers like run by a small school. We can all appreciate that. Except it's not happening. For the last 5 years, the All-A Champ has also won their KHSAA Region and gone to State:

 

2015 Holy Cross Won All-A, Won Region

2014 Glasgow Won All-A, Won Region

2013 Owensboro Catholic Won All-A, Won Region

2012 Walton-Verona Won All-A, Won Region

2011 Owensboro Catholic Won All-A, Won Region

 

Look at that. Do you know how many big schools they had to defeat to win their region? Competing on a big stage isn't a problem. Start seeing the All-A for what it is. Re-read the above stats and then re-read RCC9 below:

 

I would like to hear why you feel a very small group of kids deserve two chances to experience something that the majority of other kids don't. If you can compete otherwise (like the majority of teams that have perennial success in the A) why is there a need those kids to have a separate opportunity to win and experience something special whe the majority of other kids never ever get a chance to experience that feeling. I can name you countless of very large schools that have never won a thing. So why is so important to highlight teams and give them a "opportunity" when the majority of the time they are much better than several larger schools?? Are you telling me those kids "deserve" more chances just because they go to a small school??? In KY, you get one chance for a championship. Just the way it is. If your odds of winning that championship are the same as 80% of the rest of the schools in KY, why in the world do you feel it's okay to comepete in a tournament that gives your kids (and not other kids) a increased chance to win a championship??? Isn't that segregation?? If you can competed otherwise with the other 80%, then you don't need this "opportunity". No one else gets a second chance. Are your kids special??

 

And before you go there and it sounds like a couple of you are, it has absolutely nothing to do with whether my team is invited. I could care less. It's about the discussion and principal of it for me.

 

Make it for the true small schools that truly have legitimate struggles to compete and it awesome. If you can compete and have the same opportunity as 80% of the rest of the state, then you should only have the same chance to "experience success" as that 80%. It's how we do it in KY. If you don't like that, then let's go to classes. I'm fine either way! But I'm not fine with double dipping and providing a special situation for a very small number of kids that can compete just as easily as the rest of the state! That only doesn't make sense to the perennial winners because it's fun for you and your kids!