There's one issue with club volleyball that hasn't been mentioned that affects the number of girls playing, especially at the public schools. Cost. Many parents simply can't afford the expense of club volleyball. It's extremely expensive at the highest levels, and is even costly at the lower levels. I'm not saying all private school kids are rich, and public school kids aren't. But club volleyball is simply cost prohibitive for many families, especially public school kids, of which a higher portion receive some sort of free or reduced lunch. Even with an elementary school program, there would be many kids that simply wouldn't play club because of the expense.

 

While I don't doubt that there is some validity to what you say, not all public school parents are financially unable to pay. Quite a few fork out money for Elite/Select/Club Baseball, Basketball, and Soccer programs, and even Volleyball too. Parents seem to find a way to get the money when it comes to their kids, and their are fundraising opportunities at each club to help lessen the cost.

 

My point is that public schools start their focus on athletic excellence too late. I don't disagree with DallasLaredo that it comes back to the parents, but come on, we're all mushrooms, and if no one ever shines a light how would you know how important it is to get your kid into club sports before middle school? It's fairly obvious that parochial schools have figured out that early involvement in sports translates into athletic excellence.

 

No, the private schools don't have organized rec volleyball teams prior to 3rd grade, (they do have K-2 offerings in other sports), but they do have flyers and people from NKYVC coming to their schools starting with kindergarten kids to pump their programs. And if your school has athletic offerings and focus's on athletic and academic excellence, what do you thing those K-2nd grade kids parents do? They enroll them into Sprinkles to try and get them a leg up for when their 3rd graders, because they want their kids to succeed in the class room and on the court. It's a cultural thing.

 

Public school parents don't have that... at least not anywhere around where I'm from.

The school does not bless anything at all related to the Fort Thomas Junior Football League, zero. The school/s have absolutely zero say in anything that this organization does.

 

It surely appears that the school lends support and its blessing to the FTJFL. The league uses school grounds for practices and games, Highlands players and coaches help with the clinics and refereeing games. The high school coordinates their Saturday JV game schedule with the league schedule, etc. I didn't say that the school was involved financially or in the administration and running the league. They help the league to exist and provide support. And for that, they have reaped the benefits of increased numbers and success at the high school level.

 

I was indicating this as a success story. The parents took it upon themselves to provide these opportunities to the grade school children within the school district. They didn't rely on the school to provide all of the opportunities. Of course it has grown substantially since the beginning of the league

While I don't doubt that there is some validity to what you say, not all public school parents are financially unable to pay. Quite a few fork out money for Elite/Select/Club Baseball, Basketball, and Soccer programs, and even Volleyball too. Parents seem to find a way to get the money when it comes to their kids, and their are fundraising opportunities at each club to help lessen the cost.

 

My point is that public schools start their focus on athletic excellence too late. I don't disagree with DallasLaredo that it comes back to the parents, but come on, we're all mushrooms, and if no one ever shines a light how would you know how important it is to get your kid into club sports before middle school? It's fairly obvious that parochial schools have figured out that early involvement in sports translates into athletic excellence.

 

No, the private schools don't have organized rec volleyball teams prior to 3rd grade, (they do have K-2 offerings in other sports), but they do have flyers and people from NKYVC coming to their schools starting with kindergarten kids to pump their programs. And if your school has athletic offerings and focus's on athletic and academic excellence, what do you thing those K-2nd grade kids parents do? They enroll them into Sprinkles to try and get them a leg up for when their 3rd graders, because they want their kids to succeed in the class room and on the court. It's a cultural thing.

 

Public school parents don't have that... at least not anywhere around where I'm from.

 

I understand and even said, not all public school parents aren't able to (as well as not all private school parents are) shell out the money required to play. Many do. However, the financial aspect cannot be overlooked.

 

Really, I don't completely disagree with much of what you are saying. It would be great to have the schools directly involved with more elementary sports programs. However, in my experience, the schools HAVE been very supportive of youth sports groups, allowing them use of facilities for practice, games, sign ups, distributing informational flyers, etc. There are several examples of this throughout Kenton County.

It surely appears that the school lends support and its blessing to the FTJFL. The league uses school grounds for practices and games, Highlands players and coaches help with the clinics and refereeing games. The high school coordinates their Saturday JV game schedule with the league schedule, etc. I didn't say that the school was involved financially or in the administration and running the league. They help the league to exist and provide support. And for that, they have reaped the benefits of increased numbers and success at the high school level.

 

I was indicating this as a success story. The parents took it upon themselves to provide these opportunities to the grade school children within the school district. They didn't rely on the school to provide all of the opportunities. Of course it has grown substantially since the beginning of the league

 

Again, I will tell you that the schools have absolutely nothing to do with the FTJFL. There certainly are more athletic opportunities for parochial kids versus public school kids at the elementary level. As a parent, I did get teams together or get them opportunities that others did not get, but none of them were simply getting together school teams. There are some teams from Fort Thomas that participate in the Dayton League, but these are not school sponsored in anyway. If fact, it is really difficult to even get gym time because these schools act as if the gyms are a pot of gold.

I think it still goes back to parents and here's why....

 

my own personal observation/opinion (yours may differ) private schools rely/expect on parent involvement and volunteerism from day 1, and those same parents expect to be asked to serve in countless thankless ways.

 

Conversely - let's face it - there are many public school parents who drop their kids off at school, pick them up, and expect the school to handle the rest. That's why they send them to public school...so they don't have to volunteer, be involved, or get nickel and dimed to death with donations. The "I have my job and you have yours, and that's what I pay taxes for" mentality. And yes, we can all name the public schools that have overcome this to build success both on and off the field/court/gym. But I bet it didn't happen without deep parent involvement.

 

So when you approach public school xxx as concerned parents and ask to start a 3rd grade volleyball team, the first thing the school will do is look back and ask how you will be willing to help. Or maybe the school says there's no way and the parents have to push together as a group for change. Either way, to me, this is at the feet of the parents.

I think it still goes back to parents and here's why....

 

my own personal observation/opinion (yours may differ) private schools rely/expect on parent involvement and volunteerism from day 1, and those same parents expect to be asked to serve in countless thankless ways.

 

Conversely - let's face it - there are many public school parents who drop their kids off at school, pick them up, and expect the school to handle the rest. That's why they send them to public school...so they don't have to volunteer, be involved, or get nickel and dimed to death with donations. The "I have my job and you have yours, and that's what I pay taxes for" mentality. And yes, we can all name the public schools that have overcome this to build success both on and off the field/court/gym. But I bet it didn't happen without deep parent involvement.

 

So when you approach public school xxx as concerned parents and ask to start a 3rd grade volleyball team, the first thing the school will do is look back and ask how you will be willing to help. Or maybe the school says there's no way and the parents have to push together as a group for change. Either way, to me, this is at the feet of the parents.

 

Since when do you have to approach a public school about putting together a team? As mentioned by several on here, there are no "school" teams for public schools. The school admin could care less if a parent/sibling/whomever puts together a team, but they will not be representing the school per se. There are no uniforms with the school name on them.

 

I live in Fort Thomas and if you do not think we get nickel and dimed for every little thing then you might want to do some more investigating. Each sport requires a

$ 90 athletic fee and then there is some sort of fundraiser to go along with that to help pay for transportation primarily. This is before the parent even purchases the necessary equipment (shoes, socks, knee pads, shin guards, etc.) This even occurs with a terrific booster organization that pays for most if not all the equipment and uniforms.

Since when do you have to approach a public school about putting together a team?

 

When you don't have one and it will pay dividends down the road.

When you don't have one and it will pay dividends down the road.

 

There is no elementary school in Fort Thomas that is going to field a 'school' team in any sport, period.

There is no elementary school in Fort Thomas that is going to field a 'school' team in any sport, period.

 

So no one, boys or girls, plays basketball in Ft. Thomas until 6th grade? Right.

So no one, boys or girls, plays basketball in Ft. Thomas until 6th grade? Right.

 

Not for a school sponsored team and that is for all sports.

Not for a school sponsored team and that is for all sports.

 

Since when? HHS GBB seniors started playing for Moyer in 3rd grade.

I think it still goes back to parents and here's why....

 

my own personal observation/opinion (yours may differ) private schools rely/expect on parent involvement and volunteerism from day 1, and those same parents expect to be asked to serve in countless thankless ways.

 

Conversely - let's face it - there are many public school parents who drop their kids off at school, pick them up, and expect the school to handle the rest. That's why they send them to public school...so they don't have to volunteer, be involved, or get nickel and dimed to death with donations. The "I have my job and you have yours, and that's what I pay taxes for" mentality. And yes, we can all name the public schools that have overcome this to build success both on and off the field/court/gym. But I bet it didn't happen without deep parent involvement.

 

So when you approach public school xxx as concerned parents and ask to start a 3rd grade volleyball team, the first thing the school will do is look back and ask how you will be willing to help. Or maybe the school says there's no way and the parents have to push together as a group for change. Either way, to me, this is at the feet of the parents.

 

BINGO!!! When you are "shelling out" thousands of dollars for tuition, most private school parents have a "vested interest" in the success of their children academically/athletically. This is not to say public school parents don't have the same interest.

 

BTW, this thread veered WAY of course. :lol2:

Since when? HHS GBB seniors started playing for Moyer in 3rd grade.

 

Did the school sponsor the activity? NO Were there open tryouts? NO Did a member of the Moyer staff select and/or coach the team? NO All kids attended Moyer and they played in the Dayton League? YES?

 

There were a few Johnson boys teams floating around at this time as well, none of which was school sponsored in any way shape or form.

to try to get back on point.... universal law #1 in sports is if you aren't training and playing at the same level as your competition, you will be left behind in the dust. Since private schools and public schools in KY play for the same KHSAA title, and the KHSAA does not have classes for volleyball, then SK or any other public school that wants to compete with private schools in volleyball must be at their level. That means starting teams in 3rd grade at SK feeder schools and/or playing club is a must for SK to compete down the road.

 

It's pretty clear to see why no public school has ever won the KHSAA State Volleyball Championship - a streak that stands at 35 years and counting which is pretty freakin amazing considering private schools make up what - 5%, maybe 10% of the entire KHSAA. This isn't about what the private schools are doing, it's about what public schools and parents aren't doing.

Edited July 11, 201511 yr by dallaslaredo

to try to get back on point.... universal law #1 in sports is if you aren't training and playing at the same level as your competition, you will be left behind in the dust. Since private schools and public schools in KY play for the same KHSAA title, and the KHSAA does not have classes for volleyball, then SK or any other public school that wants to compete with private schools in volleyball must be at their level. That means starting teams in 3rd grade at SK feeder schools and/or playing club is a must for SK to compete down the road.

 

It's pretty clear to see why no public school has ever won the KHSAA State Volleyball Championship - a streak that stands at 35 years and counting which is pretty freakin amazing considering private schools make up what - 5%, maybe 10% of the entire KHSAA. This isn't about what the private schools are doing, it's about what public schools and parents aren't doing.

 

I think this entire post pretty much sums it up.