This. And to my way of thinking, it makes it that much sweeter when one of the poor "have-nots" has a banner year and comes home with rings.

 

Agreed. The best example up here was Dayton in 1996. They had a golden generation that won from 1st grade through 8th grade. They got better and better each year in high school and peaked in '96 by almost beating Beechwood in the Regional Finals. Seeing that community get behind that team was awesome. We played them in the playoffs the week before and their place was rocking. It was a special time.

No, let's have, not all (some just don't have resources) but A TON of schools look at themselves in the mirror and really ask, "Are we willing to do what the top teams are doing to win?" That doesn't start at the high school level. That is having qualified adults coaching young kids the proper way to play a school's system. It takes them not playing favorites or their best 13 and actually developing talent over the course of 3rd through 8th grade. That is how you balance the field. You create your talent base. Too many communities don't want to do that.

 

What you are saying is true.....to a certain extent. But in many schools, especially the smaller ones they cannot get the jimmys and joes to compete. This is why in the whole scheme of things I have always been a proponent of classes for all sports not just football. But I agree it starts with getting the correct coaches to build a program.

Male had a 15 year gap in between State Championships and they're part of this discussion? Male is re-building a strong feeder system and the senior class from this year is a great example of doing it the right way. Trust in your system, hire great coaches, get in touch with the youth in your community, etc...

 

My opinion - go back to 4 classes. Would rather see BG in a class with T, Male and X. Same thing with Highlands. Just put all the big boys in 1 class. Heck, I bet the Mayfield guys wouldn't shy away from the challenge of playing with the big 6A teams. And I bet they would do better than most.

OKAY. I have a question, and someone please answer it for me. Those with first hand knowledge please. i understand that in the Louisville area there is school of choice. Is that the same for Mayfield/ Graves County, Paducah Tilghman/ McCracken County, Belfry/ Pike County, and other like areas. I believe that in Hopkinsville/ Christian County this is not applicable.

Agreed. The best example up here was Dayton in 1996. They had a golden generation that won from 1st grade through 8th grade. They got better and better each year in high school and peaked in '96 by almost beating Beechwood in the Regional Finals. Seeing that community get behind that team was awesome. We played them in the playoffs the week before and their place was rocking. It was a special time.

 

Was that regional final game a mud bowl?

Was that regional final game a mud bowl?

 

No. That was the Highlands-CovCath game the next year.

No, let's have, not all (some just don't have resources) but A TON of schools look at themselves in the mirror and really ask, "Are we willing to do what the top teams are doing to win?" That doesn't start at the high school level. That is having qualified adults coaching young kids the proper way to play a school's system. It takes them not playing favorites or their best 13 and actually developing talent over the course of 3rd through 8th grade. That is how you balance the field. You create your talent base. Too many communities don't want to do that.

 

Agree and disagree. I feel like more communities do want to do that, and possibly even do that but results don't show. In today's world if someone has a kid who they think is going to be a very good player, they end up moving the kid to a traditional top football school. Which a lot of parents these days think their kids are the next big stars, and send them to these teams who traditionally are good. With how the culture is today, many people seem to go for what they know, rather than what they hope would happen. People go to schools they know will be good, rather than staying at a school and hoping all the hard work and sticking together pays off.

Agree and disagree. I feel like more communities do want to do that, and possibly even do that but results don't show. In today's world if someone has a kid who they think is going to be a very good player, they end up moving the kid to a traditional top football school. Which a lot of parents these days think their kids are the next big stars, and send them to these teams who traditionally are good. With how the culture is today, many people seem to go for what they know, rather than what they hope would happen. People go to schools they know will be good, rather than staying at a school and hoping all the hard work and sticking together pays off.

 

True, but even then that only applies in larger communities where you have a choice between schools. Outside of Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and NKY most communities only have one, sometimes two schools to choose from.

True, but even then that only applies in larger communities where you have a choice between schools. Outside of Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and NKY most communities only have one, sometimes two schools to choose from.

 

Yes and most of the football playing schools in the state are in those communities correct? Or at least a large percentage of the schools are.

Yes and most of the football playing schools in the state are in those communities correct? Or at least a large percentage of the schools are.

 

Those communities represent somewhere between a third and a fourth of all football playing schools. I don't know the exact percentage off-hand.

OKAY. I have a question, and someone please answer it for me. Those with first hand knowledge please. i understand that in the Louisville area there is school of choice. Is that the same for Mayfield/ Graves County, Paducah Tilghman/ McCracken County, Belfry/ Pike County, and other like areas. I believe that in Hopkinsville/ Christian County this is not applicable.

The only one I can speak for is the Mayfield /Graves situation. It is not viewed as a choose what school you want to attend kinda thing. There are kids who transfer between schools for sports though. But I guess to answer your question, the entire school systems are separate K-12. Maybe that's what you were looking for.

I would like to see kentucky go to a point system similar to Indiana. The more you win the higher you go in class, creates great competition and makes playoffs interesting with new match ups every year.

I get that the top class is top-heavy. Until the other teams in 6A start implementing a sound offseason conditioning program I don't see any changes coming our way.

 

Even with a talented and large senior class, Male only lost 1 game in the program (T JV). The Bulldogs may not be able to replace the level at every position but there will be talent to plug the holes.

 

These are the keys to success for the top teams.

I would like to see kentucky go to a point system similar to Indiana. The more you win the higher you go in class, creates great competition and makes playoffs interesting with new match ups every year.

Only if it is still subdivided and not just one top level "catch all"

 

As someone who scoffs at the participation trophy and P.C. nature of our culture:

Mayfield vs Trinity would simply not be fair

Only if it is still subdivided and not just one top level "catch all"

 

As someone who scoffs at the participation trophy and P.C. nature of our culture:

Mayfield vs Trinity would simply not be fair

 

Absolutely agree, keep it 6 classes, just allow it to be based on points and size. You can only move up 1 class level at a time, which would keep schools from playing out of their skill level. Once they find their skill level, their points level out.