As many of you know (and most of you disagree with me) I have been outspoken on the NKY Football Coaches Association for their public comments about 6 class football. Now let me explain why.

 

Coach Marksberry from Simon Kenton was quoted in Tuesday's Enquirer:

 

"We voted on this as a coaches association, and it was unanimous 18-0 that we didn't want it in Northern Kentucky," Simon Kenton coach Jeff Marksberry said. "I think we're just happy with how things are now. We feel like we compete."

 

Coach Stellman from Conner (who often makes very witty quotes) gave us this one from the same article:

 

Said Conner coach Tom Stellman: "Here's what I want to happen - all private-school finals, so everyone sees that it doesn't make a difference."

 

Now I want to give everyone some back round on how 6 classes came to be, this is from another thread:

 

First of all, the member schools voted to separate (kick out) the private schools but this decision was not approved by either the Board of Control or the Board of Education which both ultimately decide how education and athletics are going to be administered in KY. I do not want to debate this part in this thread (another thread is fine).

 

Many people seem to think the 6 class system is just a ploy by the KHSAA to cool the ant-private school sentiment. While I agree the KHSAA likes the 6 class format for just that reason, 6 classes came to be because the Football Advisory Board DID recommend the 6 class system back in November 2005 and NOT because the KHSAA, the Board of Control, or the Board of Education came up with it. Again, the football coaches brought this idea to the KHSAA.

 

Also, at the KY Football Coaches Association meeting in June at Centre College the coaches also were given a chance to voice their support or problems with the system. There was NOT a lot of negative on the 6 class system but there was a lot of support for the 6 class system.

 

I would say that the coaches that have a problem would have a problem with anything new. I also wonder if the coaches complaining now ever read their KY Football Coaches Association emails or if they ever get involved with such matters? Also, all the coaches had over a year to comment and work on this issue if they had a problem with the 6 class system and they didn't speak up.

 

Furthermore, if any of these coaches that are speaking out now against 6 classes failed to voice their opposition to the KY Football Coaches Association over the last year then you have to call both their integrity and professionalism into question.

 

The bottom line is, the KY Football Advisory Board recommended 6 classes to the Board of Control and the BOC approved it. In other words, the Football Coaches Union (if you will) said this is what they wanted and that is exactly what they got.

 

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Now, back to the NKY Coaches voting 18-0. This vote was a vote of the NKY Coaches Association and NOT the KFCA. Frankly, I have no idea why the NKYFCA even voted on the 6 class system because the only voting that mattered for the 6 class system was done at the KFCA meetings. Therefore, the NKYFCA vote has no more meaning than if 18 of us at BGP get together to vote on the 6 class system.

 

Now here is where I think it gets really bad, the NKFCA knows their vote had absolutely nothing to do with KY going to 6 classes yet Coach Marksberry presented it to the Enquirer. At the very least, Coach Marksberry's comments are very misleading to the average reader.

 

Considering the misleading quote given to the Enquirer by Coach Marksberry, Coach Stellman's comment only further serves to cloud an already confusing issue. This is one of those times Coach Stellman should have stated exactly what he meant. I understand Coach Stellman didn't craft the article and maybe this was just bad timing.

 

Here is where I take issue. My contention is the NKYFCA knew full well that this decision was being made and voted on at several KFCA meetings and if they (the 18 of them) were against this decision they should have voiced their opinion there. Some of you have suggested that their 18 voices would have done little, if anything, to change the vote so why do it. If 18 coaches from NKY are against it I am sure there are several others but since all of them apparently threw their hands up in the air and didn't even try to influence the decision we will never know how much of an impact they may have had.

 

The bottom line is we live in a democracy and if you want a say in the democracy you need to participate in it. What you don't need to do is throw your hands up and say it wouldn't matter what I have to say so I am going to do anything now but after the fact I am going complain to the media and mislead the media (and general public) about a vote that had nothing to do with 6 classes and represent that vote as a part of the process that decided on the 6 classes.

 

Now others of you (on the fence I believe) have also sided against me in saying there is no way of knowing what the NKYFCA did or did not do so how can you criticize them. So, I went to the KFCA, explained everything I explained in this thread, and asked the KFCA what exactly the NKYFCA did and how they were involved in the 6 class process and I was told this:

 

"This is the first I heard of the (18-0 vote by the NKY Coaches) vote." "No one (from NKY) voiced their concern at any meetings of the KFCA."

Also, at the KY Football Coaches Association meeting in June at Centre College the coaches also were given a chance to voice their support or problems with the system. There was NOT a lot of negative on the 6 class system but there was a lot of support for the 6 class system.

 

Is there a roster of the coaches who attended this June meeting?

Now, back to the NKY Coaches voting 18-0. This vote was a vote of the NKY Coaches Association and NOT the KFCA. Frankly, I have no idea why the NKYFCA even voted on the 6 class system because the only voting that mattered for the 6 class system was done at the KFCA meetings. Therefore, the NKYFCA vote has no more meaning than if 18 of us at BGP get together to vote on the 6 class system.

 

 

Doesn't the NKYFCA have a representative at the KFCA meetings, at the least? To me, it defeats the purpose of voting if no one relays the information to the KFCA.

Is there a roster of the coaches who attended this June meeting?

 

I have no idea and that is not the issue or point in this thread so please debate it in another thread.

Doesn't the NKYFCA have a representative at the KFCA meetings, at the least? To me, it defeats the purpose of voting if no one relays the information to the KFCA.

 

Again, this is what I was told:

 

"This is the first I heard of the (18-0 vote by the NKY Coaches) vote." "No one (from NKY) voiced their concern at any meetings of the KFCA."

 

Also, there are several coaches (and many of them from NKY) that frequent BluegrassPreps.com that could fill us in on their actions or inactions and the silence has been deafening on all these threads.

"This is the first I heard of the (18-0 vote by the NKY Coaches) vote." "No one (from NKY) voiced their concern at any meetings of the KFCA."

Thats the question I have. If everyone was so against it, why didnt anyone voice their opinion? I would hope that if 18 coaches voice their displeasure with the 6 class system, someone would listen. :confused:

Hmmmm..... I'm developing my own opinion of things. I would share it with you, but I think I'll be like the coaches and keep it to myself as to why I think they played this the way they have. If it makes you feel anybetter, as is with most things in life, I think the reasons vary.

Thats the question I have. If everyone was so against it, why didnt anyone voice their opinion? I would hope that if 18 coaches voice their displeasure with the 6 class system, someone would listen. :confused:

 

 

That is the point; the NKY coaches did absolutely nothing (except complain after the fact and mislead the Enquirer readers).

Thats the question I have. If everyone was so against it, why didnt anyone voice their opinion? I would hope that if 18 coaches voice their displeasure with the 6 class system, someone would listen. :confused:

 

 

Why do you think that if 18 coaches from N. Ky voiced their displeasure that someone would listen? This is a black and white issue. I really don't think there were a bunch of people sitting on the fence after a year and a half of the issue being discussed.

That is the point; the NKY coaches did absolutely nothing (except complain after the fact and mislead the Enquirer readers).

 

 

Wildcat the articles I've read had the N. Ky coaches simply stating that they don't like 6 classes. If that's complaining to you, then you and I are using different dictionaries. One coach (Stedman?) stated that the N. Ky coaches had voted in a meeting of the N. Ky coaches. What in goodness sakes is misleading about that? If there is something else that someone said that's misleading, quote it in your reply so I and the others on here can read what you think was misleading. I've not read a thing that I thought was misleading, but perhaps I've not read all the articles.

Bob Schneider is the person from the NKFCA on the Board of football for the KHSAA. He was supposed to be the voice of the association and I am sure he did vote for no change!

Bob Schneider is the person from the NKFCA on the Board of football for the KHSAA. He was supposed to be the voice of the association and I am sure he did vote for no change!

 

If you know Bob then you know that he doesn't shy away from letting his opinion known. I have no idea if Bob went ot the meeting but I'm more likely to believe in unicorns and leprechauns than to believe Bob's opinion on the subject was a secret.

"This is the first I heard of the (18-0 vote by the NKY Coaches) vote." "No one (from NKY) voiced their concern at any meetings of the KFCA."

 

 

Bob Schneider is the person from the NKFCA on the Board of football for the KHSAA. He was supposed to be the voice of the association and I am sure he did vote for no change!

 

Interesting...

 

 

For the record, sml's word is rock solid...

Let's not get confused here. Coach Schneider is on the Board of Control (BOC) which voted to approve the 6 class proposal that was recommended by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association (KFCA).

 

I am not sure if Coach Schneider was present at the vote or not but one thing is for sure, he (nor anyone else) voted for no change because the BOC vote was 14-0 to go to 6 classes.

As far as the KFCA meetings. The 6 class system was discussed in great detail at the Dec. meeting at the State Football Finals. There were over 190 coaches at that meeting. The same 6 class system has been discussed in great detail on the KFCA Listserve for over 8 months. The past president of the KFCA did two separate polls on the increase in classes to 6. The KFCA had another meeting in June at Centre College. This time Mr Tackett the KHSAA Assistant Commissioner over football was present to answer questions and ask for concerns or problems from the coaches. Again there was a large crowd of mostly head coaches present. So as far as listening to the coaches and their concerns, I think there has been plenty of opportunity. This is simple if you have a problem or concern you must make people aware of it to have any possiblity of change.