I know, but KHSAA rules state that you cant miss school for athletic events and yet.........

 

You can be excused, however, and that is what happens in large districts with more than one high school. Districts with one high school just cancel school for the district that day in most places.

 

Also, KHSAA has no jurisdiction in any district on attendance. They can say what they want but have no authority in that realm.

Even if 5 coaches from 350 schools decided not to go, that's only 1750 people not attending. That's well short of 35,000. Realistically, the real number of coaches not attending because of Redbook is probably less than 1000. That's just a drop in the bucket.

 

So we are in the area of 8000-10000 per tournament.

 

Plus those who used to attend aren't or can't because of age, health or death.

 

Parents/Grandparents aren't taking their kids/grandkids anymore.

 

My grandparents were regulars up until 2011/12. My dad hasn't missed since 1951 (born in 1950). I've been to 43, only missed 2. My 8 & 6 yos just made their 9th & 7th trip, they haven't missed yet.

 

I get it. Life gets in the way, things happen. High schoolers have better/cooler things to do. My friends & I looked forward to attending the Sweet 16 every year, hopefully by playing (never happened), or just going to watch.

 

I've been lucky enough in my years to see some of the greats Kentucky high school basketball has had to offer. I unlike many choose to continue to pass that tradition on to my kids. Maybe they'll lead their team in time to The Greatest Show In Hoops

Edited March 22, 201610 yr by TopRowMidCourt
Spelling

I would love to be on that committee.

 

Same here

I know, but KHSAA rules state that you cant miss school for athletic events and yet.........

 

Case BL-23-3– Is it permissible for students to be counted

present for participation/attendance at regular season

and KHSAA district level events?

Not within the KHSAA Bylaws and policies. Schools must

comply with the policies of the Kentucky Department of

Education regarding attendance. It should be noted that KRS

159.035(2)(b) clearly states that the educational enhancement

opportunities allowed by that statute may not include

interscholastic athletics. If a student does leave school before

the scheduled end of the day for any reason, the time missed

is recorded in the daily attendance log of the school as an

attendance event for that student. Although local board policy

may allow the student to ‘make-up’ any missed work, the

absence record remains.

When the student is participating in or attending an athletic

event, the local school board (not school council) attendance

policy controls whether it is counted as an excused or

unexcused absence. For example, the local board policy might

choose to record an excused absence for those students

participating on a high school athletic team that is playing

in a state championship and not record an excused absence

for attendance by a nonparticipant. It is also possible that the

Board policy is to allow an excused absence for attendance

by nonparticipants with verification. The impact of excused

versus unexcused absence is that with an excused absence the

student may have the ability to make up the missed school

work, but has no such right with an unexcused absence.

If the school’s team is involved in a very popular event, such as

the state high school basketball tournament, and a significant

portion of the student body will be attending the tournament

and thus missing school, the local board has discretion as

to whether to close school that day(s) in anticipation of low

school attendance, and amend the school calendar to make up

the instructional time.

If further clarification is needed relative to local policies which

may be in place, please have the appropriate district personnel

contact the Kentucky Department of Education.

I know, but KHSAA rules state that you cant miss school for athletic events and yet.........

 

That's why the school district will close. If I'm not mistaken Campbell County schools were closed the day the Camels played.

I only got to go to the first session, but I know attendance was bad. I saw very few coaches and didn't notice many students from mom participating schools. I also reached out to several hate used to go for the whole week and many were neither going or just going Thurs and leaving sometime Saturday.

Not necessarily dying. It's more that people are busier, and more choices in terms of entertainment. I don't know many people in my circle of friends that can walk away for their job for several days to take in high school basketball games. And as much as people love high school sports, if they don't have an attachment to the game (went to one of the schools, have a kid or relative playing, their hometown school etc), people just aren't that interested in going.

 

If this is the rule, I am an exception to it. Everyone at my job site for years knew that every March I would be using some of my vacation time for the Sweet 16. I have no attachment with kids, or schools other than the fact that I graduated from one. I just love Kentucky High School Basketball and make a point to take in, as I have for many years, the Sweet 16.

 

I did take a break however from going in recent years, somewhat reluctantly, because it's way to easy to stay home and watch it online.

 

I know that I will go again in the future because there's really nothing like being there, but because I'm also thrifty I'm having more trouble justifying spending the money when I don't have to.

 

Truly though compared to other type vacation trips, it's pretty reasonable economically.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if it being online is one of the big reasons for the drop in attendance because I doubt that I'm the only one who has opted for this cheaper easier, more lazier route that I more recently have taken.

 

I sorta feel guilty to be falling to the temptations of technology if by doing so I'm somehow contributing to such a wonderful event showing signs of suffering.

 

When the games first started to air online my instant thought was that this trend couldn't be good for the event in the long run once it caught on as an option, which obviously it now has and is one big contributing factor to the current problem of lower attendance.

Some of you are not getting it with Redbook.

 

Coaches go if schools get the room. Get 4 rooms and the staff takes their wife/kids/kids buddies or if single they met friends.

 

 

That doesn't happen, the cost of a room for all the nights of tourney is not far off from rooms at the beach.

What is missing in this whole discussion about

playing the state finals on Sunday is that there is

the possibility of a non-Catholic church school getting

hot at tournament time and making it to the state

championship. They will have a decision to make

to either go against their religious convictions

and play or follow their convictions and forfeit

the state championship. This happened in

Texas a few years ago where a school

operated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church

made it to the state championship game.

However, the game was on a Saturday and that

is considered the main day of worship for the

Seventh Day Adventist Church. The people in charge of the tournament

were not willing to make accommodation for

the church school to change the date of the

game. As a result, the Seventh Day Adventist

Church school made the decision to forfeit

the state championship game. Can you

imagine the outcry if there was a forfeit in the

Sweet 16 final due to religious reasons. Also,

if I am not mistaken, BYU does not play any

games on Sundays due to religious reasons.

Some of you are not getting it with Redbook.

 

Coaches go if schools get the room. Get 4 rooms and the staff takes their wife/kids/kids buddies or if single they met friends.

 

 

That doesn't happen, the cost of a room for all the nights of tourney is not far off from rooms at the beach.

 

No I get it. But some coaches still go regardless of Redbook. And not all coaches went before the changes to Redbook prevented schools from paying. It isn't (and wasn't ever) and all or none situation.

 

And let's not forget, Coaches are people too. As teachers/administrators, I imagine it's tougher for them to take almost a week off from their job at the school district these days. So their diminished attendance may not be all related to whether they can go on the school's dime or have to pay for it themselves.

Edited March 22, 201610 yr by rjs4470

That's why the school district will close. If I'm not mistaken Campbell County schools were closed the day the Camels played.

 

Mason County let out at 1 pm so kids could attend the 6:30 pm game. So they treated it as a early dismissal situation for all kids. If they had played at noon, I'm confident they would have cancelled school for the day and taken away a day from spring break. They have done that in the past.

What is missing in this whole discussion about

playing the state finals on Sunday is that there is

the possibility of a non-Catholic church school getting

hot at tournament time and making it to the state

championship. They will have a decision to make

to either go against their religious convictions

and play or follow their convictions and forfeit

the state championship. This happened in

Texas a few years ago where a school

operated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church

made it to the state championship game.

However, the game was on a Saturday and that

is considered the main day of worship for the

Seventh Day Adventist Church. The people in charge of the tournament

were not willing to make accommodation for

the church school to change the date of the

game. As a result, the Seventh Day Adventist

Church school made the decision to forfeit

the state championship game. Can you

imagine the outcry if there was a forfeit in the

Sweet 16 final due to religious reasons. Also,

if I am not mistaken, BYU does not play any

games on Sundays due to religious reasons.

 

The reason why it's missing is it doesn't really affect anybody in Ky. Lexington Christian has played a Sunday final in the girls' All A Classic before, so it wasn't an issue there. I don't know of any religious-based high schools in the KHSAA where playing on Sunday is an issue. I suppose if it is you cross that bridge when you get there.

Seems like more people are worried about their own convenience and it's less about a quality final. If the extra expense of another night is the issue, sleep in the car. I think it's great that this format benefits the two teams in the final with at least a fair amount of rest for each.

 

Preach on Brother Spindoc! Exactly my thoughts!

 

Two games played in one day for a state title was always DUMB. If it was done that way for 90+ years, then it was DUMB for 90+ years. Now, maybe a long time ago it possibly served a purpose and maybe needed to be done that way out of necessity, but not today. And PLEASE lets not compare a state tournament title to AAU summer ball. If you think the two equate insofar as importance, then that's another problem right there, because they don't.

 

It's far better for the teams/athletes to play one game on finals day. If that be on Sunday in the current format, then so be it. If the tournament can get moved back one day and a one game final can be played on Saturday, then that's fine too.

 

As far as attendance, that's has to do a WHOLE lot with teams playing and who's in the tournament overall and the finals. I was at the semi finals Saturday night...Doss had almost no one there and literally no student section. Substitute a number of teams in that slot that travel well and the total attendance numbers go up by the thousands overall, and a lot more there for the finals game by itself.

Just a little research using the scoreboard.

 

The 4 years with championship game on Sunday (2013-2016): 3x champion played 1st semifinal game on Saturday; 1x champion played 2nd semifinal game (CovCath)

 

15 years prior (1998-2012) championship game played Saturday night:

8x the champion played in the 2nd semifinal game; 7x the champion played in the 1st semifinal game

Preach on Brother Spindoc! Exactly my thoughts!

 

Two games played in one day for a state title was always DUMB. If it was done that way for 90+ years, then it was DUMB for 90+ years. Now, maybe a long time ago it possibly served a purpose and maybe needed to be done that way out of necessity, but not today. And PLEASE lets not compare a state tournament title to AAU summer ball. If you think the two equate insofar as importance, then that's another problem right there, because they don't.

 

It's far better for the teams/athletes to play one game on finals day. If that be on Sunday in the current format, then so be it. If the tournament can get moved back one day and a one game final can be played on Saturday, then that's fine too.

 

As far as attendance, that's has to do a WHOLE lot with teams playing and who's in the tournament overall and the finals. I was at the semi finals Saturday night...Doss had almost no one there and literally no student section. Substitute a number of teams in that slot that travel well and the total attendance numbers go up by the thousands overall, and a lot more there for the finals game by itself.

 

Denial will not solve this problem. That is what the KHSAA is doing and I am afraid the lack of leadership in identifying the tournament is in crisis is the narrow minded ostrich sydrome that will doom it. There are professionals to help businesses before it is too late. Any CEO worth his salt would have been on this before it had spiralled this far downward.