article KY High School Football Coaches have negative feelings about Rawlings Footballs

[NKY-Sub]

We puchased multiple Rawlings balls for that last two seasons. By the 6th game of the season we had to purchase new games balls to replace all of them. These are balls we only used in games. 4 of them only lasted 6 games if that tells you anything.

 

The only ball that was remotely built well was the new Rawlings R2. I cannot tell you how many ST5s we have had to exchange because we got them and they wouldn't hold air straight from the bag. And the laces on them become flat quickly.

 

Wilson is the best ball on the market by far and in the same price range as the R2. KHSAA needs to remember sometimes price really does equal quality.

[Dark Horse78]

The answer is yes. I'm just a believer that if you need to focus on the type of football you have in order to play better, then you may have lost focus. I don't want to be on the field listening to kids say "coach I can't catch, kick or throw this type of football, can we use the other one?" Creates room for excuses from players and coaches. If having a certain ball is what makes your players perform better, then invest away at them! I'd rather focus on the fundamentals of proper catching and throwing techniques.

 

Nobody is "focusing" on the ball, uniform, helmet...etc. When a survey is done, and that was the "focus" here, and we have the opportunity to change our options, then why wouldn't we? REAL football should use a REAL football and not the best kick back for the KHSAA sponsorship. Again, not whining about anything...a question was posed to coaches about what is preferred and the voice has been overwhelming.

[thehotsnakes]

Does anyone know the answer to this question? Is each sport individual or is it all together?

 

I don't know about basketball or baseball, but I do know that Baden is the official ball for volleyball.

 

But, I believe Mountain Ref is right. It's going to be whomever puts out the most money. If Nike wants it to be their ball and the coaches want a Nike ball, yet Rawlings puts out more money. Guess who the official ball is going to be? Rawlings.

 

The coaches who don't want it to be Rawlings should just hope that they get out bid.

 

EDIT: It appears that Rawlings is the choice for baseball, and that Worth is the choice for softball. Or, at the very least, they're both the platinum level sponsor featured on the KHSAA site. And it's Select Sport for soccer.

[MR AD]

The basketballs are horrible. The go flat or get bumps in them. I bought 10 new basketballs last year and 9 of them had to be returned for bumps.

[CBDV]

Is KHSAA's contract with Rawlings for all sports such as baseball and basketball or do they sign contracts for each individual sport? If they have one company for all the balls it's a win lose situation. Rawlings makes very nice baseballs and basketballs which may effect the decision. How did they go so wrong with football?

 

Basketballs used to be very good. In the past 6 years they have went down hill too. 2 years is a long time to keep one.

[Builder1214]

Wow! What has real football become? We're so frickin spoiled. Stop crying, take whatever pigskin you have and make a play! Old school get it done!!!!

 

Take 2 products and compare them.

Product A costs $80 and lasts 3 weeks.

Product B costs $80 and lasts 10 weeks.

 

Which product do you buy with your money, A or B?

[Pete W]

the rawlings balls are not very durable and we are paying a premium for them.

I think we pay about $70 per ball in Louisville thru Shively Sports. my semipro league used to buy Wilson nfl balls stamped with our league logo for $42, these were first rate balls, they would occasionally offer us blems at a reduced price if they had any bad balls from our league run (or sometimes NFL blems). the Wilson balls were much better quality and much cheaper. why not get a better quality product at a better price. with a small league of just 10-12 teams most years we bought balls once per year direct from Wilson, with the buying power of the entire state we should be able to get a good deal.