I don't understand it either....How can these schools with so many more kids keep getting their heads beat in every week by alot smaller schools.. It is excuse after excuse all the time. These players,coaches, and parents need to start looking in the mirror and deciding if this acceptable and start doing something about it. Quite making excuses!!!! :madman:

RB, its something you were never taught to accept. Once a winner always a winner. The last part of your name could have something to do with it. Hang in there.

I have heard several N. Ky coaches state, as well as have had several coaches comments relayed to me (thus are subject to some misinterpretation admittedly) that they quite simply cannot get their kids to work as hard as the kids do in Ft. Thomas (and presumably Beechwood, CovCath etc). Fans of various programs THINK the kids in their programs are working hard, but most have ZERO idea what other schools do. Because coaches do move around, they have a better feel for what is happening.

 

I've been reluctant to post this, but since we lost to LexCath last year, almost every Highlands player not involved in another sport lifted and ran with the coaches at least three times a week all winter. And it was real intense conditioning. The week of June 4th (the first week of summer "vacation"), it was every day from 9-5. The next week it was 6-9 on Mon and Fri. and on Wed was 9-noon. The week of the 19th, practice or passing camps every day for 3 or 4 hours each day. After the dead period, it was every day for 3 or 4 hours the first week (and by the way, in the spring, Dale has a meeting and tells the parents to schedule their summer vacation during the dead period. Most parents willingly do so). The next week if was 5 hours every day. Week of the 24th, twice a day for a total of 8 hours a day. Week of the 31st, same as the prior week plus a scrimmage against Beechwood on Saturday. Same for the week of the 7th of August, plus practice on Saturday. Week of the 14th leading up to the Dixie opener, it was practice every day for 3 hours. And these were not stand around practices. They are up tempo, high energy practices. I don't know of a kid on the team that has ever had a summer job in high school. No time for it. If you can honestly say that almost every kid on your team puts that much time and effort into football, then you are right, our kids don't work any harder than yours. But from what I'm told by several coaches in N. Ky, most kids are not that dedicated and if the coaches pushed them that hard, they'd quit. (Personally, I believe there are some coaches that don't want to put in that much time either). There is a much bigger reason for Highlands success than the couple of players that were not raised in Ft. Thomas but attend Highlands. And that big reason is committment; committment from coaches, players and parents.

 

Great post.:thumb: Most will never get it, but really good post.

I would rather just be a butt than add any meat to the real discussion.

 

Whatever.

 

Didn't you quit this site last year, I could have sworn I saw that someplace.:banana: :banana: :banana:

Whatever.

 

Didn't you quit this site last year, I could have sworn I saw that someplace.:banana: :banana: :banana:

 

:ylsuper: :laugh:

Whatever.

 

Didn't you quit this site last year, I could have sworn I saw that someplace.:banana: :banana: :banana:

 

Ouch.

Someone made the comment that the parents should do something to make 4A better and what exactly would that be? Complain to the coaches...that will help the team...right? Do you really think that coaches listen to what parents think? If they did changes would occur much faster and kids on teams would be better sooner based on talent and not grade level... Maybe parents can see alittle better from the stands....

As for the guys on the team stepping up and being leaders...how do juniors and sophs step up to lead over seniors without causing a huge problem on the team? In a perfect world, leaders would emerge but in high school it's still the senior classman rule. Coaches select team captains based on grade level over leadership ability and than wonder why there is no leadership...If you are hand picked by a coach to be a leader and fail, where does the fault lie? What is the solution?:confused:

Someone made the comment that the parents should do something to make 4A better and what exactly would that be? Complain to the coaches...that will help the team...right? Do you really think that coaches listen to what parents think? If they did changes would occur much faster and kids on teams would be better sooner based on talent and not grade level... Maybe parents can see alittle better from the stands....

As for the guys on the team stepping up and being leaders...how do juniors and sophs step up to lead over seniors without causing a huge problem on the team? In a perfect world, leaders would emerge but in high school it's still the senior classman rule. Coaches select team captains based on grade level over leadership ability and than wonder why there is no leadership...If you are hand picked by a coach to be a leader and fail, where does the fault lie? What is the solution?:confused:

 

 

If I was a parent and I became convinced that the coach was not getting it done (whether in the off season conditioning phase or any other phase) I'd talk to the principal and superintendent of the school about making a coaching change. Assuming enough parents did so and the parents who did so were fair in their criticisms, I would hope the administration would listen to the parents. I know the Highlands administration would and has listened to those complaints in the past. I understand that some people think parents complain about coaches for "unfair reasons" (i.e. "he's not playing little Johnny enough"), and the administration should not make coaching decisions for those reasons. But there are fair reasons for coaches to be terminated. Having a large size advantage yet still getting regularly beat by much smaller schools, even much smaller schools with strong programs and tradition, is simply inexcusable in my opinion and justification for termination. Particularly if those losses are a direct result of not being in shape or poor game planning on a regular basis.

 

And to address the last part of your post, if a coach is choosing which players to play just based on the class, that is bad coaching and in my opinion is unfair to the team and thus should be terminated if the team is not winning. If a coach is demanding that the kids work their tails off and be totally committed to winning, he has to do the same. He has to always play the kids, regardless of class, that best enable the team to win. Period. While some parents and kids think that just because the kid is a senior, he should start. I totally disagree with that logic. How can you motivate your players to work hard all the time if the seniors know they will start just because they are seniors and the underclassmen know they won't start regardless of how hard they work and regardless of the fact they are better than the seniors? I understand that team captains historically are seniors, and hopefully there are at least one or two seniors willing to work hard and lead and thus become the captains, but I truly believe that underclassmen can also be leaders even if they are not captains.

Someone made the comment that the parents should do something to make 4A better and what exactly would that be? Complain to the coaches...that will help the team...right? Do you really think that coaches listen to what parents think? If they did changes would occur much faster and kids on teams would be better sooner based on talent and not grade level... Maybe parents can see alittle better from the stands....

As for the guys on the team stepping up and being leaders...how do juniors and sophs step up to lead over seniors without causing a huge problem on the team? In a perfect world, leaders would emerge but in high school it's still the senior classman rule. Coaches select team captains based on grade level over leadership ability and than wonder why there is no leadership...If you are hand picked by a coach to be a leader and fail, where does the fault lie? What is the solution?:confused:

 

I don't think that complaining to the coaches is what was meant by "the parents should do something." A few things that parents can do, if they aren't already, are:

 

- Make sure the boys are getting good healthy meals. Breakfast, pack a lunch and a good dinner. Don't let the kids run off to the nearest fastfood place everyday. This is very important during summer practices.

 

- A good meal on game day timed early enough to have time to digest. At Highlands the team parents provide this meal and take alot of time working it to get the best benefit for the boys.

 

- Make sure the boys can get to practice. Many times I here of kids missing practice because they can't get a ride. The parents need to sacrifice to get them there.

 

- Being there and making sure they have what they need, ie. the equipment, be it socks, mouthpiece, practice clothes. Yea most schools may provide these things but kids have a tendency to loose them so be available to always check to see that they have what they need. And be ready to run out at any hour of the day to find it.

 

- Make sure they are getting the rest they need. In the middle of a two-a-day practice don't ask them to cut the grass. Sacrifice the chores they may usually do and let them concentrate on football. Between morning practice and afternoon practice have a nice lunch ready and let them sleep.

 

I know that most parents give 110% when it comes to their child and sports, but then there are many that aren't participating and then asking why. It takes sacrifice on the parents part to support your children.

Your joking right about Nevels or Lorenzen ? I'll agree with you on alot of what you just said , but when you went there .... WRONG ...! When your one of the Best players in NKY , you can play for anyone and still be one of the best . But when you have the team around you it takes things to another level ! You know that , I know that , and so does everyone else ! So don't blow smoke up there !:irked: But you do have some good points and I'll agree with most !

 

I apologize for not making myself clear. No doubt Nevels and Lorenzen are some of the better players from N. Ky. The point I was trying to make was that playing at Highlands made them better players than they would have been at certain other programs in N. Ky. In part for the reason you expressed (surrounded by a team of better players), but also in part because of how hard they had to work to be on Highlands team. That hard work and committment simply had to make them better than they would have been had they been on a team that did not require such committment. And it is that committment required of all players that resulted in them being surrounded by a team of better players. Do you think that Jared would have been given a scholarship to UK if he had gone to, say Simon Kenton (and I only pick them because I think his father lived in the Simon Kenton district) and had been on a losing team and had not been able to post near the statistics he did at Highlands? Maybe he would have, and its impossible to know, but I don't think so. Without the conditioning he got at Highlands, he would have been even bigger and out of shape, which would have affected his performance. Without a decent line in front of him, he would have thrown a lot more interceptions and a lot fewer completions and tds. I just don't think UK would have looked at him the way they did. While conditioning was not the same issue with Nevels, I do think he was a better player at Highlands than he would have been at Simon Kenton because of the coaching and system at Highlands. Again, its subjective I know, but I just believe that. And I fully realize that unsuccessful programs have sent plenty of kids to college on scholarships. But when I see kids at other programs that are huge (but fat and out of shape and thus lack quickness and speed) and don't get college scholarships, I often wonder if they would have gotten a scholarship if they had gone to a program like Highlands, CovCath, Beechwood or NCC. Hope I've made myself clearer, then again, I may have made myself clear the first time and you just disagree with my thinking. And that's okay also.

Parents should not have to get transportation for their child to football practice. Bicycles or walking still work.If a player misses practice cause he cant get a ride, he did not want to be at practice, this is the only exception I found in your post Hank.

Parents should not have to get transportation for their child to football practice. Bicycles or walking still work.If a player misses practice cause he cant get a ride, he did not want to be at practice, this is the only exception I found in your post Hank.

 

Your right. And if a player doesn't want to be at practice then the parent needs to accept that. In other words, stop forcing your kids into doing something they really don't want to do so the parent can relive a childhood memory.

 

The only thing though, is that some of those kids may have quite a way to travel by bike or walking and it may not be thru some of the easiest ways to navigate on a bike. Such as Boone Co. I'm sure draws from a large area and with highways and such all around it may make it alittle difficult.

 

 

It also may be a case of providing the bike just to get to practice. Not all kids live within a 2 mile walking radius of school.

Your right. And if a player doesn't want to be at practice then the parent needs to accept that. In other words, stop forcing your kids into doing something they really don't want to do so the parent can relive a childhood memory.

 

The only thing though, is that some of those kids may have quite a way to travel by bike or walking and it may not be thru some of the easiest ways to navigate on a bike. Such as Boone Co. I'm sure draws from a large area and with highways and such all around it may make it alittle difficult.

 

 

It also may be a case of providing the bike just to get to practice. Not all kids live within a 2 mile walking radius of school.

 

 

And to be fair, there are a lot of more rural schools in Ky than Boone Co, which makes walking or even riding a bike even more difficult. I realize that in some rural areas, both the moms and dads work to support the family and rely on buses to get the kids back and forth to school and such buses are not available for during summer conditioning. But I have to think that either by sharing a ride with other players, or for that matter, having coaches go pick up those kids that simply cannot under any circumstances other wise get to practice, a large majority of kids without cars can get to off season conditioning drills and summer practices. All of them? Maybe not, but I'd like to think 90% have a car, have a parent to drive them, can get a ride with another player or the coaches can pick them up. Its difficult, but part of the committment needed that I referred to in other posts. But there is no doubt that it is easier to get kids to and from summer conditioning sessions/practices and home after school year conditioning sessions in an urban setting than it is in a rural setting.

Combine that work ethic and the merits of the Jr. Football League, and the unbiased fan should realize that Highlands does not win because they are Highlands; they win because the kids, coaches and administration put forth a level of effort and committment that is matched by very, very few programs in the state. . While I have no doubt that Lorenzen, Smith, Nevels etc down the line were great athletes, I seriously doubt they would have been as good as they turned out if they had not played at Highlands or some other school demanding such a committment.[/QUOTE]

 

LN,

 

Some people will never accept the FACTS,and you are right on it with your view. Good programs win state titles because they out work other teams and set big goals.:thumb:

To further prove LN's point. Lorenzen didn't even start his sophomore year. He was outworked by someone smaller, slower, with less of an arm and a lot less talent. Jared will even tell you, he walked in thinking the job was his. However, unlike every other year he wasn't handed the position. So he sat on the bench with a lot of the other sophomores. As in LN's example, at SK (Or a similar school) no doubt that Jared's a three year starter just for showing up.

To further prove LN's point. Lorenzen didn't even start his sophomore year. He was outworked by someone smaller, slower, with less of an arm and a lot less talent. Jared will even tell you, he walked in thinking the job was his. However, unlike every other year he wasn't handed the position. So he sat on the bench with a lot of the other sophomores. As in LN's example, at SK (Or a similar school) no doubt that Jared's a three year starter just for showing up.

 

 

That is interesting.. who was the starting QB that year?

 

I have not had a child go through the HHS program yet but from an outsider looking in and living in FT, I do see the committment from the players and parents. Some call it gung ho..others call it fanatical and then there are those like myself that simply call it passionate. I see the look in the eyes of those players when they come to my door asking for donations, I see the way they interact with the youth and how the younger guys look up to them. It is a way of life in Fort Thomas and its as simple as that.

 

LN I can truly say you probably have more insight into the program than some of the coaches and you would know firsthand how hard those guys work on and off the field. Nothing ever comes easy in life... you have to work for everything you get and this is what I truly believe the Bluebirds live by. They know State Championships are not a gurantee just because you put on the Highlands uniform.