Open Job: Grant County

[GrantNKY]

From a distance viewpoint of what I see and hear:

 

Administration has a part in it

 

Parents have a larger part in it.

 

With the parents it's a tricky thing. See most of the parents of players on the HS and MS teams, either did not play for Grant themselves in the past, or not from Grant Co (transplants), so there is not the overall understanding of the history of Grant Co. (now most of you will say what history, they havent really won anything, that's kinda the point I am making.)

 

The Transplant parents, that did play football, come from programs that have had significantly more success than Grant, so the expectations are higher (not a bad thing except...) that the reality cant meet the expectations.

 

Now what I hear is that parents would pull kids from offseason activities, not bring kids to practice, heck some not show up to games (players and parents). That makes it difficult to succeed as a program.

 

It is unfortunate for the kids that are busting it, doing what they need to do, and yet still short on the talent side, and scoreboard side of the scale, that as a team they can't get over the hurdle so to speak.

 

 

I can sum it up this way, I had a conversation in Walmart with a parent of a HS player in November about the situation. This parent was adamant that the decision to not play in the district affected the psyche of the players for the whole season. I told the parent how would have playing those 3 district opponents helped the situation, when 2 of the opponents would have score 60 on you and the other one could have. Instead you got beat by Anderson Co 43-8, you lost to Mason Co 28-8, and probably should have beating an Aiken Ohio team, but lost 24-16. What is better for the psyche. He told me where to go and walked away from me.

 

Ive talked to a large portion of the alumni from the early days of the program (program began in 1992.) Everybody has this idea and that idea, but the one thing that is agreed upon is that Grant Co back then, and Grant Co now are two different animals. Both in the county itself, and the school itself.

Unfortunately there are far too many parents like the one you encountered in Wal Mart. I’ve heard similar things. With the way sports as a whole are in GC it’s like that in every sport. Daddy or Mommy knows what best. If the player rides home from practice and has to listen to a parent constantly undermining the coach then there is no reasonable expectation for success. How can kids be expected to buy in if they are in that situation? It’s a shame. I don’t believe this is exclusive to the football program either.

[GrantNKY]

I graduated from Grant and will always support them , but there is no reasonable explanation why your school has grown the way it has in the last 25 years and your sports teams have gotten weaker and weaker. So yes my thinking is there are problems somewhere in this system.

It makes no sense. With the economy of GC and the location there is no way the sports programs should not be more successful than they are.

[plantmanky]

It makes no sense. With the economy of GC and the location there is no way the sports programs should not be more successful than they are.

 

What exactly is the economy of Grant County today?

[Jim Schue]

GC is a basketball community plain and simple. That’s where the buy in from the community is and rightfully so.

 

And why would that be? Grant Co. has no real history of basketball success, other than 1979.

 

Schools that consider themselves "basketball schools" when their history in hoops is filled with failure make me laugh, heartily.

[GrantNKY]

What exactly is the economy of Grant County today?

It’s sort of like you mentioned. It’s growing. More and more people are moving into the county. The high school is growing. In theory this should enhance the sports programs based on numbers alone, but it doesn’t. You just don’t see very many schools the size of Grant County have such a hard time putting out a viable football program. Grant County simply should not ever lose to Owen County in football. That’s just sad.

[GrantNKY]

And why would that be? Grant Co. has no real history of basketball success, other than 1979.

 

Schools that consider themselves "basketball schools" when their history in hoops is filled with failure make me laugh, heartily.

Based on community support. Grant County has always been one of those “good old boys” schools. The good old boys have always played basketball.

[Jim Schue]

Based on community support. Grant County has always been one of those “good old boys” schools. The good old boys have always played basketball.

 

Not as well as they think, it seems, to be calling Grant Co. a "basketball school," given their history. I guess they could be known for something if their girls' teams were still called "The Squaws."

[GrantNKY]

Not as well as they think, it seems, to be calling Grant Co. a "basketball school," given their history. I guess they could be known for something if their girls' teams were still called "The Squaws."

When I was growing up GC had a solid team just about every year. Just never were able to break through. Don’t forget the 1930’s State Title From Corinth HS before the schools consolidated. Haha

[Jim Schue]

When I was growing up GC had a solid team just about every year. Just never were able to break through. Don’t forget the 1930’s State Title From Corinth HS before the schools consolidated. Haha

 

Dang, I been short-changing Grant Co. as I was unaware of the Braves' region title in 1957. Given all that, yep, definitely a "basketball school," even though the 8th has been historically dominated by Shelby Co. teams, and later Oldham and Scott county teams.

[GrantNKY]

Dang, I been short-changing Grant Co. as I was unaware of the Braves' region title in 1957. Given all that, yep, definitely a "basketball school," even though the 8th has been historically dominated by Shelby Co. teams, and later Oldham and Scott county teams.

It has to be some kind of school. Considering football didn’t come around until 1992 by default GC has always been a basketball school.

[Jim Schue]

It has to be some kind of school. Considering football didn’t come around until 1992 by default GC has always been a basketball school.

 

Much like my alma mater, Gallatin Co.

[GrantNKY]

Much like my alma mater, Gallatin Co.

Also a basketball school.

[Jim Schue]

Also a basketball school.

 

True. Region champs 1959.

 

And not to take away from any of the outstanding players throughout the years from either school (many of whom I know well), it often begs the question of why doesn't the school try something else to find its niche?

 

Think of this in terms of how Woodford Co., LaRue Co. and Union Co. are historically known for one sport, but it is at least one they are great at, and have the hardware to show for it. Gallatin Co. made a trial run at wrestling when I was a middle-schooler, but it soon turned into WWF/NWA 'rasslin, and they dumped it.

[CincySportsFan]

True. Region champs 1959.

 

And not to take away from any of the outstanding players throughout the years from either school (many of whom I know well), it often begs the question of why doesn't the school try something else to find its niche?

 

Think of this in terms of how Woodford Co., LaRue Co. and Union Co. are historically known for one sport, but it is at least one they are great at, and have the hardware to show for it. Gallatin Co. made a trial run at wrestling when I was a middle-schooler, but it soon turned into WWF/NWA 'rasslin, and they dumped it.

 

I think Gallatin County did quite well, considering their size, in both boys and girls basketball under Dot Perkins and Jon Jones. Did they dominate every year? No. There were some average groups, some good groups, and every now and then, they'd have a great group. But, just like Grant County, being in the 8th meant facing the "big boys" of Oldham, Shelby and Scott County once you got into the regional tourney. Tough for a little school to make it through that gauntlet. But, taking all things into consideration, I think Gallatin County has done much better in the past 20 years or so, compared to Grant, who has a much bigger student body.

[CincySportsFan]

It has to be some kind of school. Considering football didn’t come around until 1992 by default GC has always been a basketball school.

 

The best comparison to make is Ryle. They started right around when Grant County did, give or take a year or two. But, all of those kids that came thru there at that time had the benefit of the Boone County feeder system.

 

I remember talking to Coach Lovell one time, and he told me "while other coaches are using varsity practice time to go over plays, we're having to use it to teach kids how to tackle". Hard to win when you're faced with that scenario.