Don't think that is the idea behind all of this. Or maybe i am missing it too. I think the reasoning behind it is a question of why it was done before everything was ready and why the KHSAA allowed it to happen. (them still competing in 2A) which from what i have heard about them 1 2 or 3A would be a cake walk for them. With 4A being there real competition. But i dont think the blame lays on the school system as much as is does the KHSAA for allowing them to be in the same class. The only blame on the sytem would be doing this so late and before things were in order.

As much as I love football, the world does not revolve around it (unfortunately), particularly the world of education. Sometimes decisions have to be made that, in the long run, are in the best interest of the students. This merger boils down to the one thing that the world does revolve around - money. If merging allowed them to get additional funding for the new building, then they did exactly what they should have done (irregardless of whose football state championship they help/hurt).

 

Obviously Mercer Co HS could not accommodate all of the additional students, so apparently some students (some former Harrodsburg, some former Mercer only) have classes in the Harrodsburg building. It seems as though next year, they want to have the old H-burg building house the freshmen class, a so called "freshmen academy". Just drawing on my own experience as a high school teacher, I think that this is an excellent decision.

 

As far as KHSAA allowing them to continue to play as a 2A, some have stated they should have merged earlier, to allow for rescheduling to occur. Again, refer back to my number one point here, that maybe, just maybe, the district was not putting football as their number one priority. I come from a school that had Harrodsburg down on our schedule to play this year (would have been a district game) and had to scramble around to find a replacement game. One team in our district did not find another game. Imagine the domino effect this would have caused, had Mercer been put in a new district this year. Some teams would have been left without games, others would have had to drop games to incorporate the new district entry...it would have disrupted countless teams. With the new football class realignment coming up, why not just wait one more year to merge? Again, maybe football was not the priority. I have to support the KHSAA decision here.

 

I feel sorry for the Mercer Co players if they have had to put up with this type of comments all year long. Obviously, they have risen above it. I know I am a late entry into this debate, but it just seems like sour grapes on part of all of the anti-Mercer/merger posters.

 

I did not wake up this morning a Mercer Co fan, but I think that I will go to bed as one tonight. Go Titans!

Hey Joe and CW is the horse dead yet? Been beat a lot in this thread, huh?

 

I believe the REAL question was how much the Harrodsburg players have brought to the Titans. Talent, experience and yes speed. Mercer was strong last year, and would have been strong this year too, but with Harrodsburg influx the have been able to aquire a real life experience with the merger that is priceless. The players are stronger for going through it and have taught the adults much. Facts of academics, what is best for the children? Harrodsburg students are now able to take classes that were not available on their campus. Classes that aren't in the right block at Mercer can be taken at Harrodsburg. More options, variety and versatility to offer the best for all of the students, I don't have a problem with that. I also don't have a problem of being 14-0 in football either!

Right, but they DO NOT GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL!!!! Whether you have "Harrodsburg High School" over the doors or not, it doesn't matter. They are not merged together in the same school.

 

Do you have a child who is a student in the Mercer County School System? Where do you get your information regarding they are not in the same school? My son has class with students from both the Mercer(Moberly Rd.) and Harrodsburg(East Lexington) campus. He also has the option to go to Harrodsburg's Campus for any class he needs, he originally was a Mercer student bc (before consolidation). So how do you know and I quote you "they DO NOT GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL!!!!"

I wanted to say good luck to Mercer Co.in the finals. But with the changes coming next year to football with 6 new classes why didn't the khsaa wait till next year for this change? I dont think it would have hurt anything for one more year, if the 2 schools would have stayed in there classes till next year. Anyway that is just my opinion on this.

I don't know of any Mercer person who said what you claim. You sure do seem to claim to know a lot about a situation that you are not involved in. The State and Federal Governments say they are 100% mergered. All of the teacher's pay checks sure do come from the same place. Report cards all say Mercer County. There is one school board.

 

You have no idea what was and was not above board. Was it rushed? Yes, I think it was. But not to make a better football team like you seem to think. Mercer was going to build a new High School anyway. They had an chance to take advantage of a one time funding opportunity. It was going to be a 3 phase project that was going to take 8-10 years to complete all that they wanted to do. By merging the funding was increased quite substantially, my understanding is that it will now take only 3-5 years to do all that they want to do. They did the smart thing, they took advantage of it and merged immediately.

 

What the KHSAA decided was their decision not Mercer's. But you go ahead with your conspiracy theory.

 

It is also my understanding that the state monies Mercer was to receive for construction of the new HS size, etc. is based on current enrollment, not on anticipated growth, so the school would have been built to house what students were currently at Mercer and no room in the future if merge took place later. By joining the schools when they did, they are now able to receive the funds necessary and prepare for the enrollment and size they will need for the new school. If they had gone ahead without merging, and decided to later - the school would not be large enought to accomodate all students. Rushed decision, maybe just a good plan for the future. Wise choice to make, somewhat in a hurry, which I seriously questioned. After being with this football team, and around in the community - this has been one remarkable experience - a definite plus in all areas academics, band, little league football, volleyball, soccer etc.

I wanted to say good luck to Mercer Co.in the finals. But with the changes coming next year to football with 6 new classes why didn't the khsaa wait till next year for this change? I dont think it would have hurt anything for one more year, if the 2 schools would have stayed in there classes till next year. Anyway that is just my opinion on this.

 

The Harrodsburg Board of Education dissolved, they ceased to exist as of July 15th by their choice and by Mercer's Board accepting them. Not a sports decision but the change happened, KHSAA made their decision, new topic. And who would have coached the Harrodsburg Team? Their Football Coach is the district wide AD for Mercer. So then the students would be together for classes and not together in sports? Doesn't make sense. Poor Horse:cry: I don't think the Harrodsburg Board of Education gave one moment of a thought to wait until the football system is reclassed, they really didn't care and that would have no bearing whatsoever on their decision. They were worried about the future and the future for the students.

Don't think that is the idea behind all of this. Or maybe i am missing it too. I think the reasoning behind it is a question of why it was done before everything was ready and why the KHSAA allowed it to happen. (them still competing in 2A) which from what i have heard about them 1 2 or 3A would be a cake walk for them. With 4A being there real competition. But i dont think the blame lays on the school system as much as is does the KHSAA for allowing them to be in the same class. The only blame on the sytem would be doing this so late and before things were in order.

 

 

How could the KHSAA move them up when everyone's schedule was already filled?

Sorry.....the superintendents from both systems didn't consult with you first.

 

Bottom line: you aren't here to see the positive impact this merge is having on all students....athlete or not. The level of interaction has been good for the future of this community and every kid involved.

You aren't qualified to pass a judgement on the long overdue merge unless you are from here. This merge is bigger than athletics, and our community is and will be better for it. Unless you are experiencing it first hand, your posts lack validity and perspective and would best be kept to yourself.

 

And that my friend is not debatable.

I'm not passing judgment on anything, and you're not qualified to pass judgment on my feelings about the merger. I don't have a dog in this fight ... my comments are strictly as an observer, and I have never hidden that.

 

I have never said that the merger should not have taken place, and why should I? Once the Harrodsburg Independent system dissolved itself, Mercer County had no choice but to take in those students.

 

I have only commented that the Mercer County system could (note that I said "could") have opted to keep the two schools separate in anticipation of a consolidation into a single facility in a couple of years, especially since the students can't all be housed into the same building as is the case with the vast majority of other schools.

 

From an athletics standpoint, I would have liked to have seen Harrodsburg get a sort of "last hurrah" year in all sports, and it sure would have saved the current football season some controversy and hard feelings.

 

However, none of those hard feelings are on my part.

What would the reasons be for keeping the two schools separate until next year, other than helping out other 2A football teams across the state?

From a educational and philosophical standpoint, I'm not a big fan of schools having separate campuses, with students not all in a single facility.

And who would have coached the Harrodsburg Team? Their Football Coach is the district wide AD for Mercer.

As far as I know, there is no reason that Mercer couldn't have kept Harrodsburg's staff and students together, as a school, for one more year. Terry Yeast could have coached a Harrodsburg football team exactly as he did last season.

 

Anyway, can we please get back to the original topic ... how much better is this Mercer County football team because of the merger?

I would have liked to have seen Harrodsburg get a sort of "last hurrah" year in all sports, and it sure would have saved the current football season some controversy and hard feelings.

 

Don't you think going 14-0 and the possibilty of winning a state championship is a pretty darn good "last hurrah"? Ask any of the players - they'd take it any day. They just want to play football for a winning program with a great coaching staff. What a way to end the year for our 22 seniors.:banana:

It will be around a 1/4 of a mile from the fieldhouse.

 

New field house? They built a new field house for football before the new school???

New field house? They built a new field house for football before the new school???

 

 

I believe it was already in the works well before the consolidation. You do understand that public buildings take time to plan and build, appropriate money and such?

Will the new school be near the new field house that they have?

 

 

New field house already built???? New school 2 to 3 years down the road.