Are you familiar with how the Ft. Thomas youth league is structured?

 

In addition, many schools have middle school programs in place where kids play together more and in their high school system than what happens in Ft. Thomas.

 

Regardless, IMO freshman football is about talent much more than playing together in a system.

Very familiar with the youth program. I have friends that live in Other cities in Kenton County that have there kids playing there. However they will not go to school there for highschool. Like I said freshmen football maybe about talent at some places but for a varsity program it’s should be about chemistry and team building.

Odd to have 2 completely different stories of the same event.

 

I don't see those two stories as completely different. Perhaps a couple players stepped up and agreed to talk, even though they really didn't want to.

I don't see those two stories as completely different. Perhaps a couple players stepped up and agreed to talk, even though they really didn't want to.

 

Edit. I understood your point when I read it again.

One school this year disrespected Highlands so bad this year that they call us Thomas Heights... isn’t that a condo community on the outskirts of Ft Thomas?

 

The name Highlands’s or Ft. Thomas Highlands’s has been so disrespected in the last 5 years by opponents just because they can.

 

When I see the little things like school administrators ignoring and not proof reading events and venues including Highlands football then I also believe our own people are disrespecting the program for not caring and doing a better job.

 

Condo community in Highland Heights just outside of Ft.Thomas is Thomas Heights.

I think you are barking up the wrong tree. Highlands freshman teams are one of the best in the region annually. If what you are saying is an issue, they would not have top notch freshman teams every year.

 

Sounds like coaching is the problem if they are one of the best as freshmen but not when they are seniors.

Sounds like coaching is the problem if they are one of the best as freshmen but not when they are seniors.

 

To be fair, some kids are not continuing to play football or even stay at Highlands after freshmen year. Now reasons behind them choosing to do so are many but coaching has contributed to those reasons.

 

I, like many others, just feel like it’s time. It has happened in other sports at Highlands over the last 10 or so years, and yes over wins/loses and disconnect with players and community.

 

#makethechange

Very interesting debate about Freshman Football.

 

I will remind some folks on here about some Old Guy on here some years ago that just couldn’t talk enough about the abundance of talent at the Freshman level year in and year out on an annual basis. They destroyed other teams year in and year out and yes they were outstanding.

 

He warned and touted of the talent and Championships at the Varsity level that would come but unfortunately something was happening during the transition that nobody would accept or would admit.

 

This Old Guy just couldn’t understand how these kids could be so dominant and successful as Freshman only to become average at the next level and lose to the same team again and again.

 

Something just didn’t add up and wasn’t right.

 

That school finally hired a principal that nobody knew but had a desire to win and win big. This new principal didn’t care or was interested in the alumni or the legacies of that program so this principal began hiring from outside of the circle despite resistance and found out immediately that it was not the talent but the leadership of the talent. Now we all know the rest is history in Park Hills and TOG is smiling now and saying I told you so.

 

The talent is at Highlands and has always been there. Sure some classes have more and some have less but any High School coach that complains to administrators that he has no talent or that he is in the wrong classification and he is at a disadvantage should be dismissed from his coaching position immediately.

 

That type of attitude is disrespectful to student athletes who give it their all each and every day regardless of the situation.

 

At Highlands you don’t get to make excuses because you have the luxury of an 50 yr old JR League feeder program and 100 yr old storied High school program not to mention the unlimited resources and state of the art training and playing facilities.

 

All of this in my opinion is lack of understanding and leadership at Highlands starting and ending with the head coach.

 

As stated many times, if BW can’t see this and truly loves and respects this football program then he will resign on his own terms. Otherwise I’am calling on the principal at Highlands to step in and do what’s right for the program and replace BW.

 

#makethechangealready

All coaches were spoken about at the banquet, so there were players who were willing to talk about every coach. The speeches were fun, serious & appreciative. Some speeches brought tears to my eyes because you could feel the connection between the player/coach.

 

It’s ok if some players didn’t want to speak. Not all students like all teachers, not all employees like all employers. It’s life.

 

There are many players on the roster (returning & new) showing up for winter workouts. Even another soccer player is showing up to potentially play both sports in 2020 like the one player from 2019 season.

 

It appears you took what I said and twisted to meet what you wanted to say. Yes, every coach was talked about at the banquet, because a few kids "stepped up" to more or less take one for the team.

 

Not sure what the big deal is about a soccer player showing up to potentially play both sports has to do with anything to be quite honest.

It appears you took what I said and twisted to meet what you wanted to say. Yes, every coach was talked about at the banquet, because a few kids "stepped up" to more or less take one for the team.

 

Not sure what the big deal is about a soccer player showing up to potentially play both sports has to do with anything to be quite honest.

 

Iam guessing the point about another soccer player coming out for winter workouts is to say the numbers are increasing and not decreasing despite what is actually taking place.

 

Actually this is not uncommon at Highlands to have other sport athletes work out with the football team even know they don’t or even intend to play football.

 

Probably pretty common at most schools.

 

Who runs the winter workouts at Highlands these days?

Highlands Coaches and their winning percentages

Homer Rice (1954-1961): 70-11-6 (80.45%) 3 State Titles

Owen Hauck (1962-1966): 48-8-1 (84.21%) 1 State Title

Mike Murphy (1967-1973): 66-12-1 (83.54%) 2 State Titles

Roger Walz (1974-1975): 20-4-0 (83.33) 1 State Title

Bill Herrmann (1976-1983): 81-18 (81.82%) 3 State Titles

Jack Eicher (1984-1987): 30-13 (69.77%)

Tom Duffy (1988-1993): 61-15-0 (80.26%) 2 State Titles

Dale Mueller (1994-2013): 250-36-0 (87.41%) 11 State Titles

Brian Weinrich(2014-present): 46-30 (60.52%) 1 State Title

Thing that I remember is that they could not run Jack Eicher out of town fast enough and he won almost 70% of the games he was head coach.

We can sit here and debate all day. Obviously, BW will be back in 2020. Who’s call is it though? Who is ultimately responsible for the future of Highlands football?

We can sit here and debate all day. Obviously, BW will be back in 2020. Who’s call is it though? Who is ultimately responsible for the future of Highlands football?

 

The principal of Highlands who is Matt Bertasso.

 

He hires and fires all employees.

 

I would suspect that the AD of Highlands Kevin Nieoporte can recommend to the principal that a coach be hired or fired but pretty sure it’s Bertasso call.

 

What Iam hearing is Bertasso and Nieoporte is perfectly fine with the state of the program and being a .500 program is just perfectly fine.

 

Not sure if either played football or sports at Highlands but I do know both are alumni of Highlands.

 

Two very intelligent individuals who obviously know more than I do, that’s for sure.

 

I agree, chalk up 2020 as another year of same football leadership. No change will be made imo.

 

If Highlands was going to make a change it would have happened the next school day after the banquet.

Highlands Coaches and their winning percentages

Homer Rice (1954-1961): 70-11-6 (80.45%) 3 State Titles

Owen Hauck (1962-1966): 48-8-1 (84.21%) 1 State Title

Mike Murphy (1967-1973): 66-12-1 (83.54%) 2 State Titles

Roger Walz (1974-1975): 20-4-0 (83.33) 1 State Title

Bill Herrmann (1976-1983): 81-18 (81.82%) 3 State Titles

Jack Eicher (1984-1987): 30-13 (69.77%)

Tom Duffy (1988-1993): 61-15-0 (80.26%) 2 State Titles

Dale Mueller (1994-2013): 250-36-0 (87.41%) 11 State Titles

Brian Weinrich(2014-present): 46-30 (60.52%) 1 State Title

 

Thank you for these numbers, they speak volumes.

 

Those numbers are ridiculous that this football program has put up over 100 years.

 

Probably why Iam so passionate and vocal about the current state of the program.

 

It’s very hard to stay silent.

The principal of Highlands who is Matt Bertasso.

 

He hires and fires all employees.

 

I would suspect that the AD of Highlands Kevin Nieoporte can recommend to the principal that a coach be hired or fired but pretty sure it’s Bertasso call.

 

What Iam hearing is Bertasso and Nieoporte is perfectly fine with the state of the program and being a .500 program is just perfectly fine.

 

Not sure if either played football or sports at Highlands but I do know both are alumni of Highlands.

 

Two very intelligent individuals who obviously know more than I do, that’s for sure.

 

I agree, chalk up 2020 as another year of same football leadership. No change will be made imo.

 

If Highlands was going to make a change it would have happened the next school day after the banquet.

 

Well there you have it. The question is will the community, players and parents agree?