2023-2024 Football Realignment

[futurecoach]

5 hours ago, theguru said:

Here is another interesting one, this is what Boone County had to say:

I appreciate your time and feedback on these matters. At your suggestion, I have drafted a letter that I will post in the open comment section of the football reclassification form due on Dec. 21. It is my hope that these comments garner some attention from the Board of Control. I also hope that these comments help me find schools similarly affected, and that we might start some momentum to reform the classification process. I have pasted the letter below in case you would like to offer any feedback before I submit next week. Thank you.

Organizing schools into classes should make competition between schools fairer and more competitive. Relying solely on enrollment numbers without any consideration for other factors affecting competitiveness works against this principle. The KHSAA should consider additional factors, or at the very least, create some mechanism that provides an opportunity for schools with a documented history of limited success.

The current system of classification by enrollment may work for the majority of schools, but it does not work for all. Boone County High School is one such school whose students suffer from the failures of the current classification system. The Boone County football program has had 2 district wins in the past 11 seasons, the most recent coming in 2016. In the four most recent years, the average score in district games was 41-3, meaning the games were so unbalanced that the typical game resulted in a running clock. In a sport as physical and violent as football, this also indicates an imbalance that is potentially dangerous, especially after successive weeks of lopsided district play. It should also be noted that this period has featured 3 different head coaches, all of whom were part of successful programs before or after their time leading Boone County.

And yet the current classification document lists Boone County as the 7th largest school in the proposed class 5A. Why would a school near the top of its class in enrollment experience so much adversity for such a prolonged period? The answer is that enrollment without context does not tell the whole story. The area around Boone County High School has grown dramatically over the last five decades, but in the last 30 years, that growth has increasingly been outside of Florence. Conner in Hebron (opened in 1970), Ryle in Union (1992), and Cooper in Union (2008) have been the beneficiaries of this growth since 1990. And while Boone County High School’s enrollment is within roughly 100 students of Conner and Cooper, those numbers again do not tell the whole story. According to KDE school report card information from 2021-22, 54.3% of the Boone County High School student body was eligible for free and reduced lunch compared to an average of 28.9% among the other three high schools in the same district. The number of Boone students eligible this year is currently 57.1%, continuing the trend of an increasing percentage of students at Boone County High School facing the challenges of income insecurity and the accompanying barriers to participation in school activities. Examining the number of students identified as English Language Learners (ELL) paints a similar picture. These students are often first or second-generation immigrants, and they face additional barriers to participation in school activities. According to KDE school report card information from 2021-22, 13.7% of the Boone County High School student body was identified as ELL compared to an average of 3.3% among the other three high schools in the same district. In the current school year, the number of Boone County High School students labeled as ELL has increased to 14.5%, continuing a trend.

Considering the trends, it is difficult to imagine a scenario where Boone County High School can be competitive in a district derived exclusively from raw enrollment numbers with no regard for context or prior success. Certainly there are other schools across the state similarly handicapped when they are judged by enrollment without any consideration for their own unique situation. If it is the goal of the KHSAA to make competition between schools fairer and more competitive, the KHSAA must consider additional factors in classification, or at the very least, create some mechanism that provides an opportunity for schools with a documented history of limited success.

 

Throughout history of our state, so many schools could try to use a disadvantaged in some way card when not having success. So where do you draw the line then when you start making exceptions for some schools?

I’m also trying to figure out what exactly is Boone wanting? Is Boone trying to suggest they should be able to move to 3A, to make it more fair for them? Because I assume they wouldn’t think 4A with CovCath is fair either, if they don’t think the new 5A is fair. So I’m guessing 3A is where they think they should be with Lloyd? Even though that then doesn’t become fair to the actual 3A schools. 
 

What is very weird to me about all this. Is the fact that in the drafted realignment that we all saw back in December. Boone would possibly be in a district where they could not only win a district game, but possibly two and even make the playoffs as a 4 seed. To me that is rewarding the hard work the players are putting in more, than going running looking for an easy class to stack wins against. Warner has done a good job being the great salesman he is, getting players out, and trying to bring energy to the program, because it does take time to build things back up. However, he doesn’t need to try to find an easier path now. You truly have a chance in the district to win a game or two now and keep building off of that. So this whole request by he and Boone just seems really weird to me to say the least. They shouldn’t switch districts,  and more importantly they don’t need to. 

[theguru]

3 hours ago, TheBigMeach said:

Thought the Boone County argument was interesting considering I was reading an article from a coach I follow in Iowa. Just posted yesterday that the Iowa BoC voted to do just what Boone has suggested. Here is a link to the article and an excerpt. Not sure if other states do the same.  

https://www.iahsaa.org/football-classification-approved-2023-24/

The classification adjustment will reduce 40 percent of a school’s free or reduced lunch (FRL) count from their annual enrollment to determine their final classification number.

“The State Board recognized the historical competitive challenges, supported by the data our staff assembled, which some of our schools have experienced,” Keating said. “The Board acknowledged the support from our member schools in this issue.”

- Longtime BGP Lurker, First Time BGP Poster 🙂

Welcome to BGP @TheBigMeach!

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

9 hours ago, TheBigMeach said:

Thought the Boone County argument was interesting considering I was reading an article from a coach I follow in Iowa. Just posted yesterday that the Iowa BoC voted to do just what Boone has suggested. Here is a link to the article and an excerpt. Not sure if other states do the same.  

https://www.iahsaa.org/football-classification-approved-2023-24/

The classification adjustment will reduce 40 percent of a school’s free or reduced lunch (FRL) count from their annual enrollment to determine their final classification number.

“The State Board recognized the historical competitive challenges, supported by the data our staff assembled, which some of our schools have experienced,” Keating said. “The Board acknowledged the support from our member schools in this issue.”

- Longtime BGP Lurker, First Time BGP Poster 🙂

That's a strong first post! Glad to have you around @TheBigMeach.

Truth be told, the issue Boone County is proposing introduces a lot of potential nuance and there's a lot to unpack and discuss. I started a separate thread for that.
 

 

[Tigerpride94]

I'm curious what it would look like if classed teams by % on free or reduced lunch or somehow combined that with enrollment. Probably would never happen but sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[Westernside]

So if a team opts to play up, are they %100 sure they will?

[DragonFire]

13 minutes ago, Westernside said:

So if a team opts to play up, are they %100 sure they will?

I'm not sure I've ever heard of a team being denied the opportunity to play up. 

[Tkinslow]

So what are we trying to get at with this that rich kids who can pay for lunch are better at football than poor kids who can’t pay for lunch. I think this has to be the most ridiculous topic I’ve ever seen discussed.

[gridiron guy]

6 minutes ago, Tkinslow said:

So what are we trying to get at with this that rich kids who can pay for lunch are better at football than poor kids who can’t pay for lunch. I think this has to be the most ridiculous topic I’ve ever seen discussed.

I understand the thought that areas with more money and resources have some advantages. Somebody posted the numbers I didn't look at them, but I'm sure on the other hand you have inner city/ independent school district with high percentage of Free/reduced lunch. I'm also sure you have rural county schools with high percentage as well. Not really seeing how that can determine how successful a football program can be. I would guess that Louisville Central and Johnson County Central both have a very high percentage of free/reduced lunch. Both have had success in football one inner city and other is rural county school. So not sure how classifying schools that way will make any difference.

[ChiefSmoke]

For the podcast episode attached, we had this for a tough topic from Donald Mac Yocum. Elden May had shared some similar findings with me a year earlier. 

Population Density and Resources (both factors for old city school football which was hugely successful) are significant predictors for success on the football field. 

This was an area that Chuck and I had not dealt with before. When we got to the end, we had to admit there was legitimacy to this school of thought. 

Now, what to do with it?? That is at a whole other level. 

But, classification based solely on the number of males may not be the best route going forward. 

 

https://www.spreaker.com/user/frankfortbroadcast/the-coaches-office-16

 

[Westernside]

So the Hopkins County school board wants MNH to stay in 4A because they are loosing 200 students but keep HCC in 3A but they are gaining 200 students in 2023-2024. Seems like if they let MNH to drop, they should have to make HCC go up a class. Am I wrong?

[Jumper_Dad]

Without going back through 32 pages, when is the final alignment coming out?

[JD5692]

16 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Without going back through 32 pages, when is the final alignment coming out?

Hopefully on Wednesday! 

[JellyRoll]

https://khsaa.org/2023-draft-football-alignment-for-final-consideration/

Here it is!

[theguru]

2023 DRAFT FOOTBALL ALIGNMENT

 

Class 1A

1- Ballard Memorial, Caverna, Fulton County, Russellville

2- Bethlehem, Campbellsville, Holy Cross (Louisville), Kentucky Country Day

3- Bellevue, Dayton, Newport, Newport Central Catholic

4- Bishop Brossart, Holy Cross (Covington), Ludlow, Trimble County

5- Berea, Eminence, Frankfort, Sayre

6- Fairview, Nicholas County, Paris, Raceland

7- Lynn Camp, Middlesboro, Pineville, Williamsburg

8- Harlan, Hazard, Paintsville, Pikeville

 

Class 2A

1- Caldwell County, Crittenden County, Mayfield, Murray

2- Edmonson County, Fort Campbell, Owensboro Catholic, Todd County Central

3- Clinton County, Green County, Metcalfe County, Monroe County

4- Fort Knox, Lexington Christian, Shawnee, Washington County, WEB DuBois**

5- Beechwood, Bracken County, Carroll County, Gallatin County, Owen County, Walton-Verona

6- Breathitt County, Danville, Leslie County, Somerset

7- Floyd Central, Knott County Central, Martin County, Prestonsburg

8- Betsy Layne, East Ridge, Pike County Central, Shelby Valley

 

Class 3A

1- Hancock County, Hopkins County Central, McLean County, Trigg County, Union County, Webster County

2- Adair County, Butler County, Franklin-Simpson, Glasgow, Hart County

3- Central, Christian Academy-Louisville, Elizabethtown, LaRue County

4- Casey County, Garrard County, Marion County, Mercer County, Rockcastle County

5- Bourbon County, Lexington Catholic, Lloyd Memorial, Pendleton County

6- Bath County, East Carter, Fleming County, Lewis County, Russell, West Carter

7- Bell County, Clay County, Knox Central, McCreary Central

8- Belfry, Estill County, Lawrence County, Magoffin County, Morgan County, Powell County

 

Class 4A

1- Allen County-Scottsville, Calloway County, Hopkinsville, Logan County, Paducah Tilghman, Warren East

2- Bardstown, Breckinridge County, John Hardin, Nelson County, Thomas Nelson

3- DeSales, Doss, Jeffersontown, Valley, Waggener, Western

4- Franklin County, Henry County, North Oldham, Shelby County, Spencer County, Western Hills

5- Covington Catholic, Grant County, Harrison County, Holmes, Mason County

6- Ashland Blazer, Boyd County, Greenup County, Johnson Central, Rowan County

7- Boyle County, Lincoln County, Russell County, Taylor County, Wayne County

8- Corbin, Letcher County Central, Perry County Central, Whitley County

 

Class 5A

1- Apollo, Graves County, Madisonville-North Hopkins, Marshall County,  Muhlenberg County, Owensboro

2- Bowling Green, Grayson County, Greenwood, Ohio County, South Warren

3- Atherton, Butler, Fairdale, Iroquois

4- Bullitt Central, Moore, North Bullitt, Seneca

5- Anderson County, Collins, Scott County, South Oldham, Woodford County

6- Boone County, Conner, Cooper, Dixie Heights, Highlands, Scott

7- East Jessamine, Madison Southern, Montgomery County, West Jessamine

8- Harlan County, North Laurel, Pulaski County, South Laurel, Southwestern

 

Class 6A

1- Christian County, Daviess County, Henderson County, McCracken County

2- Barren County, Central Hardin, North Hardin, Warren Central

3- DuPont Manual, Meade County, Pleasure Ridge Park, St. Xavier

4- Bullitt East, Fern Creek, Male, Southern

5- Ballard, Eastern, Oldham County, Trinity (Louisville)

6- Campbell County, Great Crossing, Ryle, Simon Kenton

7- Henry Clay, Lafayette, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Tates Creek

8- Bryan Station, Frederick Douglass, George Rogers Clark, Madison Central

 

**- Not eligible for district postseason competition until at least 2024

 

Withdrawn from District - Jackson County, Phelps,

[BillNye]

That 4A district 1 should be super competitive, however, I am wondering how long Hopkinsville stays in the equation with their merge pending.