There are plenty of kids in the school system who dont play football and are good enough athletes to develop as basketball players. I am not saying you do not work with the football players but you can focus on the strict B-Ball players in the offseason so they can develop even more and be the core. The problem in Ft. Thomas is 85% of the kids are so focused on Football because it is the Football Mecca of NKY that they tend to not be bothered with Hoops or they look at it as a 2nd sport that they will just play to be playing. You definitely need these kids but sooner or later they will leave you at the alter when they decide the committment to football is much greater and Basketball is interfering. Focusing on the committed basketball players will keep the program consistent and then the footballers will just be gravy on top. That is the point I am trying to make.

 

I don't think you are being quite fair when you say the football players will decide to leave bball at the alter. Heck, on this year's team alone, aren't Stine, Wise, Simons, Hurtt and Ball also football players? The only football player suggested to my question of what football player who could help the bball team is not playing bball was Josh Conner. Sounds like most of them are playing. On the frosh level, much has been made about Collinsworth, Hogue, Roller and Bardo not playing. Collinsworth is not playing due to his leg. As to the other 3, they very well may come back to bball in the future and contribute. I think if Willie wrote off the football players and went only after the bball players or forced the players to decide bball or fball, he'd really be hurting his program.

I've been to a half dozen game or so, didn;t see Nick get T'ed up once.

I've known Nick sice he was about 5 years old, and "out of control" or "hot head" is not the kind of player or person that Nick is. Say every game he played from the Sixth grade thru his Sophmore year and can't recall him ever getting a T. If he has 10, perhaps it's out of frustation with the teams performance this year. Heck of a ball player and a heck of a kid.

 

 

Have you been to any games that he did not play in, I heard from a different source that he has missed 2 games this year as well?

The teams performance should not be a reason to get 1 technical foul.

Sounds like to me you are saying "Any athlete not good enough to make it in football, can concentrate and put their effort into Basketball." I think that answers all questions as to why basketball struggles at HHS......

 

That is not what I am saying so you are wrong.

I don't think you are being quite fair when you say the football players will decide to leave bball at the alter. Heck, on this year's team alone, aren't Stine, Wise, Simons, Hurtt and Ball also football players? The only football player suggested to my question of what football player who could help the bball team is not playing bball was Josh Conner. Sounds like most of them are playing. On the frosh level, much has been made about Collinsworth, Hogue, Roller and Bardo not playing. Collinsworth is not playing due to his leg. As to the other 3, they very well may come back to bball in the future and contribute. I think if Willie wrote off the football players and went only after the bball players or forced the players to decide bball or fball, he'd really be hurting his program.

 

 

LN, I am not saying that all football players leave the B-ball program at the alter. Although the other woman(ie.football) looks much better you have to admit when they get to that point.

 

I am saying that because Football is more popular at Highlands, many of the combo athletes will give more committment to football and less to basketball. I support both programs so I am not trying to create a separation only saying that there are a lot of kids who could develop into really good b-ball players who dont play ball and could be overlooked for the combo kids who are probably more football oriented. I know all of the jr's who can do both and the sophomores the only one I know that goes bothways is Jake Turner. This year's 8th grade class has a ton of footballers so I know it wont ever go away or probably make sense to a lot but would be interesting to see how many kids there are that are strictly b-ball. I guess at the end of the day we all have to be realistic and tell it like it is and its clear that Highlands is a Football Factory.

Nick Nelson HAS NOT received 10 technicals this season. I know that as fact so we can put that rumor to rest. It would be better if people did not name a player in this type of allegations unless they are 100% sure of the facts. It can be damaging to a high school kid.

Nick Nelson HAS NOT received 10 technicals this season. I know that as fact so we can put that rumor to rest. It would be better if people did not name a player in this type of allegations unless they are 100% sure of the facts. It can be damaging to a high school kid.

 

Well I have just heard from a source "very" close to this team, and said that Nelson has 4 or 5 technicals and was thrown out of a game and was suspended for 2 games.

Does Dale Mueller work the crowd before a game on Friday night? I think that he does not. How active is Dale in the Junior Football League? Answer, not very much. It is up to parents in this community to get the league up and running again. If you would like, send me a PM and perhaps you can join in on trying to get this thing up and running.

 

83birds, you didn't read my post clearly. I made the point that Coach Schlarman is preparing himself for his upcoming game. Believe me I'd love to see him win 500 games at HHS. I'd love for to see the young boys in the community come up to him as they do Dale. Unfortunately I'm not sure if he make himself accessable. I've seen Coach Mueller at Freshman girls BB game, JV girls BB games, ect. ect. Who I don't see is Coach Schlarman. I admit, he may have his squad on the road at times. My point is, getting the youth in any community excited greatly effects the success of the highschool programs. Just an FYI, I do know how much imput Coach Mueller has in the Jr. Football and like I said before, his door was always open to the league.

Well I have just heard from a source "very" close to this team, and said that Nelson has 4 or 5 technicals and was thrown out of a game and was suspended for 2 games.

 

 

Let it go....

LN, I am not saying that all football players leave the B-ball program at the alter. Although the other woman(ie.football) looks much better you have to admit when they get to that point.

 

I am saying that because Football is more popular at Highlands, many of the combo athletes will give more committment to football and less to basketball. I support both programs so I am not trying to create a separation only saying that there are a lot of kids who could develop into really good b-ball players who dont play ball and could be overlooked for the combo kids who are probably more football oriented. I know all of the jr's who can do both and the sophomores the only one I know that goes bothways is Jake Turner. This year's 8th grade class has a ton of footballers so I know it wont ever go away or probably make sense to a lot but would be interesting to see how many kids there are that are strictly b-ball. I guess at the end of the day we all have to be realistic and tell it like it is and its clear that Highlands is a Football Factory.

 

I agree with a lot of this post Gryche. I don't know who the sophomore basketball players are, but if you say Jake is the only one that plays both sports, I certainly trust you. In the junior class, there are several and with them, I'm not sure as I would go so far as to say they place a greater emphasis on football, as most of them played on an AAU team all summer didn't they? The main point of my prior post was to express my concern that Willie doesn't need to focus on the bball only players to have a successful program, because if he creates a mentality of emphasizing bball only players (thus directly or indirectly forcing players to choose one sport or the other) it won't be good for either sport and because of the reason you mentioned will be particularly detrimental to hoops. Of course if Willie can develop the bball only players so that they are better than the cross over players that's a different thing. I just don't know if that's possible in a school our size. The gamble Willie would be taking is that if he places too much emphasis on the bball only players and the cross over players thus decide not to even consider bball any more, the gamble could be a big bust. I do know that the increased cooperation between Spring football and baseball that we saw last year has already helped baseball and will help them even more this year and the years to follow. Willie needs to make sure that he does the same. I think he will, as he's a smart fellow and a dang good bball coach.

Is it four or five? Sounds like hearsay to me. Yes he was thrown out of a game and had to sit out the rest of that days games, which happened to be a tournament in which they played another game. He then had to sit out the next game due to KHSAA guidelines. He HAS NOT received 10 technicals and has been apologetic for the ONE incident which unfortunately occured.

83birds, you didn't read my post clearly. I made the point that Coach Schlarman is preparing himself for his upcoming game. Believe me I'd love to see him win 500 games at HHS. I'd love for to see the young boys in the community come up to him as they do Dale. Unfortunately I'm not sure if he make himself accessable. I've seen Coach Mueller at Freshman girls BB game, JV girls BB games, ect. ect. Who I don't see is Coach Schlarman. I admit, he may have his squad on the road at times. My point is, getting the youth in any community excited greatly effects the success of the highschool programs. Just an FYI, I do know how much imput Coach Mueller has in the Jr. Football and like I said before, his door was always open to the league.

 

Isn't Coach Mueller the AD as well.....That would probably explain his attendance at Freshman and JV girls BB games....

Is it four or five? Sounds like hearsay to me. Yes he was thrown out of a game and had to sit out the rest of that days games, which happened to be a tournament in which they played another game. He then had to sit out the next game due to KHSAA guidelines. He HAS NOT received 10 technicals and has been apologetic for the ONE incident which unfortunately occured.

 

Four or five is still alot of technicals either way for a high school player in 1 season, well not even a full season... Thanks for clarifying up on the situation though.

The FT Thom Jr Bball league existed 2 years ago so if it's gone it's been in the past year so that wouldn't have an effect on the high school performance.

What is Highlands record now???

The FT Thom Jr Bball league existed 2 years ago so if it's gone it's been in the past year so that wouldn't have an effect on the high school performance.

 

Good point.