NKY Spring Football (This thread is now for Highlands Spring Football)

[nyrangers]

Bellevue does nothing in the spring. No athletes available. They have 9 boys in tennis, 40 in baseball, and another group in track.

[leatherneck]

Are kids expected to participate in both? Or is this a facilities issue as to why practices have to be coordinated.

 

I ask because, as you pointed out in the previous post, spring ball is "critically important to a player's chances of being on the field come fall". I think we would all struggle to find a high school kid that would choose baseball (maybe he's a "role" player but could contribute to the baseball team) choose baseball over spring ball knowing that not participating would cost him playing time in the fall.

 

If the kids are expected to participate in both, baseball will continue to struggle. IMO.

 

Are they expected to play both, (i.e. will the football coaches hold it against a football player if he elects not to do spring football to concentrate on baseball?). In my opinion, not at all. Contrary to what some people may think, Dale does not penalize kids for playing baseball or basketball or track for that matter. The clearest proof I have is Brett Hamblin. As most folks know, Brett was a very good baseball player. The summer before his senior football season, Brett missed a large majority of the work outs to play AAU baseball (or whatever its called). He also missed a large majority of the two a day football practices to play baseball. Dale was fine with that. All he told Brett was that in fairness to the football team, that if when it came to play football that another player was better than him because Brett missed so many conditioning sessions and two a day practices, Dale would be forced to play that other player. Which to me is the only logical thing any football coach would do. But Dale put zero pressure on Brett to not play baseball.

 

And the same is true for any other athlete. If they want to concentrate on baseball in the spring, Dale is fine with that. Nonetheless, if when it comes time to play football, another player has become the better football player because he participated in spring football and lifted weights, then Dale has to play the other kid. That is only fair to the other football players.

 

A lot of people forget that Dale's first love was and is baseball. He went to Cornell not on a football scholarship, but on a baseball scholarship. Dale has told me that he rather Ky not have spring football. But if they are going to have it, then Dale believes he has to conduct spring football in a manner that best increases the chances of winning the football championship in the fall out of fairness to the football players that commit so much of their lives to accomplish what has been a dream since their youth. Some may have a problem with that, but its just the way it is in Ft. Thomas.

 

In my opinion the missing of a several baseball practices to play spring football has been way overblown. If missing several practices to participate in spring football is going to have an adverse effect on a kid's ability to develop into a good baseball player, then he was not going to be a very good baseball player to begin with. Heck, if spring football was held deep into the baseball season I might feel otherwise. But it happens very early in the baseball season and missing a few baseball practices or even games for that matter at the beginning of the season is not going to affect their performance come baseball playoff time.

 

Likewise, missing a few spring football practices to participate on the baseball team is probably not going to hinder that kid from becoming a good football player or getting to play a lot in the fall. The way practices are coordinated now between baseball and spring football worked very well last year (first year they coordinated things). Kids can do both very easily as a result without it impacting playing time or performance in either sport.

 

The other point that needs to be made, as I pointed out in my original post, spring football is more important for the younger football players than the upper classmen. Dale has seen what the upper classmen can do. If the baseball program is unsuccessful because a few underclassmen miss a couple of practices/games early in the season to play spring football, then our baseball program has bigger problems.

 

Spring football was not in any way the cause of the problems we had with our baseball program. Those that say it is in my opinion are using spring football as a scape goat. But I believe the baseball problems have been rectified and I expect Highlands baseball to become a very solid and successful program again in the immediate future. We showed marked improvement last year and I think the program will improve even more this year.

[extackler]

Are kids expected to participate in both? Or is this a facilities issue as to why practices have to be coordinated.

 

I ask because, as you pointed out in the previous post, spring ball is "critically important to a player's chances of being on the field come fall". I think we would all struggle to find a high school kid that would choose baseball (maybe he's a "role" player but could contribute to the baseball team) choose baseball over spring ball knowing that not participating would cost him playing time in the fall.

 

If the kids are expected to participate in both, baseball will continue to struggle. IMO.

 

Our son plays both baseball and football. He's met with both coaches and neither of them have tried to convince him to play their sport over the other. As a matter of fact, both gentlemen encouraged our son to both sports since he truely enjoys both. Now, that being said, it hasn't been easy. After baseball pracetice he spends an additional 1 to 1.5 hours in weight room three time per week. We usually don't see him unitl 7:00-7:30pm. But at this time it's worth it to him. He knows by playing two sports he needs to work twice a hard as another player that only plays one sport. As difficult as it sounds I believe his commitment and attitude will make him a better athlete at both sports.

I agree with LN, the Baseball program at HHS is heading in the right direction. It's just going to take a few kids to understand the two sports can exist without being detrimental to each other.

[87Bird]

Our son plays both baseball and football. He's met with both coaches and neither of them have tried to convince him to play their sport over the other. As a matter of fact, both gentlemen encouraged our son to both sports since he truely enjoys both. Now, that being said, it hasn't been easy. After baseball pracetice he spends an additional 1 to 1.5 hours in weight room three time per week. We usually don't see him unitl 7:00-7:30pm. But at this time it's worth it to him. He knows by playing two sports he needs to work twice a hard as another player that only plays one sport. As difficult as it sounds I believe his commitment and attitude will make him a better athlete at both sports.

I agree with LN, the Baseball program at HHS is heading in the right direction. It's just going to take a few kids to understand the two sports can exist without being detrimental to each other.

 

Your son is not only playing both sports, but when football isn't in season, he's playing 2 sports at once. WOW!! Quick question...is the weight-lifting going on all spring or just during spring football?

 

But, even you realize that, in order for the baseball team to head in the right direction, HHS is going to have to find a few kids that are willing to do that. I contest that baseball will continue to struggle if that type of commitment is needed to play football and baseball. Are there any 3-sport kids at HHS anymore? (one of them being football)

 

But I digress, this is the football thread...back to spring ball.

[malachicrunch]

Your son is not only playing both sports, but when football isn't in season, he's playing 2 sports at once. WOW!! Quick question...is the weight-lifting going on all spring or just during spring football?

 

But, even you realize that, in order for the baseball team to head in the right direction, HHS is going to have to find a few kids that are willing to do that. I contest that baseball will continue to struggle if that type of commitment is needed to play football and baseball. Are there any 3-sport kids at HHS anymore? (one of them being football)

 

But I digress, this is the football thread...back to spring ball.

3-Sport kid: Zack Hurtt.

Football

Basketball

Track

[DMZ76]

LN...I agree...but Hamblen is a bad example. He had "special" talent in both. The kind that doesn't get held against you if you "miss". It will however hurt the average to good player that would like to try both.

[FamilyTradition]

It look's like spring ball will start Monday for the Birds. Looking forward to seeing the future Bird's competing for positions.

[DMZ76]

3-Sport kid: Zack Hurtt.

Football

Basketball

Track

 

Zach is the exception...he's the product of a "NKY legend" (LOL)

[leatherneck]

LN...I agree...but Hamblen is a bad example. He had "special" talent in both. The kind that doesn't get held against you if you "miss". It will however hurt the average to good player that would like to try both.

 

 

As to the bolded part, only to the extent that average to good player who plays both sports is competing for playing time with an average to good player who only plays one sport but because he's committed to only one sport, becomes a better player than the kid trying to play both sports.

 

I believe that a coach should not influence a kid from not playing multiple sports if the kid wants to. But on the other hand, if a kid does not become really good in one sport because he wants to play multiple sports, you surely cannot start him in front of a kid who's better in the one sport because the kid concentrates year round in that sport.

 

As to the 3 sports kids, there have not been many of those ever at Highlands that I can recall. There may be a couple in a class every not and then, but surely not many. DMZ, can you remember many from our class that did? Not McMahon, Roberts, Olberding, Stevens, you, Pendery, me, Head, Trout, Klump, Morris, Stegman, Malone, Wendel, Pompilio or McFarland. 3 sport kids have never been very common at Highlands that I can recall. Not now or in the past based on my recollection. Heck, looking that list, I think only you (football and basketball), Malone (baseball and football), Pendery (football and track) and Stevens (football and track) played two sports.

[malachicrunch]

Zach is the exception...he's the product of a "NKY legend" (LOL)

How about the sophomore class.

Jake Turner: Football, Basketball, Baseball? Anyone else?

There are numerous 2 sports guys in the Jr. class. Hard to believe there is only 1, 3 sporter in that class. I would think if wrestling was an option at Highlands there would be many more 3 sport athletes.

[DMZ76]

LN...though I picked up a LOT of splinters...and I went to spring break...I also played baseball for the 'Birds. (my 3rd sport!)...but that was waaaay back in the day!

'Crunch..Oliver Head baseball?/football/swimming/track? I hope Jake plays baseball this year...heard he was waffling.

Josh Conner COULD have been a 3 sport star...FB/Hoops/Baseball. Does Stein throw shot? There's a number of 2 sport guys in Soph class also. Rosenhagen, Newman, Crawford, Daly, Horner, are playing baseball...I would imagine some of the FB players are running track, too. (traditionally they do) I think Geisting plays BB/CC...and Messer may run CC/BB too.

[leatherneck]

LN...though I picked up a LOT of splinters...and I went to spring break...I also played baseball for the 'Birds. (my 3rd sport!)...but that was waaaay back in the day!

'Crunch..Oliver Head baseball?/football/swimming/track? I hope Jake plays baseball this year...heard he was waffling.

Josh Conner COULD have been a 3 sport star...FB/Hoops/Baseball. Does Stein throw shot? There's a number of 2 sport guys in Soph class also. Rosenhagen, Newman, Crawford, Daly, Horner, are playing baseball...I would imagine some of the FB players are running track, too. (traditionally they do) I think Geisting plays BB/CC...and Messer may run CC/BB too.

 

So there are lots of two sports athletes, which would lead me to conclude, in spite of what some critics think, that Dale mustn't discourage it. Actually I'm certain he doesn't discourage it.

 

And you must have really been bad at baseball if I didn't even remember you playing! Wild Bill just like having you hang around to pick up the loose balls.

[cshs81]

Ryle has 110 signed up for football next season not counting FROSH.

[gamehuntr]

Do the Birds still play a North/South (Blue/White) game in spring?

[leatherneck]

Do the Birds still play a North/South (Blue/White) game in spring?

 

They have an intersquad scrimmage (or two) but its not broken down north/south anymore.