My guess is for them to "get what they wanted", would be for more public district and county schools to have an opportunity to enter the playoffs for a long enough period to where they had the fire and determination of the tradition rich private and independent programs in the state. Face it, forget about any other enrollment arguments, that's not for this forum, but those closely knit independent districts and legacy driven private programs have been successful for so long, it has become expected, and that challenge motivates and drives the kids. For some the newer public school success, there seems to at first be a questioning of "how the heck did we get here" and then maybe if they can hold on a few years, they do what Boyle did and refine a fine tradition. But this new system, as I see it, will ensure that all of the schools (or nearly all), keep playoff participation opportunites so that they aren't solely saved for the tradition rich programs of all types. But that's just a guess, who knows.

Great post...

Loan Oak/Warren East was a one score game. Stupid facts...

 

It wasn't over when I was posting last night. Still going the wrong way.

It wasn't over when I was posting last night. Still going the wrong way.

The facts have shown no different than the past more often than not...

I think that the move to 6 classes did definitely water down the playoff games this year. But the hope and belief of some is that as more teams get to create more excitement in their schools about football by making the playoffs, and as more teams get the benefit of getting to play/practice an extra week or 2, 3,4 or 5 weeks a year, that teams and programs through out the state will improve, thus making the playoff games tougher and improve the quality of football overall. There are a lot of folks that believe that the going to 4 classes played a large role in the improvement of Ky high school football in the last 10-15 years. I don't know that going to 6 classes will result in the hoped for results, but I think it is worth taking a shot at it at least for a while. Furthermore, there was a need to do something to straighten out the 4A and 1A disparity issue and a whole lot of folks were supporting 6 classes.

 

Frankly, if the level of competition doesn't improve in the playoffs in a reasonable period of time, I think the KHSAA should seriously consider looking at putting the biggest 16 schools in a one class and dividing the remaining schools into 4 classes.

 

I can buy your theory. If it happens, I'm all for it.

And in T-ball everyone is happy when they get a trophy.

 

That's funny!

How many schoold play football in KY? Lets make that many classes so everyone wins one so nobody can cry about anything.

 

Something for the KHSAA to consider

I thought moving to a six class system was a bad idea from the beginning. A major negative impact on this system is the competition level has decreased drastically. Instead of thrilling second round action like last years Beechwood New Cath game, we have both teams not playing each other and beating the tar out of teams and basically walking to the state finals. The same can be said for Highlands, St.X, Trinity, and most of the teams going to Louisville this week

I kind of like it, just because it gives some schools more opportunity, yes it waters it down some, but it gives kids more opporunities that they never would have gotten otherwise. 5 would have probably been more appropriate, but I'm ok with it.

The six class system was simply a means to appease the public vs. private debate. Too me it has only made that gap more obvious!!

The six class system was simply a means to appease the public vs. private debate. Too me it has only made that gap more obvious!!

 

I would think that with going to six it gives the private schools a little more opportunity to win state championships. If they could only figure out how to get Trinity and X in different classes. Keep in mind! Money talks.

Again its always going to be the usual suspects no matter how many classes we have.

 

Especially in 6-A. Two Louisville schools battling for the state title! Whoda thunk it? Going to 6 classes helps give some schools a chance to compete for a state title they may not otherwise have had, except for the poor county schools still stuck in the same class with Trinity, St.X, Male( sorry Boone Co, Henderson Co, Scott co ect).

Some of these posts blow my mind. 6 classes was invented to help the small 4A schools who did not want to be in a class with Trinity and St. X anymore. It was to stop the split from happening. All of this KHSAA trying to improve the game is the biggest load of garbage I have heard in a while. It was a coaches idea not a KHSAA and the coaches who wanted 6 classes are not the ones in 6A now.

The 6 Class System is a good thing for everyone involved. Granted you get early playoff games that are less competitive; but the games are for the kids not for us. Give it time to work all the way through. It's like an IRA; year one isn't real impressive but once you get into the later years it does payout.

 

Of course tradition rich programs will do well, they'd do well regardless of how the system is set up. That is just the nature of the beast.

 

Let's look at the bigger picture though. Now you have teams that have another week of practice, which in conjunction with spring ball gives players more time to develop. Granted it's not much time, but don't discount the importance of younger players having more time to learn their systems; it will only make the football in the Commonwealth that much better.

 

Also don't discount the moral victory of teams who have never seen playoffs now making them. In my proffesional life I deal with athletics. Talking to many coaches, confidence is a key thing in developing kids and programs. Slight moral victories do pay off over time.

 

The financial implications are good too. Some of these programs if they can get extra games can add $1000's to their atheltic budgets (through ticket sales and booster driven monies on concessions). A few thouand dollars can go an awfully long way for some of these programs. It may be the difference between better practice tools (sleds, dummies, etc.), coaching tools (video systems, etc.) and training tools (weight room equipment, speed and quickness training tools).

 

Now once kids see more money being put in their programs morale builds, pride grows and iin time tradition may sprout from this.

 

For tradition rich schools, these games may seem to be a giant pain in the rear, but there are alot more have not's than have's in the Commonwealth.

 

Now did the private school debate really get settled with this? No way, established traditions will not suffer and alot of the private schools have much better programs than others.

 

Here's the thing that really gets me with those the deride the private schools; go out and make your program better. Believe me, it's much easier for a public school to raise funds and build infrastructure than it is for private schools, especially Catholic schools (most donations to a catholic school must go through the diocese and be approved whereas at a public school you can give to directly to the programs). Go raise funds and build nice stadiums, get better coaches (public schools can offer a much better financial package than private schools;from a better salary to better retirement options), put in nicer weight rooms.

 

Most public schools have direct feeder programs that give your high school programs a larger span of control over what comes into their programs. It's also gives them a better chance to sell their programs to impressionable youth. Go get involved with your schools booster clubs, start TD clubs; the only disadvantage public schools have is in the larger base for enrollments that the private schools have; but if you do the right things you will start to win that battle too.

 

Give it time friends, give it time. The Highlands, Trinity's, St. X's, Belfry's and Danville's of the world didn't develop over night. Time and pressure carved the Grand Canyon and time and pressure will build up other programs if the sytem can only be allowed to do what it can.

Some of these posts blow my mind. 6 classes was invented to help the small 4A schools who did not want to be in a class with Trinity and St. X anymore. It was to stop the split from happening. All of this KHSAA trying to improve the game is the biggest load of garbage I have heard in a while. It was a coaches idea not a KHSAA and the coaches who wanted 6 classes are not the ones in 6A now.

 

Who are the small 4A teams you're talking about? Dixie, Holmes and Scott (NKY) all wound up in 5A this year, I don't see how that wound up being better for them??

Negative impact..... we will now have 6 runner-ups......