What makes them so good?

 

How should the playing field be leveled or does no one really care about the poor swimmers who are being crushed by X.

 

(should be two m's in swimming, I am lousy without spell check)

What makes them so good?

 

How should the playing field be leveled or does no one really care about the poor swimmers who are being crushed by X.

 

(should be two m's in swimming, I am lousy without spell check)

 

 

Well, I think all X swimmers should have to swim in the gutter lanes, that would ensure that the non-X swimmers have the advantage of the lanes with the least "lapping", and increase their splits.

Most likely because it is a non-revenue sport at all levels except for the Olympics.

I would hazard a guess that like in girls' sports, you ask the coaches and the supporters and it is an issue. Just the press and the majority of the people feel it is all about football. When it is not. That is just what gets all the press.

Traditionally the top swimming programs in Kentucky are private schools, not just St. X. Covington Catholic, Lexington Catholic, Sacred Heart and most recently Trinity have all had success in the sport of swimming. There are a few public schools that have had continued success, Highlands, Richmond Model, Tates Creek and most recently Manual.

 

I don’t think it has to do with public or private schools, as much as the availability to year round training programs. Similar to tennis and golf, these types of activities can be very expensive. Unfortunately to compete on a national level and sometimes a state level, you have to train year round. This of course leads to topic of the death of the multi sport athlete.

Traditionally the top swimming programs in Kentucky are private schools, not just St. X. Covington Catholic, Lexington Catholic, Sacred Heart and most recently Trinity have all had success in the sport of swimming. There are a few public schools that have had continued success, Highlands, Richmond Model, Tates Creek and most recently Manual.

 

I don’t think it has to do with public or private schools, as much as the availability to year round training programs. Similar to tennis and golf, these types of activities can be very expensive. Unfortunately to compete on a national level and sometimes a state level, you have to train year round. This of course leads to topic of the death of the multi sport athlete.

 

AMEN!!!!!!!!!! Bolded is right on.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!! Bolded is right on.

So how does the playing field get leveled?

 

How much different is this than other sports?

So how does the playing field get leveled?

 

How much different is this than other sports?

 

Great question and very difficult with the limited # of schools participating.

 

I am getting more and more to the point that for the betterment of education in this state, we should do club sports with no affliation with schools.

 

Let schools teach and the other stuff happen in other places.

Great question and very difficult with the limited # of schools participating.

 

I am getting more and more to the point that for the betterment of education in this state, we should do club sports with no affliation with schools.

 

Let schools teach and the other stuff happen in other places.

 

One of the few things we would agree on.

I am getting more and more to the point that for the betterment of education in this state, we should do club sports with no affliation with schools.

 

Let schools teach and the other stuff happen in other places.

 

How would the elimination of high school athletics better education in the State of Kentucky?

 

An invaluable part of a young person’s high school education is the mental, spiritual and physical development that accompanies participation in all school activities including athletics. Regardless of wins and losses, championships or losing seasons the journey of being a high school athlete is an important component in both the life of the schools in this state as well as the students that walk their halls.

 

The program that is in question in this thread, St. X Swimming, has won the last 19 Kentucky State Championships, an absolutely unbelievable accomplishment. Their have been several hundred young men that have been part of that accomplishment over the last two decades and I promise you that the journey of being part of a TEAM and challenging and pushing themselves to the limit and beyond is much more valuable than any State Championship Ring.

How would the elimination of high school athletics better education in the State of Kentucky?

 

An invaluable part of a young person’s high school education is the mental, spiritual and physical development that accompanies participation in all school activities including athletics. Regardless of wins and losses, championships or losing seasons the journey of being a high school athlete is an important component in both the life of the schools in this state as well as the students that walk their halls.

 

The program that is in question in this thread, St. X Swimming, has won the last 19 Kentucky State Championships, an absolutely unbelievable accomplishment. Their have been several hundred young men that have been part of that accomplishment over the last two decades and I promise you that the journey of being part of a TEAM and challenging and pushing themselves to the limit and beyond is much more valuable than any State Championship Ring.

 

I agree that is an important part of athletics.

 

But for those not involved in athletics and are students at St. X, are they getting that too?

 

Don't want to threadjack, but we spend a whole lot of time and $$ in HS's for about 20 kids on the basketball team when there are another 800 or so that is not learning the value of teamwork.

 

If value of teamwork is that daggone important to the education of a HS student why is not being taught to every kid in the HS? Do we fund programs for every kids' passions so they can learn teamwork? Do we fund kids that want to be part of a rock band and could learn teamwork and workign hard in that manner? No, so why is them learning hard work and teamwork less of an importance since it is not athletics?

I agree that is an important part of athletics.

 

But for those not involved in athletics and are students at St. X, are they getting that too?

 

At St. X there are close to 1,400 students. Of those 1,400 I would say at least 700 are involved in KHSAA athletics. Then there is the Intramural program in which at least another 400 students are involved in a wide spectrum of sports. Besides athletics there are 30 to 40 other clubs and organizations that involve students of all abilities and interest. Involvement in the school community aspect of education is a very important part of the school’s mission.

 

 

If value of teamwork is that daggone important to the education of a HS student why is not being taught to every kid in the HS?

 

For a long time I have not been able to put into words the difference between private and public schools. I think you have done it for me. The schools in question do put a value on teamwork. It is seen in everything that takes place on campus, every day of the school year.

 

I don’t feel it is right to punish these young people or not allow them to participate in activities and competitions just because they attend a private school. A school community in which dedicated coaches and teachers give of their time and talents to help these young people realize and reach their potential, not just in the classroom or on the athletic field but in life.

At Trinity in addition to the KHSAA sanctioned sports they also have "club" sports including Lacrosse, Bowling, Rowing, Power Lifting, Volleyball and Ice Hockey that compete against other schools. I would venture to guess that more then half of Trinity's student body take part in some form of interscholastic sports activity. Trinity also has a chess team, a French Scrabble team and several other "academic" competition teams. In addition Trinity has a very active intramural program. And in what may be a unique program in the area Trinity has instituted a very popular house system (see Harry Potter). All students are placed in a house as freshmen and are part of that house while they are at Trinity. In addition to the camaraderie that forms there are competitions throughout the school year, culminating in a house champion. It is not a stretch at all to say that every students at Trinity get the benefits of being part of a team.

Great question and very difficult with the limited # of schools participating.

 

I am getting more and more to the point that for the betterment of education in this state, we should do club sports with no affliation with schools.

 

Let schools teach and the other stuff happen in other places.

 

Isn't swimming a non-issue? In my experience most kids are doing it at the club/YMCA level to begin with. Year round. One of my kids has participated on their high school team and practice for that was concurrent with YMCA/USA practice, not in addition to. As far as private/public, most of the public schools in this area have no interest in swimming. I know of a few that begrudgingly field a team, mostly because of parental pressure and Title IX, but devote next to no resources to the sport. They have a teacher/staff member as their "official" coach, but in truth, the club/YMCA coach is the one who does the actual coaching.

 

As to St. X, they are really something to see. They earn everything they get.:thumb:

In discussions about football, we discussed how nice it is to have a good feeder system. I don't know to what degree it's still this way (as I know next to nothing about competetive swimming) but the teams at Lakeside (which is not very far east of X) have long been a pipeline for future Tiger swimmers. It also helps to have your own pool.