True...which juniors do you cut then come try outs? Expecially with how deep the junior class is.

 

I'd say locks are Watson, Lother, Kowolonek, Grote. But who else do you keep if only two more should stay?

 

Hard to say. I don't care how deep a class is, you shouldn't do it. You have to begin at the sophomore level. If all 12-13 tryout, you have to have the discipline to keep only the top 6-7 guys. Then the same the next year. Then the next. If you have reached into the grade schools and have the kids engaged in the program, you should get consistently good players every year. This is all just a philosophy, which makes it neither right or wrong. I do believe it works.

In order to keep 11 juniors (assuming that all 11 are interested in playing their senior seasons) you can only dress 4 other players. Isn't the limit 15 for postseason play (i.e. Districts, Region, State)?

 

Talk about putting all of your eggs in one basket. That'd be a terrible decision by the staff at Highlands, if it did come to fruition. No way that'll happen though.

I don't think you can keep more than 7 players from one class - even 6 is a lot.

 

I don't see how a team could keep 11 juniors on the varsity.

 

Boone was in a similar situation. They had 10 in this class on Varsity and J.V. last year. Tough decisions. The 2010 class is loaded.

Hard to say. I don't care how deep a class is, you shouldn't do it. You have to begin at the sophomore level. If all 12-13 tryout, you have to have the discipline to keep only the top 6-7 guys. Then the same the next year. Then the next. If you have reached into the grade schools and have the kids engaged in the program, you should get consistently good players every year. This is all just a philosophy, which makes it neither right or wrong. I do believe it works.

 

I think 7 is a good amount to keep if you know you are making a run with that particular class. As long as the bench players are OK with their supporting roles, why not have the depth?

I will tell you why they do not play and that is because of football. Any kid that plays both sports is led to believe at a young age that they cannot play both. The football program infers to kids that if they want to play the next season, they had better get in the weight room and participate in offseason workouts. This is exactly why the baseball program suffers as well. Highlands has not played strictly upperclassmen every other year. Nic Simpson started from the time he was a freshman as did Greg McGraw. That was the year they went 9-20. Frankly, the cupboard was rather bear when Willie took over the program. Steven Kowolonek started from day 1 this season as did Ben Watson. Watson later lost some playing time and more time was given to George Grote and Tyler Grubbs. Probably the biggest problem with the basketball program is the lack of a youth league along with the fact that they have no 6th grade team. IMO Willie could also do a little better job of reaching out to the kids at a younger age much like Dale does with the football kids.

 

This has turned into a Highlands thread so sorry for prolonging it but wanted to make a comment as well. The reason for the up and down seasons IMO is you simply have different classes with different talent levels and many of the most talented athletes lean toward football. So you take a class that may not have many good basketball players but has a lot of strong atheletes and its a recipe for a losing season. You take a strong class of basketball players and lose some of the other athletes to football like have have with the Grote/Kowolenk class and you see success despite.

 

If they can ever get the Football mentality of it being a year round sport at Highlands out of those "athletes" heads then you will continue to see the cycles.

This has turned into a Highlands thread so sorry for prolonging it but wanted to make a comment as well. The reason for the up and down seasons IMO is you simply have different classes with different talent levels and many of the most talented athletes lean toward football. So you take a class that may not have many good basketball players but has a lot of strong atheletes and its a recipe for a losing season. You take a strong class of basketball players and lose some of the other athletes to football like have have with the Grote/Kowolenk class and you see success despite.

 

If they can ever get the Football mentality of it being a year round sport at Highlands out of those "athletes" heads then you will continue to see the cycles.

 

I'm not sure I fully agree, as Highlands used to be pretty good year in and year out. If this is true, 9 region titles will be a rarity.

 

If they can ever get the Football mentality of it being a year round sport at Highlands out of those "athletes" heads then you will continue to see the cycles.

 

 

Do you really think it's the athletes mentality that is hurting the HHS basketball program?

 

That is an honest question. It seems, from the outside, that the head coaching position at HHS always has to fight an uphill battle.

Do you really think it's the athletes mentality that is hurting the HHS basketball program?

 

That is an honest question. It seems, from the outside, that the head coaching position at HHS always has to fight an uphill battle.

 

Do you think it doesn't hurt some that the Head football coach is also the athletic director?

 

Football is always gonna be the dominant sport at Highlands as long as Dale as there.

Do you think it doesn't hurt some that the Head football coach is also the athletic director?

 

Football is always gonna be the dominant sport at Highlands as long as Dale as there.

 

Football was the dominant sport way before Dale showed up. Ken Shields had it figured out.

Do you think it doesn't hurt some that the Head football coach is also the athletic director?

 

Football is always gonna be the dominant sport at Highlands as long as Dale as there.

 

I think that plays a huge part in it.

 

What did Ken Shields do so differently?

I think that plays a huge part in it.

 

What did Ken Shields do so differently?

 

Shields got involved with the younger kids much like Dale does now with the football team. Sheilds also had one hell of a coaching staff to go along with him.

Football was the dominant sport way before Dale showed up. Ken Shields had it figured out.

 

I know. I was simply saying it will continue to stay the dominant sport especially with Dale there.

Holmes has a 6'6 8th grader coming in next year.

They are not getting a transfer in...but there is a 6'6 8th grader, freshman to be coming through the system.

 

Not sure if this is the kid you are referring to.

Something for NKY to think about.....I've been talking to a lot of Holmes people lately and it looks like the rumor is true that they're getting 2, (possibly 3) transfers next year to go along with an already good core of Pittman, Johnson brothers, Arnold, and Riley.

 

One from Woodward, one from Taft, and another (didn't hear where he is from), is getting recruited by Wisconsin.

 

Don't know the positions but I know the one from Taft is a tall PG.

 

From those in the know, these transfer rumors are unequivocally false.

From those in the know, these transfer rumors are unequivocally false.

 

I don't doubt your credibility but several players who return next year have said these rumors are true as well as the AAU coach of the players..