Sorry, you will never change my mind on this. HS sports are for the kids who attend the HS, and grade school sports are for the kids who attend the grade school.

 

By all your thinking, I just wonder when the next OJ Mayo will be playing for NKU while attending CovCath or Highlands? Same thing as you are all saying, that is if the kid is good enough, (and some of the players are good enough) to be playing on a DII or DIII teams. So what is the difference?

Because a 8th grader would get absolutely murdered in football. It's like a kid getting drafted out of high school in baseball and having to wait three years out of football. It's a totally different ball park.

 

And that all changes as soon as he becomes a 9th grader and is eligible to play?

Sorry, you will never change my mind on this. HS sports are for the kids who attend the HS, and grade school sports are for the kids who attend the grade school.

 

By all your thinking, I just wonder when the next OJ Mayo will be playing for NKU while attending CovCath or Highlands? Same thing as you are all saying, that is if the kid is good enough, (and some of the players are good enough) to be playing on a DII or DIII teams.

 

Not the same thing at all. A kid shouldn't play just because they are an upper classman. Just because they are older doesn't mean that they have earned the right to play. It's a shame that some parents don't understand that it is the coaches job to field the best possible team based on talent, not on age or class and win ballgames.

Just throwing this out there: Let's say you have some unusually talent 6th grader, who still attends elementary school. Should they be permitted to play on a high school team? For those of you that say "yes, if he'd be one of the best players on the roster", I would suggest that sometimes this issue goes beyond physical ability and should focus on emotional/mental maturity and that having much younger kids interact with older, more mature kids is not the best thing to do - regardless if that kid can compete.

I'm sorry, but I don't think any one or two eighth graders are going to make or break a team. Make them learn the patience it takes to make it in this sport.

Not the same thing at all. A kid shouldn't play just because they are an upper classman. Just because they are older doesn't mean that they have earned the right to play. It's a shame that some parents don't understand that it is the coaches job to field the best possible team based on talent, not on age or class and win ballgames.

 

 

First off not a parent of a kid who didn't make the team, my daughter I am proud to say, was on the academic team, nothing more nothing less, so this is not a do or die issue to me, but it is a fairness issue. Why allow a grade school kid to play HS sports but not allow a HS kid to play College sports. I can tell you for a fact that a Maile of CovCath or a Farris of Boone County could play today for TMC, NKU or even at Murray State in baseball and would hold there own very, very well indeed.

If they are good enough to play, why not? Let the best players play, no matter how old.

 

This years case for GRC... We graduated about 8 seniors last year and a couple of others decided not to return this year. We have some upper classmen still here but they aren't as good as the 8th grader. Why not put the best you have out there?

If they are good enough to play, why not? Let the best players play, no matter how old.

 

This years case for GRC... We graduated about 8 seniors last year and a couple of others decided not to return this year. We have some upper classmen still here but they aren't as good as the 8th grader. Why not put the best you have out there?

 

So then you are for the best of the HS kids playing College ball, while still attending HS, correct?

Some schools, will need 8th graders due to limited numbers. Larger schools, will have mainly Juniors and Seniors playing. Some don't have JV, while others have Freshman.

 

If a student-athlete can play, then play him regardless of being in grade 9-12. At the same time, the age and size difference will factor in considerably.

Mason Co. has let 8th graders play on the varsity, or at least sit in the dugout and be on the roster. And some have played in the years past. But they recently started up a middle school program.

Small schools play middle schoolers because they have to. That said, there are also times an 8th or even 7th grader plays while an upperclassman sits.

 

At least in small schools, few if any players are cut in tryouts. You fill uniforms with warm bodies and hope for the best. But have you ever seen an upperclassman with virtually no baseball skills struggle in the field to successfully field a ground ball or shag a routine fly, while younger kids with vastly better skills sit on the bench? It isn't pretty. I've seen parents grumble until their kid got playing time, then the kid embarrassed himself and his team repeatedly.

 

If a kid with weak skills wants to try out and be a member of the team, he should be prepared to see younger, better players play ahead of him.

 

In the last two years I've seen 2 totally unprepared kids narrowly avoid serious injury because they couldn't protect themselves in the field. One took a line drive to the forehead (at 2nd base, no less) and one fielded 3 deep fly balls with his face. Both decided to sit out the rest of the season.

Several girls play up on basketball, volleyball, softball, cross country,

& track & field teams in schools all over the state. Should they not be allowed to do so? Pulaski County has an 8th grade pitcher who pitched a perfect game already this year in a varsity softball game! Would you rather see here pitching to younger girls in middle school wasting her talents or being tested with the players on her level of ability? The bottom line is this: if the KHSAA says these kids can play up why the big deal? If the kid is keeping up grades, staying out of trouble, & fitting in w/ the team, let them play. Let's not hold back the advancement of a gifted young athlete just so little Johnny or Jane don't feel bad that a younger player is better than they are.

James Jones of Dayton started Varsity in his 7th grade year and 8th grade year and led the team in AVG, HR, and RBI's

So then why have the rule in soccer and football that they can't play and please don't say it is a size thing, there some huge eight graders out there. BTW, I believe in Ohio, HS sports are for HS kids and no eight grader can play.

 

Now you did read my statement that if you need a eight grader to file out the roster then go for it, but HS sports are and should be for HS students.

 

This is KY, and football and soccer are contact sports. Very seldom do you see two baseball players colliding. Playing the talented middle schoolers build your program and make you a contender for championships down the road. How many teams do you see that win state championships with inexperienced players?

I think if a kid has the talent to compete at the high school level than it is in his best interest to do so, as far as preparing them for the college game. IMO as an 8th grader Apollo's Brad Wilkerson was one of the better pitchers on the team. What good would it have done him to play JV, when he would have dominated. IMO he improved because he had to face better hitters, facing other middle schoolers he wouldn't have had much trouble at all.