This may be crazy - but may get some people thinking outside the box - but what if teams participated in conferences (schools with similarities in size, program, geography) instead of 1A - 6A designations. I don't know enough about the numbers to know how many conferences this would create. But number of males enrolled in a school doesn't always indicate much about the program. In reality how many schools, coaches and players want to be in a playoff game if you are number 3 and 4 in a 4 team district? and that game is in the middle of November! IMO it would be a lot more fun to play schools close to home to create rivalary and make the games more of an event - especially in the economic times we are in right now.

This may be crazy - but may get some people thinking outside the box - but what if teams participated in conferences (schools with similarities in size, program, geography) instead of 1A - 6A designations. I don't know enough about the numbers to know how many conferences this would create. But number of males enrolled in a school doesn't always indicate much about the program. In reality how many schools, coaches and players want to be in a playoff game if you are number 3 and 4 in a 4 team district? and that game is in the middle of November! IMO it would be a lot more fun to play schools close to home to create rivalary and make the games more of an event - especially in the economic times we are in right now.

 

Move to Ohio and listen to them complain about that exact setup every year.

Move to Ohio and listen to them complain about that exact setup every year.

 

Sorry - I don't know much about other states. Is your school one that is consistenly in the playoffs, one that is well-suited to it's current classification? I was thinking of the schools that are in a class because of their enrollment numbers but don't really fit in that class (program, geography, etc) - i.e rural schools.

 

Just looking for a better idea

Every setup has problems. Ohio has the setup you are referring to and just as many people are unhappy with it. Organizations do what is in the best interest of the majority and someone in the minority is unhappy no matter what.

You know one way to start is you play in your class nobody plays up or down you are classified by your numbers period no exceptions. That would solve some of the issues. I do not think any team should be allowed to play up in class you play your class and that is it. We have a school coming from 6A to 5A next year in District 1.

 

I do not know the reasoning behind any of the teams that are in question the following is just my opinion and that is it.

 

You know with Highlands playing up they are pretty much giving a team in 3A a state title every year that really doesn't deserve one and well taking away a state title from a team in 5A that they should not be playing against.

 

I do not want to start an argument with you Highland people that will argue every case I am just stating the obvious in the last comment. If the KHSAA wants to be more reputable maybe they need to start by saying here is your enrollment here is your class here is your district and Region and play football. Nobody will be playing up nobody will be playing down and everybody is going to live with it regardless of who you are. Strictly based on enrollment.

 

Highlands plays a tough non-district schedule every year and are above and beyond most of the schools in the state in any class so why would you play in 5A rather than 3A or 6A? Just a question not a fight. It makes our guys in 5A have to raise the bar to win but hey that is what it is all about but just wondered the reasoning behind it all and don't quite understand it either.

You know with Highlands playing up they are pretty much giving a team in 3A a state title every year that really doesn't deserve one and well taking away a state title from a team in 5A that they should not be playing against.

 

I do not want to start an argument with you Highland people that will argue every case I am just stating the obvious in the last comment.

It's rather difficult for we "Highlands people who will argue every case :rolleyes:" to sympathize with that argument. If a school with a 3A-sized enrollment is bettering those with a 5A-sized enrollment, is it really the smaller school that is giving or taking anything? If you choose to aim higher and play stiffer competition, you certainly shouldn't be penalized for it.

I dont think we (Ashland) would be as good of a team if we had 4A district oppenents this year. Playing in the district that we are in has made us a better team. I believe that it has to do with money.

Highlands plays a tough non-district schedule every year and are above and beyond most of the schools in the state in any class so why would you play in 5A rather than 3A or 6A? Just a question not a fight. It makes our guys in 5A have to raise the bar to win but hey that is what it is all about but just wondered the reasoning behind it all and don't quite understand it either.

 

Why did Highlands request 5A and not 4A or 6A?

Why did Highlands request 5A and not 4A or 6A?

 

Good question..

Why not 6a?

Why did Highlands request 5A and not 4A or 6A?

Part of the reason they did not request 4A was the lack of other 4A teams in this area. 6A in this area is already over-loaded.

Highlands does have smaller enrollment, but they do pull players from the surrounding area due to the history of their program. Isn't Lorenzon from Independence? Didn't he grow up in the SK program? That's just one example. Derek Smith was from Russell if I remember correctly. Moved there, and chose highlands due to their history. Which is no problem imo, I would do the same probably.

 

One thing I will say though is that Bryan Station, who the article uses as comparison will be moving on to 6A next year correct?

One thing I will say though is that Bryan Station' date=' who the article uses as comparison will be moving on to 6A next year correct?[/quote']

 

Yes. They will be districted with many of the Lexington schools that they now play out of district with.

Why did Highlands request 5A and not 4A or 6A?

 

The reason for the move up request to 5A was there were no 3A schools near Highlands and there was only one 4A school near Highlands (CovCath), while there were a lot of 5A schools near Highlands. With CovCath requesting a move to 5A, had that been approved, then there would have been no 4A schools. I fully realize that if CovCath had stayed in 4A and Highlands moved to 4A, that would have been two, but even then there would have been considerable travel involved for those two schools. By allowing both schools to move to 5A (in a district that could accommodate the two schools), considerable expense was avoided and perhaps excess travel for kids, coaches and fans avoided. To require all schools to play in their correct size classification simply to allow a true 5A school to win the 5A classification puts winning over cost and safety concerns and issues. That would in my opinion be misplacing the priorities of the KHSAA. I believe its the desire of the KHSAA to place any school requesting a move up in the closest larger classiffication that alleviates the geographic isolation problem. And as Birdsfan pointed out, even if they had requested a move to 6A, there was "no room at the inn" in the N.Ky 6A district as I recall. Hence no move up by those two schools to 6A. Hope that helps.

Highlands does have smaller enrollment, but they do pull players from the surrounding area due to the history of their program. Isn't Lorenzon from Independence? Didn't he grow up in the SK program? That's just one example. Derek Smith was from Russell if I remember correctly. Moved there, and chose highlands due to their history. Which is no problem imo, I would do the same probably.

 

One thing I will say though is that Bryan Station, who the article uses as comparison will be moving on to 6A next year correct?

 

Jared grew up in the Scott High School (not Scott County High School, lest any one get confused) area, although with Kenton County's open enrollment, he could have attended either Simon Kenton, Dixie or Scott. Mom and Dad got divorced and he moved with his one parent to Ft. Thomas. Derek was from Silver Grove, a small community extremely close to Ft. Thomas. Silver Grove Independent High School does not have a football team. His mom worked at Highlands.

I fully realize that if CovCath had stayed in 4A and Highlands moved to 4A, that would have been two, but even then there would have been considerable travel involved for those two schools. By allowing both schools to move to 5A (in a district that could accommodate the two schools), considerable expense was avoided and perhaps excess travel for kids, coaches and fans avoided. .

 

So, it was fine for Highlands and Cov Cath to play in a different classification in order to avoid travel and expenses but it wouldn't be Ok for Johnson Central and Ashland to do the same? Is there double standard here or I am reading something wrong.