I am using those examples to prove a point. Not using specific players!

 

And my point is that you don't need 6' 200 pounders that can run a 4.5 forty to win championships.

 

I disagree that you cannot manufacture talent. I've seen way too many kids that frankly were poor football players in the Ft. Thomas Jr. Football League become very, very talented and good football players by the time they became seniors at Highlands through nothing but good old fashioned hard work and excellant coaching.

And my point is that you don't need 6' 200 pounders that can run a 4.5 forty to win championships.

 

.

 

You need a few to win championships. Tell me which teams this year that won a state title didnt have a few of those on their team? Maybe not 6' 200 with 4.5 speed but similar.

You need a few to win championships. Tell me which teams this year that won a state title didnt have a few of those on their team? Maybe not 6' 200 with 4.5 speed but similar.

 

What do you consider similar? I consider a 6' 200 with 4.5 speed kid to be an exceptional athlete. We had no one close to that on Highlands team. We had a couple of talented athletes on the team for sure, but the majority of players didn't have any where near that physical talent. Guidugli is a very good qb, no doubt, with a lot of physical talent. But look at our running backs most of the year. Crawford was quick, but very small (5'8", 165 pounds?). Certainly not a D-1 player. Head was a little bigger weight-wise than Crawford, but certainly not big. Ran hard but didn't have blinding speed. Fennell was another kid that you look at without pads on and you say there is no way he's a state championship running back. But he was. Our O line wasn't impressive when you saw them warming up. We don't have the big hulking O linemen that you see on a lot of other teams like Christian County, Madison Central and Bryan Station to mention a few we faced this year. But boy they executed well and got the job done with technique and execution (the way SO's did the year that SO played us close). Most of our lbers didn't look physique wise like high school lbers. Newman was what 5'9" 180 pounds? Martin was taller, but likewise light in weight. Laber wasn't as tall as Martin but was a little stockier but still not what you would expect from a linebacker. Roller, I will admit, had the physique of a linebacker. Turner likewise wasn't big and to put it gracefully was not what anyone would call quick. But look at what he did in the state game: he made the defensive play of the game because he executed his assignment perfectly. It wasn't athletic talent that made that play possible. It was discipline and commitment to perform his assignment. Heck most of the year, we had two kids playing defensive line that probably had the opposing O line snickering before the game began (Fennell at probably 5'9" 175 pounds and Dierig at about the same height but probably 185). But boy did they get the job done.

 

For various reasons, I have the opportunity to speak with a lot of opposing coaches. Almost to a man they told me that to at Highlands warming up, you would not be impressed. Then the game began and all those little, unimpressive looking players started kicking their team's butts by executing their assignments flawlessly.

 

Bottom line: at a whole lot of positions we had no kids near something similar to 6' 200 with 4.5 speed. But those kids became very good football high school football players and performed their assignments in a very disciplined manner. And those kids, in my opinion personify Highlands football, they ARE Highlands football, and they are the reason that we win so many state championships.

After reading some of the thoughts expressed on another thread...I am curious what you guys think it takes to build a football dynasty from the ground up? I'm talking about schools like Boyle who go from mediocre to powerhouses, almost overnight. What is more important: the right coach, a committed administration, an active but not obtrusive booster organization, etc.? I know in an ideal world all of these exist. But what does it take to build it where it doesn't exist? What are some specific examples of things successful programs have done to elevate their programs?

 

This is a deep question. I will list just a few things I think without writing a novel. Not in any particular order

 

Players mentality.

A good coach (and staff)

Players loving the coach.

Players love of the game.

Parent support.

Open enrollment.

What do you consider similar? I consider a 6' 200 with 4.5 speed kid to be an exceptional athlete. We had no one close to that on Highlands team. We had a couple of talented athletes on the team for sure, but the majority of players didn't have any where near that physical talent. Guidugli is a very good qb, no doubt, with a lot of physical talent. But look at our running backs most of the year. Crawford was quick, but very small (5'8", 165 pounds?). Certainly not a D-1 player. Head was a little bigger weight-wise than Crawford, but certainly not big. Ran hard but didn't have blinding speed. Fennell was another kid that you look at without pads on and you say there is no way he's a state championship running back. But he was. Our O line wasn't impressive when you saw them warming up. We don't have the big hulking O linemen that you see on a lot of other teams like Christian County, Madison Central and Bryan Station to mention a few we faced this year. But boy they executed well and got the job done with technique and execution (the way SO's did the year that SO played us close). Most of our lbers didn't look physique wise like high school lbers. Newman was what 5'9" 180 pounds? Martin was taller, but likewise light in weight. Laber wasn't as tall as Martin but was a little stockier but still not what you would expect from a linebacker. Roller, I will admit, had the physique of a linebacker. Turner likewise wasn't big and to put it gracefully was not what anyone would call quick. But look at what he did in the state game: he made the defensive play of the game because he executed his assignment perfectly. It wasn't athletic talent that made that play possible. It was discipline and commitment to perform his assignment. Heck most of the year, we had two kids playing defensive line that probably had the opposing O line snickering before the game began (Fennell at probably 5'9" 175 pounds and Dierig at about the same height but probably 185). But boy did they get the job done.

 

For various reasons, I have the opportunity to speak with a lot of opposing coaches. Almost to a man they told me that to at Highlands warming up, you would not be impressed. Then the game began and all those little, unimpressive looking players started kicking their team's butts by executing their assignments flawlessly.

 

Bottom line: at a whole lot of positions we had no kids near something similar to 6' 200 with 4.5 speed. But those kids became very good football high school football players and performed their assignments in a very disciplined manner. And those kids, in my opinion personify Highlands football, they ARE Highlands football, and they are the reason that we win so many state championships.

 

I guess the two that made the First Team CJ all-state team were just average athletes! And the two others that made second team and honorable mention.

Tom Larkey

I guess the two that made the First Team CJ all-state team were just average athletes! And the two others that made second team and honorable mention.

 

No doubt that we has several exceptional athletes on the team (none of which by the way I would consider similar to a 6', 200 pounder with 4.5 40 speed). But so did teams like Bryan Station, Ashland, Johnson Central, Christian County, Whitley, Lou. Central, Hopkinsville, etc. (some of which teams also had all state players and seniors receiving D-1 scholarships).

 

But those schools didn't beat Highlands, did they? And in my opinion to which you may disagree, the reason was because of the quality play at all the other positions on the field, which Highlands filled with average athletes that became above average football players, manufactured through extremely hard work and excellant coaching.

 

 

Surely you aren't like the one poster that years ago attributed Highlands success over the years to some sort of superior gene pool in Ft. Thomas are you? I still chuckle when I think of that one.

 

But you keep on thinking that it's all about the natural talent of the players that determines success on a football team. I hope the coaches of the team you support and the players that play there feel the same way. Heck, there is no reason for them to work hard in the off season if it is a fait accompli that they won't win state regardless of how hard they work if other programs have better natural talent. We, on the other hand, will look back at the many games we won when the other teams had much better athletic talent, and keep working our tail off in the hope that we can continue to do such in the future.

 

 

Surely you aren't like the one poster that years ago attributed Highlands success over the years to some sort of superior gene pool in Ft. Thomas are you? I still chuckle when I think of that one.

 

 

That one is very funny. I am still chuckling reading it. Hopefully, that person was not serious in that statement, but you never know about people.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head about just having great players doesnt mean championships or success. I have always stated, without a good coach, hard work, and support great players alone won't win.

 

What I am trying to say is no matter how great a coach is, you cant win championships with 5 foot nothing, 100 nothing players. You have to have a few great athletes mixed in with average athletes while utilizing hard work and great coaching.

That one is very funny. I am still chuckling reading it. Hopefully, that person was not serious in that statement, but you never know about people.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head about just having great players doesnt mean championships or success. I have always stated, without a good coach, hard work, and support great players alone won't win.

 

What I am trying to say is no matter how great a coach is, you cant win championships with 5 foot nothing, 100 nothing players. You have to have a few great athletes mixed in with average athletes while utilizing hard work and great coaching.

 

Bingo!

Good players.

 

WIN, WIN, and keep on WINNING.

See Trinity High School.

This is a deep question. I will list just a few things I think without writing a novel. Not in any particular order

 

Players mentality.

A good coach (and staff)

Players loving the coach.

Players love of the game.

Parent support.

 

Exactly and in that order for me!

Edited January 23, 200917 yr by rockmom

There are alot of coaches that don't even have a plan. They fly by the seat of their pants. A powerhouse starts with a good team. A good team has a plan that they execute according to their abilities. You do that and you improve. Kids start coming out, competetion becomes more difficult and then your in the mix friday night. Alittle brain work and execution is the foundation of building a successful program.

Alot of energy: