I believe North had two play basketball this season, but Akins was hurt most of the year in basketball. For South, I can't think of one off hand.

To Les and Mtn. Thunder, I'm curious, how many of the NL and SL starters play bball and/or vball? I know several from Corbin and Harlan Co, play one other, if not both. Actually, I'd say most schools in the 13th, have a big crossover ratio. some of the posts were talking about travel/summer ball, but for most schools, those kids are at bball camps or starting v'ball practice/conditioning.

 

There are several girls who play basketball and/or volleyball. Akins, their 1st team all state catcher, K Smith, V Smith, Johnson all play basketball. Cordero (2nd team all state 2 seasons ago), Fields, and maybe a few more play volleyball. All except 1 of those is a regular starter or did start some this season.

 

The difference is also starting them early. the NL and SL girls have dominated the little league tournaments in this area for years. When they play the teams from the area, it is usually a blowout win with a few exceptions. They start early. NL and SL little league have several state titles and both programs have been within a few wins of the little league world series. It is no accident that they have been the top programs in the mountains for years. SL also has several girls who play other sports, but I cannot name them all right now. Last year Wombles and Sizemore from South were starters on both the softball and volleyball teams and both had scholarship offers. Wombles was on the KY All Star basketball team and all state. Justice played both for South the past few years but chose not to play softball this spring.

 

The volleyball coaches at South Laurel are also the softball coaches (Larry and Kay Smith). The volleyball coach at North is Bill Abner who was an assistant for the North softball team for years (this was his first year off from softball to focus on his growing son's activities) & coached the middle school softball team a few years as well. So there is a lot of crossover here as well. North is building their basketball program and South has been one of the top teams in the region for years (12th then the 13th).

 

In fact, ... former Laurel County basketball coach and current NL coach Roy Bowling, who won 4 state basketball titles at Laurel County, ... was one of the coaches in the area years ago that pushed to get softball in the schools started in Laurel County. He wanted the girls to play more than one sport and not totally burnout by playing only one sport year round. It was slowpitch then, but as soon as the KHSAA was forced to offer fastpitch in 1995, NL and SL were 2 of the first in the area to make the switch. They have both had Miss Softballs and had numerous kids move on to play in college.

 

So you can have both but the summer is when the best softball is played during travel ball which will make the girls better just as AAU hoops can make the kids better IF that is what they choose to do. But to be honest, the summer is softball/baseball season all over.

WYMT gave a buddy of mine some footage to edit for a short highlight video on the NL team in the 13th region. Good luck to the Lady Jags in Owensboro at State! Let's hope for an even better finish than the state runnerup from last year!

 

I knew you two would come through for me on the info about the 2/3 sport athletes. I agree Thunder about kids playing more than one sport. You see burnout problems more and more these days.

I knew you two would come through for me on the info about the 2/3 sport athletes. I agree Thunder about kids playing more than one sport. You see burnout problems more and more these days.

 

:thumb: I think too many coaches think they have to have kids working on just one sport year round. Now many of these coaches don't tell the kid directly not to play, but they sure have those subtle (and not so subtle) ways to get their message across. The problem is just what you said, burnout. They are still kids and if they want to play multiple sports, I say go for it and enjoy. After high school those days are over, so enjoy them and make as many memories as you can while you are young!!

Corbin has improved tremendously but North remains on another level. South has come back to the pack.

Corbin has improved tremendously but North remains on another level. South has come back to the pack.

 

I don't think South has come back to the pack. The Cardinals were young this year and Corbin has really improved from where they were when the season started.

I don't think South has come back to the pack. The Cardinals were young this year and Corbin has really improved from where they were when the season started.

 

I agree about Corbin, I think it's more about them getting better than SL "coming back to the pack".