Does anyone know what is going on at Mason Cty. Rumor has it that middle school girls can't play jv or varsity. Is this true?

That would be an interesting move. Maybe girls in high school would be interested in playing again. Let's not forget it is a high school team. I can understand where smaller schools have to go to lower grades to have enough players but in a school as big as Mason County, there should be enough (athletic) girls in high school to have a team without going down to middle school.

 

I personally think that their practice of bringing up 7th and 8th graders to start varsity over high school girls has hurt their program the last few years.

If there are high schools that are better tell them to be dediciated, come to practice and beat out them middle school girls. We have had a shortage of high school age girls which forced Mason to bring up the younger girls. The younger girls was not brought up to replace the older girls. Any coach would rather go with bigger, stronger older girls than younger ones. When Mason had the big three no bench was developed and girls did not want to play. They have been gone two years now and a rush of new high school girls are not there. Mason will struggle more than last year if the younger girls are not allowed to play.

If there are high schools that are better tell them to be dediciated, come to practice and beat out them middle school girls. We have had a shortage of high school age girls which forced Mason to bring up the younger girls. The younger girls was not brought up to replace the older girls. Any coach would rather go with bigger, stronger older girls than younger ones. When Mason had the big three no bench was developed and girls did not want to play. They have been gone two years now and a rush of new high school girls are not there. Mason will struggle more than last year if the younger girls are not allowed to play.

 

Whose fault was it that there was no bench? The coach. Why was there not an interest? Because the coach ran all of the girls off. I know from a few good sources that she ran off 10-15 girls from all levels in high school. Don't blame it on no interest, blame it on the coach. She scared everyone off, and she also did bring up those players, not to necessarily run older ones off, but to fill their spots because they had talent. It's not right, and it hurt them in the long run, but the players were not brought up because of lack of interest in the program, believe me.

 

Something similar is going on right now. Several middle schoolers, and even high schoolers for that matter, are quitting, and the middle schoolers are just finishing out their middle school years with no high school play at all. This doesn't go for all of them, just the ones that don't want to play under this new coach. Butler, who started varsity last year as a 7th grader will just be playing 8th grade ball this year to my understanding. I also heard that Mason has about 7 girls left on the team.

I agreed in my post when I said no Bench developed has to be the coaches fault. If we did not play younger girls last year, we don't have a team. Obviously, you know more about this years team because I did not realize alot of girls quit. Most got plenty of playing time so fill me in. Why would they quit? Yes, the Butler played but who did we have better? All of the upper class girls played and played alot.

I agreed in my post when I said no Bench developed has to be the coaches fault. If we did not play younger girls last year, we don't have a team. Obviously, you know more about this years team because I did not realize alot of girls quit. Most got plenty of playing time so fill me in. Why would they quit? Yes, the Butler played but who did we have better? All of the upper class girls played and played alot.

Interesting that this is coming out of Mason Co. Is the girls program that messed up? I thought they had things right. After all, look at the boys success. It goes to show you that the coach is veerrryyy important for program success.

I agreed in my post when I said no Bench developed has to be the coaches fault. If we did not play younger girls last year, we don't have a team. Obviously, you know more about this years team because I did not realize alot of girls quit. Most got plenty of playing time so fill me in. Why would they quit? Yes, the Butler played but who did we have better? All of the upper class girls played and played alot.

 

I don't know much about this years team, I know more about the past. And I'm not saying that the older girls aren't getting playing time more now, but in the past it was a little different in some cases. I'm just an outsider, but I've heard a lot of talk about the coach not being liked well by a lot of people. Pretty much the people who started/got a lot of playing time are still playing, minus Butler. I know Smith, both Menkes, Moran, etc. are still playing, but a lot of girls are upset and quitting the high school team because of this coach. If someone knows more information, please fill us in as to what is really going on, because that's all I know.

I don't think this problem is going to be fixed in one or two years. I believe if they have to bring some eight graders or freshmen up to make a varsity team they should if they don't have enough to make up a varsity and JV team they should not have a JV team and play the girls closer to their own age level. This could help the girls stay interested in playing and eventually they will have numbers of girls playing again. Most of the girls that have quit are girls that played JV ball last year. I don't think it matters who they have as a coach this is not something that is going to be easily fixed.

Who is the coach at Mason?

Who is the coach at Mason?

 

Stephen Butcher is the coach. He came from Pike Co. Central I believe. I don't know him and have never met him, and I thought a hiring from outside the assistants and 10th Region was a good move, but unlike the boys program, there have numerous coaches and changes over the last 5 or 6 years in the middle school program. Also the boys at the younger levels have a pretty good AAU system in place (though I don't agree with all the AAU stands for anymore) and the girls don't have that established yet. They play some AAU but not on the level of participation and number of years that the boys have.

Stephen Butcher is the coach. He came from Pike Co. Central I believe. I don't know him and have never met him, and I thought a hiring from outside the assistants and 10th Region was a good move, but unlike the boys program, there have numerous coaches and changes over the last 5 or 6 years in the middle school program. Also the boys at the younger levels have a pretty good AAU system in place (though I don't agree with all the AAU stands for anymore) and the girls don't have that established yet. They play some AAU but not on the level of participation and number of years that the boys have.

 

Thanks, I knew he was from Eastern Ky,,,just didn't know where. Believe he is related to the School Superintendent of Wolf Co.

If there are high schools that are better tell them to be dediciated, come to practice and beat out them middle school girls. We have had a shortage of high school age girls which forced Mason to bring up the younger girls. The younger girls was not brought up to replace the older girls. Any coach would rather go with bigger, stronger older girls than younger ones. When Mason had the big three no bench was developed and girls did not want to play. They have been gone two years now and a rush of new high school girls are not there. Mason will struggle more than last year if the younger girls are not allowed to play.

 

I think the problem with the girls program is the same as the boys, only more noticeable. Mason County won't take the time to develop the many girls or boys in their own system, but somehow others come in(Cline,Litzinger(weren't they in Bracken system or lived in Bracken County at one time), the Menke's, Queen's,etc. and there is nothing wrong with that. It's just if your a Mason County kid and you feel as though you can be replaced at any time by a transfer or a 7th grader, why bother?

I think the problem with the girls program is the same as the boys, only more noticeable. Mason County won't take the time to develop the many girls or boys in their own system, but somehow others come in(Cline,Litzinger(weren't they in Bracken system or lived in Bracken County at one time), the Menke's, Queen's,etc. and there is nothing wrong with that. It's just if your a Mason County kid and you feel as though you can be replaced at any time by a transfer or a 7th grader, why bother?

 

The Cline's moved from Augusta to Maysville when Lacey was in the 9th or 10th grade. Of course she had been playing varsity a couple of years before they moved. The Litzingers have relatives in Bracken Co. but I don't think they lived their, they have been in Mason Co. as long as I have known them, about 10 years. Coach Butcher, if given 6 or 7 years, imo, can turn things around, but he has got to change the players and parents attitudes toward the progam and get them excited about wanting to play girls basketball at Mason Co. I know I have spoken my piece on here many times about the problems from the previous coach, and no need :deadhorse:, but Paula Buser is to blame for the struggles of Coach Butcher, that and the administration not getting rid of the assistants, and cleaning house altogether and starting anew. I know that this isn't college and assistant coaches can't be hired and fired on a whim, but with the state of the program, they needed to fully go in another direction.

The Cline's moved from Augusta to Maysville when Lacey was in the 9th or 10th grade. Of course she had been playing varsity a couple of years before they moved. The Litzingers have relatives in Bracken Co. but I don't think they lived their, they have been in Mason Co. as long as I have known them, about 10 years. Coach Butcher, if given 6 or 7 years, imo, can turn things around, but he has got to change the players and parents attitudes toward the progam and get them excited about wanting to play girls basketball at Mason Co. I know I have spoken my piece on here many times about the problems from the previous coach, and no need :deadhorse:, but Paula Buser is to blame for the struggles of Coach Butcher, that and the administration not getting rid of the assistants, and cleaning house altogether and starting anew. I know that this isn't college and assistant coaches can't be hired and fired on a whim, but with the state of the program, they needed to fully go in another direction.

 

I thought the Litzinger's lived and still do in Bracken County the whole time Jarrod and Lacey were going to Mason County,could be wrong though. Still think at least part of the problem from parents of players is their kids getting played over by transfers and 7th graders, no matter how good they may be. What's the use putting in the practice time if you know this? Under Buser's watch, Mason County's bench was talented enough to have started and starred at any school in the region, but they hardly saw any playing time, this has set the program back as well

I thought the Litzinger's lived and still do in Bracken County the whole time Jarrod and Lacey were going to Mason County,could be wrong though. Still think at least part of the problem from parents of players is their kids getting played over by transfers and 7th graders, no matter how good they may be. What's the use putting in the practice time if you know this? Under Buser's watch, Mason County's bench was talented enough to have started and starred at any school in the region, but they hardly saw any playing time, this has set the program back as well

 

No, they live on Clarks Run 2 or 3 miles past the new intermediate school. Lived their I Know for at least 8 years.