Again...is he the first coach in 30 years (minus Male) to realize he can get the talent? He can get the athletes? Realize that the athletes and the talent cannot be enough? Realize that it's not just about drawing up plays, and teaching fundamentals? Realize his kids have to buy-in, and their families to support in every way possible, and the adminstration to back him up?

 

Is he really the first Jefferson Co. coach in 30 years to realize all these things?

 

Honestly, that is a slap in the face to a lot of Jefferson Co. coaches, a lot of good coaches, to think these are some "new ideas" or "approaches".

 

 

Frankly, if you read my post, you'll see that I mentioned Central as an example. I don't mean to slap anyone in the face. However, when I watch teams like Eastern play and I see sloppy tackling (something I thought Trinity was guilty of this year), etc, and some other things, I do question the discipline aspect. When I see teams bring fewer to home games than Trinity brings to away games, then yes, I question the fan support.

 

Who said they were new ideas or approaches? I certainly didn't. Back in the not so distant past, the public schools were much better than they are now.

 

Don't take anything as a slap. But if you want to have an open and honest discussion, you better be prepared for the fact that some coaches have NOT been able to instill the kind of belief in the system from top to bottom that others have. Look at Manaual's football boosters. They raise pretty significant money for their football team. Look at their top-to-bottom committment to their program. Then, you go look at some others.

 

I think many schools found out that it's hard to come in and change things around. Then, instead of continuing to fight, they just give in and go with the status quo. I don't see CoachJ doing that, and THAT is what is making a difference for him.

...That, or you have chosen to insult thirty years of coaches in the biggest class in KY by suggesting that what Coach J has proposed is the first time any coach has tried these things in an effort to beat X or T. Wow...

 

...and I would say that there are a lot of coaches out there, coaches who have won more, advanced their teams further, that find the premises of what he is proposing to be egotistical and demeaning to the work of all those who have gone before him, who have fought this fight, who have pushed their kids, demanded excellence and discipline, worked 100 hour weeks, and strove to dethrone the big two.

 

I can't say if what CoachJ is doing is "new" or not, but I will say having been around a lot of head coaches at a lot of high schools over my years, that the belief that all coaches are as smart as one another; all coaches work as hard as one another; all coaches are as good at coaching as one another; all players work as hard as one another; all administrators support their football program as strongly one another, all communities support their football program as well as one another is simply not true. To believe that is to believe that all lawyers work as hard as one another; are as smart as one another and are as committed to their clients as one another. That is simply false. Such is the case for every other occupation on the face of this earth.

 

It is only human nature for coaches to think they are as smart, as good of a coach and work as hard as every other coach in the state. It is only human nature for parents to think that their little Johnny works as hard during the off season than every other little Johnny throughout the state. Yet those parents, if they asked their own son, would be told that there are players on their son's team that don't work as hard as others. If that's true within a football team, it surely is true when comparing kids in one program with other programs. I know that football players that have transferred into Highlands from other programs in Kentucky and from programs in California, Ohio and Illinois have all stated that they worked no where near as hard at their former schools than they did at Highlands. I know that football players that have transferred into Highlands from other programs in Kentucky and from programs in California, Ohio and Illinois have all stated that their practices were no where near as organized as they were at Highlands and that they didn't get as good of coaching at their former schools that they did at Highlands. One of my law partners is heavily involved with Elder. He saw my son's off season practice schedule hanging on my office wall and was in disbelief at the amount of time the Highlands players put into football during the off season and stated that it was a lot more than what Elder did.

 

I read on this and other sites about less than 80%, sometimes less than 50%, of the players showing up for off season lifting and conditioning sessions. Then I read of programs that have close to 100% of their players showing up to every off season lifting and conditioning session. I read of players getting into disciplinary problems during the season. I read of players being more interested in themselves than the team. I read of players being ineligible due to academic reasons. All those things dramatically affect wins and losses. If CoachJ can motivate close to all of his players to attend every conditioning and lifting session; if CoachJ can install the discipline needed for kids to remain eligible all year long, if CoachJ can get his players to buy into what is needed to beat X and T and to get all the best athletes out of the halls and onto the field, then his program will be significantly better and may be able to succeed where others have failed.

 

No one is saying that no other coach has done what CoachJ is doing, but my guess is that there aren't as many out there as one would think. If he can do the things he wants to do, at a big school like Ballard with the type of athletes in the school, I believe like he does, that Ballard can win 6A. It won't happen over night. It will be a gradual thing. But if CoachJ establishes a reputation of being willing to do what ever it takes to win; if Ballard establishes a solid academic reputation; and if the administration establishes a reputation of strongly supporting its football program, then it's more and more likely that some of the parents will want to send their kids to Ballard instead of having to shuck out thousands of dollars in tuition each year to send their kids to X and T. If and when that starts happening, then Ballard will quickly close the gap with X and T and will starting winning state.

 

For all I know CoachJ may be smarter, may work harder, may have a better plan, may have a better coaching staff and may require more discipline and committment than other 6A coaches have done in the past at other programs. For all I know the football players now playing at Ballard may work harder than players have worked at other programs. For all I know the administration at Ballard may be more solidly behind what is needed to have its football team win state than other administrations have been supportive at other programs. For all I know CoachJ is taking the time to get involved in the Louisville youth football leagues when other coaches have wanted to spend time doing other things. All those things are possible and if such is the case, Ballard can be successful where other programs have failed.

 

You may think CoachJ is being insulting and demeaning to other coaches and that this post is insulting and demeaning to the players and coaches throughout the state (and you are certainly entitled to your own opinion). All I can say in response is that sometimes the truth hurts.

 

Keep it up CoachJ and keep believing.

...sometimes the truth hurts.

 

 

Reality: X has out scored Ballard 98-6 in the last two years / T 52-21 in the same span. No team other than Male has even come close to the year-in year-out competitive nature being idealistically alluded to here in the last 30 years.

 

Agreed.

Frankly, if you read my post, you'll see that I mentioned Central as an example. I don't mean to slap anyone in the face. However, when I watch teams like Eastern play and I see sloppy tackling (something I thought Trinity was guilty of this year), etc, and some other things, I do question the discipline aspect. When I see teams bring fewer to home games than Trinity brings to away games, then yes, I question the fan support.

 

Who said they were new ideas or approaches? I certainly didn't. Back in the not so distant past, the public schools were much better than they are now.

 

Don't take anything as a slap. But if you want to have an open and honest discussion, you better be prepared for the fact that some coaches have NOT been able to instill the kind of belief in the system from top to bottom that others have. Look at Manaual's football boosters. They raise pretty significant money for their football team. Look at their top-to-bottom committment to their program. Then, you go look at some others.

 

I think many schools found out that it's hard to come in and change things around. Then, instead of continuing to fight, they just give in and go with the status quo. I don't see CoachJ doing that, and THAT is what is making a difference for him.

 

Rockmom,

 

How much do you know about Eastern? I know the entire staff. If you are implying that they were sloppy because of lack of discipline you would be mistaken. Ask Bama Larry, they had 8 new starters on defense. IMO they were outmanned. Nobody was saying much about their discipline 2 seasons ago when they were 11-2. Were they disappointed about last season, I'm sure they were. Please don't blame lack of discipline.:rolleyes:b

If you say for a 10 year period. then one of the big 3 win it 9 times. But probably 10 out of 10. there is that much difference in teh big 3 and the rest of the state. gurantee one team is at least form Louisville.

Rockmom,

 

How much do you know about Eastern? I know the entire staff. If you are implying that they were sloppy because of lack of discipline you would be mistaken. Ask Bama Larry, they had 8 new starters on defense. IMO they were outmanned. Nobody was saying much about their discipline 2 seasons ago when they were 11-2. Were they disappointed about last season, I'm sure they were. Please don't blame lack of discipline.:rolleyes:b

 

 

I'm pretty sure you're deliberately taking offense to my post where none is intended. There is discipline, and then there's discipline. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then I don't know what else to say. It's not a slam. It's an observation. I know alot about several public school programs as well as what I know about Trinity. I don't live in a little green bubble.

 

You are certainly welcome to believe what you want. I certainly will. But, rolling your eyes at me never made me change my mind.

Rockmom,

You said that you are not intentionally slamming anyone, yet you name specific schools. That is the only reason that I have an issue with your intent. You may even take offense if someone were to identify Trinity specifically. And thank you for allowing me to think as l like. Greatly Appreciated!

 

Reality: X has out scored Ballard 98-6 in the last two years / T 52-21 in the same span. No team other than Male has even come close to the year-in year-out competitive nature being idealistically alluded to here in the last 30 years.

 

Question: What does Coach J think he's doing that EVERY other coach, Bob Redman included, has failed to do in the last THIRTY years in the city of Louisville, or the public domain of KY, for that matter?

 

In the MOST RECENT game, Trinity outscored Ballard by 7.

 

That's the only game of history that matters right now. (But if you want to go back, look at the trend of scores in the last 5 games against T and B and see if there's been any change.)

 

Rome wasn't built in a day...but I'll bet the 100th day was closer to built than the 90th...the 90th was closer to built than the 80th...and so on.

 

Sorry if I've offended every other public school 6A coach out there. My bet -- knowing a lot of them -- would be that they'd agree with me that we all need to be doing SOMETHING better than what's been done in the past in terms of trying to compete with them.

That's EXACTLY what I'm saying. That includes the program where I coach. I don't think people outside of T and X -- our people included -- TRULY understand the extreme levels of dedication their kids, coaches, and BOOSTERS. The kind of money and hours they ALL spend to achieve what they have requires a lot of SACRIFICE and DISCIPLINE.

 

None.

 

Not as many as T or X.

 

What? I'm assuming you mean people representing T or X are "beating down doors" of prospective players to come to there and play? If so, that is a KHSAA violation. They can speak to kids about coming to SCHOOL there --- but they can ONLY bring up non-athletic offerings.

 

To that question though, I'd say the PUBLIC schools in Louisville have just as much opportunity to be at youth league games and be approached by a parent to ask about opportunities to attend their school.

 

I'm sure they'd say X/T.

 

I'll give you all those. Now let me pose some questions to you:

 

If you could choose, would you rather have the MORE athletic team (fast, quick, agile, hand-skills, etc.) or the LESSER?

 

Overall, position-by-position (especially at the skilled positions), DESPITE FACILITY ADVANTAGES, COACHING STAFF SIZE ADVANTAGES, ETC., do you think T/X or a Louisville public 6A team would have the more athletic team?

 

How many hours are Louisville public school coaches limited to in weekend preparation?

 

How many hours per week are Louisville public school coaches limited to in training their athletes (especially their LINEMEN -- an area where the privates traditionally DO out-man publics)?

 

And finally, how much "private school" discipline (do what your coach says or else) and off-season dedication (completely MAXIMIZE your speed, agility, size, and strength) has been employed by us public schools?

 

Discipline isn't the ONLY thing...but given our ATHLETICISM ADVANTAGES, we should be able to mitigate many of the things above.

 

Pointing out MALE was perfect for my argument. Coach Redmon 'out-athleted' T/X at pretty much every SKILLED position in the late 90's/early 2000s (Brohm at Trinity being the exception). He got his linemen strong and technically very good. And what a lot of people don't realize, he demanded DISCIPLINE (do it PERFECT or don't play) from his position-players -- especially on defense. As a result, they competed with the privates.

 

We have the potential still to 'out-athlete' T/X. But athleticism without DISCIPLINE and MAXIMUM OFF-SEASON TRAINING can't work. Our "athleticism advantage" has been mitigated by T/X because they OUT-WORK EVERYBODY!

 

I'm not saying it hasn't been ATTEMPTED at the public schools...I'm just saying we haven't done it WELL ENOUGH yet. At Ballard, we're going to sacrifice that 'great' player if he won't train like a champion, follow the rules in school and the community, and keep his grades up. And he'll sit the bench -- no matter how good he is -- unless he does things EXACTLY the way we ask.

 

 

 

I'm not saying we've "cornered the market" on this yet (otherwise, we'd have been able to seal the deal against Trinity last year when we had them down).

 

But I know we DO have several of the ingredients necessary. IF our coaches continue to be as dedicated as they have been both in-season and out, we continue to get great athletes, and our KIDS are willing to sacrifice their own needs for what's best for their team (true "discipline"), then we CAN/WILL compete without all the "advantages" they have over us or going to "home schools" (which I agree won't ever happen).

Coach J, You completely get it. I met you at one of the Trinity playoff games this past season and told you how much I admired what you are trying to do at Ballard.

Edited January 28, 201016 yr by rockmom
fixed quote

There is no "Big 3" ... it's a "Big 2."