The league at Moyer was developed to give the younger kids in Fort Thomas an opportunity to play organized basketball, not to generate booster profits. The Fort Thomas Jr basketball league had folded several years prior. There were very few kids playing on teams in the elementary schools. The league started as a K-3 league and expanded to 4th and 5th.

 

The league is serving a very important purpose, It is exposing young kids to the game of basketball. I agree that as the kids age they need to seek higher levels of competition to be successful in the middle school and high school programs.

 

Agree very nice point :thumb:. I have boys that played in the league one is K and the other is in the 5th grade. I am very encouraged that boys are playing basketball in the city at a young age which is very important to its development. I think this is a great start. My older son enjoyed playing with his friends; but I had to on more than one occasion remind parents that most kids don't walk in the gym in the 4th and 5th grade and play at a competitive level. I think that giving the boys/girls a taste at the young age and getting them started will help. The boys that play in other organizations were dominant in the older age group. Perhaps the level of play was very disappointing at first to him; but he did learn a lot. 1) It helped his confidence 2) He had fun with his friends 3) He got to share the ball and really worked on his passing and other skill sets (team W vs Stat stuffing). The only advise I have is that the coaching needs to get better. FTJFL has some great coaches. I know they are working with volunteers; but in the older ranks it really needs some work.

The FB program has three distinct advantages over BB 1). They don't cut players. 2.) The FTJFL feeder system 3.) winning history at a high level.

 

By not cutting players, the FB program can keep the marginally talented or the late developing athlete involved. BB, by the size limitations of the squads, cannot afford to keep as many "projects" around. (That is NOT to say that there shouldn't be project players on the squad.)

 

Since projects can't be kept around en masse, there is a need to have an outlet for these kids (grade 6-10) to develop, especially in the Fall/Winter when the stud AAU leagues dominate. FTJBBL at Moyer seems to be trying to fill this void...as is the summer league at St. Catherine. There seem to be more "open" gyms, too. But are they really "open" or just summer practices for the kids already on the team? They need to be more widely available for the "project" kids. But hey, a ball and a hoop is all you need IF you really want to improve.

 

Why fight history? Work with it. The FB program produces fabulous athletes with winning attitudes. Cherry pick the best of them (Shields would!) and adjust to their schedule. The regular season in BB is glorified practice. Yes you want to win...but the season ending tourney is what makes or breaks your season. The FB players should be WELL prepared to go by then. Success breeds success but it doesn't happen overnight. Give Coach Henley some time to fine tune the program.

Two - Shields had two losing seasons at Highlands. 79-80 he was 13-18 and 80-81 they were 13-15. Each of his other 11 seasons the Birds were 20 game winners.

 

Ok.......a couple of losing seasons.......not really the point of the post.

By the way just so no one forgets Newport Central Catholic did beat Highlands 68 -48 as per the title of this thread .

The FB program has three distinct advantages over BB 1). They don't cut players. 2.) The FTJFL feeder system 3.) winning history at a high level.

 

By not cutting players, the FB program can keep the marginally talented or the late developing athlete involved. BB, by the size limitations of the squads, cannot afford to keep as many "projects" around. (That is NOT to say that there shouldn't be project players on the squad.)

 

Since projects can't be kept around en masse, there is a need to have an outlet for these kids (grade 6-10) to develop, especially in the Fall/Winter when the stud AAU leagues dominate. FTJBBL at Moyer seems to be trying to fill this void...as is the summer league at St. Catherine. There seem to be more "open" gyms, too. But are they really "open" or just summer practices for the kids already on the team? They need to be more widely available for the "project" kids. But hey, a ball and a hoop is all you need IF you really want to improve.

 

Why fight history? Work with it. The FB program produces fabulous athletes with winning attitudes. Cherry pick the best of them (Shields would!) and adjust to their schedule. The regular season in BB is glorified practice. Yes you want to win...but the season ending tourney is what makes or breaks your season. The FB players should be WELL prepared to go by then. Success breeds success but it doesn't happen overnight. Give Coach Henley some time to fine tune the program.

 

Let's not kid ourselves, a basketball player is made in his driveway, not in some 10 game league.

The FB program has three distinct advantages over BB 1). They don't cut players. 2.) The FTJFL feeder system 3.) winning history at a high level.

 

By not cutting players, the FB program can keep the marginally talented or the late developing athlete involved. BB, by the size limitations of the squads, cannot afford to keep as many "projects" around. (That is NOT to say that there shouldn't be project players on the squad.)

 

Since projects can't be kept around en masse, there is a need to have an outlet for these kids (grade 6-10) to develop, especially in the Fall/Winter when the stud AAU leagues dominate. FTJBBL at Moyer seems to be trying to fill this void...as is the summer league at St. Catherine. There seem to be more "open" gyms, too. But are they really "open" or just summer practices for the kids already on the team? They need to be more widely available for the "project" kids. But hey, a ball and a hoop is all you need IF you really want to improve.

 

Why fight history? Work with it. The FB program produces fabulous athletes with winning attitudes. Cherry pick the best of them (Shields would!) and adjust to their schedule. The regular season in BB is glorified practice. Yes you want to win...but the season ending tourney is what makes or breaks your season. The FB players should be WELL prepared to go by then. Success breeds success but it doesn't happen overnight. Give Coach Henley some time to fine tune the program.

 

Would that be Don Henley?:lol:

By the way just so no one forgets Newport Central Catholic did beat Highlands 68 -48 as per the title of this thread .

 

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

Let's not kid ourselves, a basketball player is made in his driveway, not in some 10 game league.

 

Agreed. See last sentence in 3rd paragraph. BUT there's A LOT to be said about competing against someone other than your shadow. :thumb:

 

 

 

 

 

'Crunch...go to FB if you want to be a wise acre!! :lol:

Ok.......a couple of losing seasons.......not really the point of the post.

 

If I'm not mistaken Shields did one of his best coaching jobs with the 79-80 team. I believe they lost in the regional final or sem-final.

If I'm not mistaken Shields did one of his best coaching jobs with the 79-80 team. I believe they lost in the regional final or sem-final.

 

You are correct. After losing Sullivan, Muntis, Vories, and the Malone cousins to graduation. He had only 1 player, Jeff Fischer, returning from the highly successful 78-79 squad. Add to that 6'5 center Rich Dees went down early in the season with a knee injury. Coach Shields took a club of very inexperienced players and had them competitive by tournament time.

By the way just so no one forgets Newport Central Catholic did beat Highlands 68 -48 as per the title of this thread .

 

Good point, how many different ways should we say that NCC pretty much beat the Birds' butts?

I'm sure they can't hear it enough!! LOL!

I'm sure they can't hear it enough!! LOL!

 

I would not be bragging about beating a team when they weren't playing their best and at FULL STRENGTH.

 

How would NCC fair if they were without the services of Pangallo and Geisler? :isurrender:

 

I don't know about you but its a lot sweeter to beat a team when the other team is playing their best and has ALL their horses. Nice break for the other regional contenders. We're not making excuses nor crying sour grapes its just the facts of life. :notworthy:

The 79 Bulldogs were a pretty darned good team. Highlands defeated them in the regional championship, in a barn burner at a raucus Holmes gymnasium. Again you can talk all you want about Holmes, but they are not the team that has knocked Highlands out of the tournament. So posting that Holmes somehow has had an impact on Highlands lack of success is sort of flawed. Look, you obviously are close to the program, and I certainly understand your feelings after last night. It is not my intent to rankle you, or anyone else. I am just dissapointed in how the program has traversed the last 8 seasons. As an ex player, I just would like to see the program at the top.

 

I think we should start w whole new thread on this. I think there are some very interesting talking points. I would like to talk about them also, just don't feel like this is the thread.

I would not be bragging about beating a team when they weren't playing their best and at FULL STRENGTH.

 

How would NCC fair if they were without the services of Pangallo and Geisler? :isurrender:

 

I don't know about you but its a lot sweeter to beat a team when the other team is playing their best and has ALL their horses. Nice break for the other regional contenders. We're not making excuses nor crying sour grapes its just the facts of life. :notworthy:

 

All you have to do is look at the regular season game when the Birds worked them up on the hill by 14 without Grote but with Grubbs. I know the more important game was the other night but what you state pretty much goes without saying. I think that is why you dont see a lot of gloating by the NCC fans.