How is this NOT Recruiting???

[rockmom]

I keep seeing the word "shadowing" pop up in these allegations against the privates. Anyone care to enlighten my as to what this is, as I am unable to ascertain this through the context?

 

 

Girls or Boys in the 7th and 8th grade are invited to "shadow" a student at the high school they're interested in. So, for instance, my son shadowed a student at X for a day, and a student at Trinity for a day, in his 8th grade year @ St. Gabriel. It gave him an idea of the atmosphere of the school, what kinds of classes were offered, etc. The shadowing student attends classes with their host, etc, etc.

[colonel dad]

Could it really be that these schools are succesful? Why don't you shoot down Male and Manual or Ballard. Redman even admitted, openly admitted he tried to recruit Brian Brohm, but knew it was not going to work because Oscar was at Trinity. It is one thing to go after the kid. It is another to know he won't come to Male, but keep trying to get them their even when the kid's father coaches at Trinity. I am sick of you guys whinning. PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO IT TOO. DON't COME UP WITH EXCUSES. OH I do have a cousin that went to Male, he said he has friends from Bulliet County and Shelby County. WOW nothing was said about this stuff. IT is jealousy and you know it.

 

The Public schools have the same benefits. Their teachers get paid more. It is called ALUMNI. Kicking in money to make the Private schools facilities as good as they can get. THAT is what it is about.

 

Don't give me this stuff about unfair, uneven playing field. Some not all, public schools go after kids. So quit whinning and grow up.

 

 

So now we are going from completely denying that privates recruit players to saying "well, everbodies doing it?" Bob Redman is not everybody. Don't get upset because the truth is starting to be revealed.

[Jim Schue]

Thanks for the explanations, folks. I figured it was something along those lines, but wanted to make sure.

[TigerKat]

Hmmm, I seem to remember a guy named Tony Branch that coached basketball at Seneca and he was widely thought to have hand picked (recruited) a number of players and shepparded them into Seneca. A number of JCPS coaches accused him of recruiting students (athletes) to Seneca by using his minor celebrity as a former Card. The guy couldn't win as a coach in Kentucky and I'm sure he is lying the groundwork to explain why he can't win in Indiana.

 

I agree.

[TigerKat]

The following is a memo sent to a high school coach in Kentucky from an Admisnistrator at Jeffersonville in Indiana. COLLEGES aren't even allowed to have recruits on the sideline during a RECRUITING VISIT! Is this not the proof that all of the privates and KHSAA are asking for?

 

October 19, 2005

 

 

 

MEMO

 

 

 

FROM: Tony Branch, Athletic Director, Jeffersonville H.S.; IN____________

 

 

 

TO: JCPS Athletic Directors; Please share with your principals ___________________

 

Please consider keeping the original Proposal One plan that the 20 mile radius WILL NOT extend into another state. The proponents of separation stated in an Oct. 14th Courier Journal article that the lack of boundaries for private schools is one of their main concerns. If the public schools allow the athletic boundary of the Jefferson County private schools to cross state lines into the state of Indiana; geography will provide the private schools with 50% more boundary than the public schools since the Ohio River separates Jefferson County and Indiana. You would defeat your purpose of establishing fair boundaries for all schools in the KHSAA.

 

Jeffersonville High School is located in the state of Indiana. It is across the Ohio River and one mile north of Louisville, KY. In approximately the past six years, Jeffersonville has lost several outstanding football athletes to Louisville private schools:

 

Donald Barnett - Current running back at Trinity H.S. He is one of the top football players in the state of KY. His

 

current residence is in Jeffersonville.

 

Trea Burgess - Attended Trinity H.S. as a freshman & soph. Then transferred back to Jeffersonville H.S. in 2004

 

school year as a junior. He is Jeffersonville's most outstanding football player & one of the top

 

football players in Southern Indiana. Burgess has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season.

 

Ken Fuller - Attended Trinity as a freshman & Soph. then returned to Jeffersonville H.S.

 

Willie Williams - Graduated in 2004. Outstanding quarterback. Attended a Louisville private school for two years

 

then transferred back to Jeffersonville H.S.

 

Cruz May - Left for private Louisville school & played four years there.

 

Chase Bean - Attended Trinity H.S. as a freshman. Stayed there for one & one-half years then transferred back to

 

Jeffersonville H.S. this current school year.

 

 

 

Ed Wright - Current freshman at Jeffersonville H.S. He is our most outstanding freshman football player. He

 

Quarterbacks the JV and plays varsity as a freshman. He was courted in middle school by St. X.

 

They had him on the sideline of their state championship game in 2004.

Antonio Veals - A great football player and athlete. He played football for four years at Trinity and had an Outstanding football career at Western Kentucky University. He has finished his athletic eligibility at Western Kentucky Univ. and has just been hired by the Jeffersonville Fire Dept.

 

Donovan Sims - One of our two most talented sophomore players this current year. He transferred back to Jeffersonville after spending one year at Trinity H.S.

 

 

 

If Trea Burgess (2nd player listed) did not transfer back to Jeffersonville, Trinity would currently have our top two football players this season.

 

It is obvious to me that the Louisville private schools identify our best athletes in middle school as early as the 6th and 7th grades and then implement an organized recruitment process to persuade these selected athletes to attend their schools. This recruitment consists of handing out business cards, having current private school student-athletes e-mail them, invites to open house and shadowing, phone calls, and offers of financial aid. It is alarming to me and damaging to our athletic programs that Kentucky private schools can come into our state and recruit our best athletes to play in Kentucky High School athletics.

 

 

 

 

Consider that both Trinity and St. Xavier already have 1,500 to 1,600 boys. The Louisville public schools have approximately 1,400 to 1,800 students (girls & boys). Only half (700 to 900) of those students in public schools are boys. Trinity & St.X out number the public schools by 700 to 900 male athletes. If you also allow private schools to bring in top athletes from Indiana or out of state, you will make it very difficult for the public schools to establish an equitable balance of athletic talent with private schools. The original Proposal One would be effective because it would mandate the same eligibility requirements for both public and private schools.

 

 

 

To be effective, proposal one would require the legal guardian of student-athlete in question to provide proof of consistent residency in the state of Kentucky in order for the student to gain athletic eligibility. Students whose legal guardians are not residents of the state of Kentucky should not be given athletic eligibility in the KHSAA.

 

 

 

The Archdiocese's proposal would not allow students outside a 20 mile radius of their school to play varsity sports during their first year at the private school. This is not a concession. Most freshmen are not ready to compete on the varsity level. Therefore the private schools may still recruit outstanding athletes from outside their radius and across state lines to be in their freshman and junior varsity feeder programs. These athletes residing in Indiana & from outside the 20 mile radius would be allowed to compete all four years as is now the case. Nothing would have changed from the current system.

 

I think tony Branch is in a little trouble over the whole finger pointing thing. He made several false accusations and I know People are not happy and make take action.

[SportsGuy41017]

He says things or obvious to him? Well, a lot of times that is not really the case, and people take liberties and see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. Did the player, parent or relative talk to someone from these schools then get ask for a card or number? I am guessing there private school kids from Indiana had someone looking over their head being forced to email or call the KY schools? Maybe the school wasn't the one who made first contact, did he ever think of that? Also EVERY email has a block system, if the emails are unwanted they simply could have blocked the sender. Nothing wrong with inviting kids to an open house, Shadowing is something ALL schools should do for prospective incoming students, hey ALL schools could do this too. Again no one is being forced to do go, as long as they don't guarantee playing time in sports it's legal under KHSAA rules. The last part where he talks about financial aid, maybe a parent or the player mentioned concerns over the cost of attending the school and it was simply brought up that they COULD receive help, as ALL of their students COULD.

[50inarow]

^^^But that explanation would take all fun out of this, now wouldn't it.

[Rambo4343]

So now we are going from completely denying that privates recruit players to saying "well, everbodies doing it?" Bob Redman is not everybody. Don't get upset because the truth is starting to be revealed.

 

DO you want more names? I used one example. Don't say every Catholic school recruits 2 schools are not everyone.

[SportsGuy41017]

I think tony Branch is in a little trouble over the whole finger pointing thing. He made several false accusations and I know People are not happy and make take action.

I would love to see that happen, maybe people will learn you just can't say anything you want about people, that you can't just put out false accusations.

 

People do that all the time, as I said in another thread people these days seem like they just want to go out and hurt others and make wild accusations. As they say, "A rumor will make it around the world before the truth even gets the chance to be known."

[scooterbob]

Unsolicited, biased, and unsubstantiated heresay is similar to Charmin.

[SportsGuy41017]

Don't get upset because the truth is starting to be revealed.

There is no truth to that garbage letter from a jealous out of state AD, who THINKS that the kids belong to him, THEY DON'T! They belong to the parents! As was stated this guy had OPINIONS, not PROOF, and he soon may be paying for his letter soon.

 

IF, and I do mean IF this guy had REAL PROOF, he would drive to Lexington as fast as he could and show the proof to the KHSAA. The FACT that he hasn't done so should be a loud and clear sign he has no proof!

[Rambo4343]

Again just ask for the names and I will give them to you. Quit being jealous and play ball. I know it is hard when you hear a public school head coach recruits and use to drive kids all around town. That is okay because he is a legend.

[eville dad]

Recruiting is going to happen and from all schools. Its to hard to police and its next to impossible to be competitive in the KY HS Sports unless the teams are out trying to persuade talented kids to attend their schools. Its just a necessary evil to KY HS Sports this day and age. I dont agree with it but its there and nothing can really be done to stop it. If all these "competitive" schools are so great (public and private) shouldnt they be able to attract talented kids on the merit of the school and not have to resort to these seedy tactics as recruiting.

 

IMO

The most important thing Mr. Branch points out in his letter is the size difference between the big "2" and everyone else. Is there a limit to "4A" schools and the number of students they can have to fulfill their athletic programs. The big "2" have enough boys to field 2 teams and they would still be very competitive. At what point is it to many kids? This has to have been discussed at some of the recent meetings. What was discussed and how will it be resolved. You dont need to split the Publics and Privates apart to solve this size imbalance. With our current classifications why would any "4A" teams be expected to compete with teams with twice as many students?

 

Either establish "5A" class by including "Trinity, X and combining a few 4A public to have similar numbers. or require any teams with that many more kids to field more than one team. I think if you do away with this imbalance many schools become competitive immediately.

[rockmom]

I have a question...

 

How many schools have a "cut" policy for their football programs?

[woodsrider]

Recruiting is going to happen and from all schools. Its to hard to police and its next to impossible to be competitive in the KY HS Sports unless the teams are out trying to persuade talented kids to attend their schools. Its just a necessary evil to KY HS Sports this day and age. I dont agree with it but its there and nothing can really be done to stop it. If all these "competitive" schools are so great (public and private) shouldnt they be able to attract talented kids on the merit of the school and not have to resort to these seedy tactics as recruiting.

 

IMO

The most important thing Mr. Branch points out in his letter is the size difference between the big "2" and everyone else. Is there a limit to "4A" schools and the number of students they can have to fulfill their athletic programs. The big "2" have enough boys to field 2 teams and they would still be very competitive. At what point is it to many kids? This has to have been discussed at some of the recent meetings. What was discussed and how will it be resolved. You dont need to split the Publics and Privates apart to solve this size imbalance. With our current classifications why would any "4A" teams be expected to compete with teams with twice as many students?

 

Either establish "5A" class by including "Trinity, X and combining a few 4A public to have similar numbers. or require any teams with that many more kids to field more than one team. I think if you do away with this imbalance many schools become competitive immediately.

 

By creating a 5th class you are doing the same thing as separating the public and privates. You would have a 5A class that consists of T, X, Henderson Co., Paul Dunbar, and about 5 other schools. How are you going to have a class with 10 teams at most in it. Then the bottom 2 or 3 complain because they think they should be in 4A.

 

If you are worried about the numbers difference then count your lucky stars it isn't like Indiana. Look at their 5A class. For example Ben Davis has 4500 kids and Castle, Andrew Coverdale's team, only has 1700 kids. BD is over 2 1/2 times bigger.