Whats wrong with Highlands basketball

[Theoldguy]

With this reasoning, how do you explain the overwhelming success on the gridiron??

 

Lets see: HHS first HS football field with Turf in NKy! Only HS in NKy with a jumbo tron! Only HS in NKy that takes a Charted Bus to away games even ones only 10/15 miles away! Surely it doesn't make HHS a better team on the field, but it does tip the scales in the eye of the kids in the WOW factor scale!

 

Honestly, it's the keeping up with the Jones factor that HHS pushes the other NKy HS to follow in Football, but HHS isn't keeping up with that same factor, when it come to Basketball, Soccer and Baseball!

 

I will say it again, I think HHS is one of the finest HS in the Commonwealth not because of it's football team or sport teams but because their students excel in academics. Getting a great education is the reason why so many send their children or live in Ft. Thomas.

 

Schools like Beechwood, CovCath/NDA and HHS are first great institution of learning and then sports, Oh BTW that is how it should be!

[malachicrunch]

Talk a walk into the football locker room and weight room. Anyway, just a futile conversation here. The gym, locker room, busses or showers have nothing to do with state of HHS basketball. ZERO!

[sealteam]

I really enjoy the old gym feeling and agree that the new gyms do not ahve the same close knit feeling of the older ones.

 

Simply put, HHS is a football school and not a basketball school. When Coach Shields was running the place he had control over and made the basketball team relevant. This is not to say that coaches since have not fielded good basketball teams, that would be a ridiculous comment, I am saying that for the most part football has become king. I believe that some of it has to do with the athletic director also being the football coach and the dominance they show on the gridiron attracts kids from everywhere wanting to play each year for state championships. They can't get that playing basketball at HHS anymore.

[malachicrunch]

We have had some discussion around the football program attracting kids from outside of the city. I seem to remember the bball program doing that also. Is that the answer? I think sealteam hit the nail on the head with his mention of Ken Shields. I belive the program needs a Ken Shields type coach. If that's even possible. When I came through, It was Shields Petty and Listerman. That is a HOF coaching staff. Probably will never see the likes of that again.

[UCRN]

We have had some discussion around the football program attracting kids from outside of the city. I seem to remember the bball program doing that also. Is that the answer? I think sealteam hit the nail on the head with his mention of Ken Shields. I belive the program needs a Ken Shields type coach. If that's even possible. When I came through, It was Shields Petty and Listerman. That is a HOF coaching staff. Probably will never see the likes of that again.

 

FINALLY, something I can agree with you on! LOL!

[Jack of all Trades]

I really dont think the sky is falling on the Highlands program like some think here. The Birds have suffered some bad breaks over the past 5-6 yrs with injuries to key players where guys like McGraw, Simpson, Grubbs, etc could have played a major role if 100% healthy in making a run for the Regional crown.

 

I do know for a fact that one of the coaches in the program now has a directive from Coach Flynn to get kids in grades 3-8 involved in AAU during the offseason. I dont remember the last coach even discussing helping put together a feeder program.

 

Who might this coach be and who is going to coach these teams?

[Stumpy33]

As an HHS Basketball guy let me give this my best shot. I get a kick out of a couple HHS fans who seem to have all the answers and are really quick to tell you so. They may not know/remember some of this.

IMO there were a couple of things that helped Coach Shields out in the late 70's. First, St Thomas closing. A lot of kids wound up down the street at HHS. Some of these guys would have played at St Thomas had it still been open. Second, Shields was good at talking. He seemed to benefit from several tuition/out of district guys: 79 Sullivan 80 Fischer 82 Terry 83 Kremer 84 Maile 84 Lankheit 85 Beagle 86 Draud 88 Blasingame and probably a couple more I can't remember. And third other than 76-80 Holmes was kind of down in the 80's and CovCath did not win any regions it seemed during that time. But I don't remember Coach Shields ever attending one of my 7th grade games. I don't remember him organizing JR pro teams. I do remember that we were on our own in the summer, he did not have open gyms at HHS(that gym stayed locked up). I remember him walking around the gym during practice trying to lose weight. I remember him bringing his boy to practice. I remember HHS students supporting us during his time and trips to Rupp. I also rememberHHS students showing up to games with paper bags over their heads because we were losing, that hurt. They didn't wear those bags later that year when we played in Rupp, that was nice. I remember some of our parents yelling at Coach Shields out at Walton and a resulting prayer meeting in a stairwell with everyone after the following practice. He was a good Coach and I told him I loved him after my last game. He talked me out of playing football. HHS won 2 State Championships while I was there. I was a basketball guy.

I don't remember the Petty years very well. I think he had some competitive teams.

I do remember the Messmer years. I think there were some forces out to get him when Smith/Lorenzen arrived on the scene. (By the way they were not necessarily home grown Ft Thomas guys) After they got there Mess was a great Coach. 3 straight trips to Rupp. But it's the Guidugli/Neltner team that got to Rupp that Mess should get credit for. I think it is the only one with all homegrown Ft Thomas guys to get to Rupp. Squatty's all had some extra outside help. I don't remember Mess going to MS games although he may have. I don't remember Mess organizing AAU in the summer. He had a hell of a Mulch Sale.

2 Qoutes come to mind for Willie's time "There's no place like home" and "You can't go back". Either they love him or they hate him. I would say that Maichicrunch and Gryche are in the later category.

Coach Flynn is a good man and a good Coach. He is a tireless worker and my dad really likes him. It would be ok with me if he coached my son. I wish him well, but Ft Thomas is a demending place to Coach. I hope he stays that long.

[malachicrunch]

I remember all of it. I don't remember too many ball players coming from St. Thomas. Maybe a couple. I seem to remember Dan Sullivan living on Donnelly Dr. That's in Ft. Thomas. You mentiontioned Fischer 82? Remember his brother, 80? Lived in Southgate, not considered out of district as a lot of Southgate kids went to HHS. Terry 82. Kremer 83. Out of district. You bet. Why arent' they coming to HHS now? The Petty years? Not sure either, as Messmer took over when Shields went to NKU. More fiction than fact in the above post. As far as Willie, he didn't win any Regional championships. Just a fact. Definetly don't hate the guy.

[malachicrunch]

Oh. I'm pretty familiar with the 79 team that went to Rupp. As far as I remember, all homegrown, unless you count Jeff Fischer and Dip Redmond from Southgate. Know them well, they were HHS guys always.

[Stumpy33]

I remember all of it. I don't remember too many ball players coming from St. Thomas. Maybe a couple. I seem to remember Dan Sullivan living on Donnelly Dr. That's in Ft. Thomas. You mentiontioned Fischer 82? Remember his brother, 80? Lived in Southgate, not considered out of district as a lot of Southgate kids went to HHS. Terry 82. Kremer 83. Out of district. You bet. Why arent' they coming to HHS now? The Petty years? Not sure either, as Messmer took over when Shields went to NKU. More fiction than fact in the above post. As far as Willie, he didn't win any Regional championships. Just a fact. Definetly don't hate the guy.

 

Where's the fiction? Bill Petty was the head coach before John Messmer? You may need to check in with Hambone on that one. I was pretty sure you would disagree. Not quite sure what your smoking as I had 80 Fischer, just a different format than what your looking for I guess.

 

I think we do get a lot of out of district kids. Not sure they play basketball. I would say Shield's had relationships with Fred's Dad, Maile's Dad and Scott Draud's Dad long before those guys ever came to HHS. Add Bill Blasingame, he loved Kenney.

 

So I got Sully wrong? I thought he lived somewhere else.

 

Next time can I send it to you to proof? You seem to have plenty of time to post things on here. Why don't you volunteer some to the program if you think it needs help, I'm sure Coach would welcome your help.

[Lucky Charms]

I don't get the people who are/were upset with Willie. He's a first class A#1 personality. His players respected him and all he would ask for in return is that they played hard. You can't deny the fact that while Willie was at Highland they suffered from alot of injuries. I think Willie eventually saw the writting on the wall though, towards the end. "Football is king and it always will be at Highlands." Willie was as close to a homegrown product of the Fort as you will ever get. That was his dream job, but unfortunately, I think the timing was just a little off. I REALLY, REALLY hope he gets back into coaching somewhere else after he gets done being the #1 father that he is right now.

[Qryche11]

Stumpy your post was interesting to read but dont say I hate a guy just because I dont agree with how he handled the program. I have a lot of respect for his accomplishments at Brossart (no footbal at the time). I just think he saw the writing on the wall when he came back with the way football rules and somewhst threw in the towel.

[ladiesbballcoach]

It has to be hard to coach at a school so dominated by football.

You don't get all of your players till the season has started and you are now 2 months behind them in getting plays and defenses put in.

In addition, the spring and summer, I would guess is filled with football rather than open gyms and team scrimmages/camps.

So for about 4-5 months a year while your opponents are getting better, some of your players are playing football.

 

Not to mention, you have to think that you lose some good players who have decided to play football only. Did Collinsworth play basketball in HS? You have to guess with the genes from both sides, he would be an athlete that could have helped?

[Bluerunner]

I think the demise of HHS Basketball is a bit premature. Several injuries over the past few years caused these guys to miss out on really competing for the 9th Region Title. I remember some extremely mediocre years in the early 90's when football players simply did not play basketball. Duffy and Messmer didn't seem to want to cooperate with each other. I experienced it.

 

Schlarman was a very good coach (imo). Remember he was an extremely active assistant in the glory years of Lorenzen, Smith, Glazier and Stegman. As for Mike Flynn, his resume doesn't get any better. He has won everywhere he has been. Highlands will be much better by years end. It only takes one or two guys with some well coached roll players to get things moving in basketball. They will be okay.

[remmac]

Just to set the record straight, Sully lived in Ft T and Jeff/David Fischer '80, '83 lived in Ft T as well...........on Lafayette (E) which is now Fischer Lane. Stump, I do agree with most of your post above...the players that came to HHS to play for Shields was a factor and certainly the injuries have played havoc in recent years.