Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to me that there has been a change in football in Kentucky in the recent past. It appears that more and more games are not competitive (including some of the mid- to late-round playoff games). Also, it appears to me that there is a relatively small number of very good programs and a large number of mediocre/bad football programs, with the gap becoming more pronounced. Am I just imagining this, or is the overall health of prep football in Kentucky deteriorating?

I agree totally JB!

You are definately right JB..

Correct. Entirely.

I agree, or maybe the 6 class system just makes the differences more glaring b/c the top teams are spread b/n two classes, such as A and AA.

My question is whether this is a case of several team upping their game and distancing themselves from the pack, or other programs actually falling off and being worse than they were.

If the first is true then this may just be a barometer pointing to an increase in the level of play throughout the state of Ky moving forward, there are generally going to be early adopters who benefit from new techniques and schemes before the masses catch up.

If the later is more accurate, because it probably is a combination of the two, then this may be a result of the recent lower level trend of not keeping score or playing to win. Given the recent moves in Ky football to let everyone in the playoffs and increase the # of classes, i would be prone to believing that "participation trophies" are a primary culprit.

 

As I said it is probably a combination of both factors, teams like T, H, and others taking their programs to the next level and other teams losing the competitive edge that would have made them more successful. Also I think coaching has a major part to play.

I am of the opinion that it is more about programs regressing than programs simply getting a lot better.

I will play devil's advocate and disagree. I think what we are seeing is an improvement in high quality football in Kentucky. Unfortunately, it is only a few programs leading they way to the level of football being played in other states. It is up to the rest of the programs in the state to step it up. Ten years ago, Kentucky's top programs very rarely could compete with the top programs in Ohio. I don't think that is true today. The Highlands teams of the past 5 years are the best teams in Highlands history. Trinity has a great run going. Other programs in their respective classes around the state are better than they ever have been. The competition at the top is very good. But the vast majority of prgorams in the state are still playing 80's and 90's football and running their programs no differently than they were 30 years ago. I think we have seen some of the best team's in Kentucky history in the past 5 years and those teams will keep it up and even go to an even higher level. The rest of the state needs to get it together and try to catch up.

I also believe that the youth programs are a huge difference.

 

Here is Fl the youth leagues are just as important to the communities as the HS teams. I was amazed by the level of coaching and play at some of the leagues. There were coaching staffs that had 5-6 coaches and the coaches are generally in contact with the HS coaches about what they are looking for.

 

Even going beyond the leagues they also have the all-star teams that continue to practice together and then go on to play all-star teams from other cities. It is all very big, I have only been exposed to the Louisville Catholic School league in Ky but I cant imagine that there are other areas doing anything similar to what happens down here.

It's been my opinion for quite a while now that a large number of KY schools have either consciously or unconsciously made the decision not to bother trying to catch up to the top programs. IMO there are a variety of different reasons they've made this decision, but the end result is the same: they've accepted being average.

 

My guesses at the top two reasons for the decision are: 1) they believe structural issues within their communities will never allow that level of success, and 2) they don't believe the payback from that level of success justifies the effort & sacrifice required.

I believe high stakes testing and the lack of administrative support is an issue at a lot of places.

 

That and the 6 classes spread the wealth way to thin. Just think if there were 4 classes, how much more competitive each class would be....I believe just as in our current society, the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer and you are seeing a decrease in the middle class.

I am of the opinion that it is more about programs regressing than programs simply getting a lot better.

 

I agree 100%!

I agree with this for the most part, but the district that Highlands and Cov Cath is in should not exist. I know that the schools did not have say so with being put in a district with some of the teams that they are, especially Pendleton and Harrison County. If Highlands and Cov Cath are to remain in 4A, I believe big changes need made to keep things at least somewhat more competitive. Aside from this, I do believe that this is definitely an issue across many districts in the state too.

I just had this same conversation with a roofer that came by the house.

I think it's obvious that a lot has to do with the change in demographics and populations both in the rural parts of the state but also within the more populated towns and cities.

 

Oldham County is no different than most other countie in that once there was one High School and now the student athlete numbers are divided into three county high's. The once formidable Shelby County has been left decimated with the opening of Collins High that has a good program from year one.

 

You take a look at the top teams in our 4A and at the top you have a few programs that really don't match equally to the up and coming 4A teams that will always have a tough time matching up with their talent pool and when you also add talented coaching in these places it becomes very formidable to catch up to.

Don't think this is sour grapes motivated. Going back to my first point, I believe the KHSAA attempts to do the right thing but it's like trying to slice a piece of pie while it's spinning and moving.

 

In 6a Louisville you have schools like Shawnee, Moore etc that just don't have the numbers they once did.Throw busing into the equation and there go many of the once power programs within the city and county.

 

Then you jump to the Trinity's and Highlands type programs. I won't start down the "it's unfair road" even as a former 6A Louisville grad but the reality is that you have a higher number of kids concentrating within some very dominate programs and to their credit who wouldn't want to be part of a winning tradition.

 

The last point I'll throw out is the coaching pool. An unfortunate reality these days is the ever increasing challenge to find quality head coaches and assistant coaches that are will to take the extraordinary amount of time that is required week in and week out to develop and maintain a program.They make little to no money, most are parents. most are married and in this day and age to get a group of these guy's that really know what they are doing to come together in one place is becoming harder and harder. The top programs obviously attract a more consistent quality level so you can add an additional separation level.

I also believe that the youth programs are a huge difference.

 

Here is Fl the youth leagues are just as important to the communities as the HS teams. I was amazed by the level of coaching and play at some of the leagues. There were coaching staffs that had 5-6 coaches and the coaches are generally in contact with the HS coaches about what they are looking for.

Even going beyond the leagues they also have the all-star teams that continue to practice together and then go on to play all-star teams from other cities. It is all very big, I have only been exposed to the Louisville Catholic School league in Ky but I cant imagine that there are other areas doing anything similar to what happens down here.

 

Sounds very similar to the League my kids played in with the exception of traveling All Star team. And the League isn't in contact with the local High school coaches. The League just knows what to work on. But isn't that the norm?