The rule has always been more is better. The more kids you have the better you are going to be. The one exception to that is Highlands. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but HHS only has about 450 boys? Now how is it that a school with only 450 boys continues to turn out teams that can at least compete (and sometimes beat) teams with 3 and 4X times the number of kids. Pound for Pound HHS has to be the best team in KY year in year out. So what's their secret? Is it the youth league program, ie. feeder system? Have they just been lucky in the talent that grows up in the area? I mean how many D1 QB's have come from HHS? What about other positions?

 

Does Ft. Thomas youth program just do a better job of teaching football at a young age? What is it about their program that as lead to such success? Is it something other then the feeder system?

 

I don't want this to turn into mud slinging so please don't bother posting if it's only to make accuasations.

 

Many reasons but their speed development is outstanding and consistently the difference every Friday/Saturday night. Highlands' football is a passion and top priority for many of these young men. Many have family members that won state championships. These young men are not only being held accountable by an outstanding staff when it comes to performance but they are being held accountable at home for their performance as well. The feeder system is also preparing these young men for the high school level with complete focus on what it takes to be a Bluebird.

The secret is in the Blue Koolaid drink served in small dixie cups. It works:popcorn:

 

I knew it!!!

For example, this year's 8th grade showcase which takes the 4 teams and combines them to two and allow them to dawn the blue and white as a right of passage also includes the Kool-aid speech from Dale to all the kids after the game. Being at the game this year, I have no doubt that the frosh will be loaded next year. I think either of the two teams formed for that game could have beat a few freshman teams this year. I havent been this excited about our future in a long time. Here are some names to remember for the next few years: Jared Daugherty, Brandon Bradford, Evan Richardson, Ochoa, Beal, Dressman, Connor Welsh just to name a few.

The secret is in the Blue Koolaid drink served in small dixie cups. It works:popcorn:

 

Yep. Sat behind a lady at a game this year, right after Halloween. She showed us a picture of her six year old wearing a football uniform with a number 8 on it. The kid went trick-or-treating dressed as Pat Towles! LOL!!

The FTJFL is intriguing to me. Has it always been done this way?

FGS, Highlands is good year in and year out for lots of reasons! It ain't parental support (that came after they began to win) or school support (HHS's budget is no greater than any other top flite hs program in Ky). It's because kids, way back at the start of the program building the coaches went after the players! Now, maybe they don't have to as much because of reputation, but it still goes on, just like elsewhere - just pick your sport.

Do the four 7/8th grade teams in the FTJFL play each other only? Do they play any middle schools? Here at Boyle we have one middle school team(we only have one Boyle County Middle School) that is combined of all the kids that previously played in the youth league. Our youth leagues are split up by the elementary school they attend(3 elementary schools-4 total youth league teams) and play each other and other teams from surrounding counties also.

 

You have had success there at Boyle. I do believe that that the FTJFL going through 8th grade is the way to go. Instead of having one group of starters coming into your freshman class from a single middle school. Highlands has 4 starters at every position coming in, they have 4 FTJFL teams, not just one middle school team. Then they pick up a transfer here and there from around NKY. My son played FTJFL for 4 years.

The secret is in the Blue Koolaid drink served in small dixie cups. It works:popcorn:

 

Wrong they drink the Blue Koolaid in RED SOLO Cups!!!!!!

FGS, Highlands is good year in and year out because they recruit! It ain't parental support (that came after they began to win) or school support (HHS's budget is no greater than any other top flite hs program in Ky). It's because kids, way back at the start of the program building the coaches went after the players! Now, maybe they don't have to as much because of reputation, but it still goes on, just like elsewhere - just pick your sport.

 

I believe, in the opening statement of this thread, he said he wanted no mud slinging. Unless you can provide proof, this type of post does not belong anywhere on this site. I think Highlands current success is due to the way Dale Mueller develops players. He turns Clark Kent into Superman. In other words, he turns potentially average players into well conditioned, excellent team players. They will play any position necessary to help the team win a state championship.

FGS, Highlands is good year in and year out because they recruit! It ain't parental support (that came after they began to win) or school support (HHS's budget is no greater than any other top flite hs program in Ky). It's because kids, way back at the start of the program building the coaches went after the players! Now, maybe they don't have to as much because of reputation, but it still goes on, just like elsewhere - just pick your sport.

Get Real They started to win and win big over a half century ago not last year . And they don't recruit ( I don't believe that I an avid NCC supporter am defending Highlands:taz: ) but I am .

You can not tell me every player that has played at HHS lived in Fort Thomas prior to attending the school. In sorry but I don't buy that. I'm not accusing HHS of anything, but I know several who went there and have told me otherwise.

Get Real They started to win and win big over a half century ago not last year . And they don't recruit ( I don't believe that I an avid NCC supporter am defending Highlands:taz: ) but I am .

 

Appreciate the support. It's not really worth the time to respond to such garbage.

Why do we go through this constantly!!! Ft. Thomas is an Independent School System. This means you can pay tuition to go there if they have room..Also people do move into Ft. Thomas just like they do across the whole state..Your right not everyone that has played at HHS was born in Ft.Thomas. I would say that goes for every school across the country..

You can not tell me every player that has played at HHS lived in Fort Thomas prior to attending the school. In sorry but I don't buy that. I'm not accusing HHS of anything, but I know several who went there and have told me otherwise.

 

Well there you have it. He's been told otherwise. Gotta be gospel. I's imagine most schools have a player in some sport that did not live in their district before attending the school. People do move.

I agree completely with NKY Harry's analysis and believe that all of the points that he made have been big contributors to their success. As far as the high school level is concerned, it has been good for a long time, but also believe that Coach Mueller has brought the level even higher, which is very impressive itself.

 

While I believe that the other points have contributed strongly to the success of Highlands football, the one that sticks out to me is community support. As far back as I can remember, which has been quite some time now, Highlands has always had full support of the community and when a team has that, it brings that extra dimension IMO. I have been to several high school football games over the years and it seems like the support and attendance is nothing like it was at many of them in comparison to what they used to be, but it's not the case at Highlands and I don't see that changing.