What is Highlands' secret?

[Voice of Reason]

Highlands recipe for success:

 

1. A community tradition of the work ethic, culture and expectation of winning.

2. Great coaching.

 

Everything else mentioned is a result or part of the two above. For someone else wanting to repeat the success, the hardest part of course is building the tradition in the first place. Once you win, it begins to feed upon itself. But let there be no doubt that the biggest part of the recent success is Coach Mueller and the current program structure.

[skycvg]

Our son has been playing football since he was 6 years old. Being from outside the NKY area, we didn't know squat about the local area high school football programs. We started attending local games on friday nights. One school kept drawing us back and it was HHS. It just "felt good" to go to watch games there and experience the community coming together to support their school team. We endured the NKYFL, BCPWL and Kenton Co. middle school programs. We finally got him into the FTJFL and the change was almost instantaneous. He loved the game again. He had such bad experiences with the other groups that we thought he would never play again. After his 8th grade championship game, all of the players were grouped not by original team color, but were seated next to a member of the opposite color jersey. Blue, white, blue, white, etc. Coach Mueller told the boys that there were no longer a Red, Green, Gold or Blue team. They were ALL Highlands now. They were his Frosh Team for this year. His speech was moving as well as motivating. That is the kind of coach he is. But make no mistake, they are all held accountable. You will not have any incidents like what has occured at other schools this year. He doesn't put the fear of God into them, because he doesn't have to. Kids WANT to play for him because they will become better players under him. They will learn the game, and learn to love the game, which in turn make them stronger players and stronger teammates.

 

Do we live in Ft Thomas? No. Do we want a better education for our son than what he could get at our district school? Yes. Do we pay to send him to HHS? Yes. Were we recruited? NO. NO. NO. Would I ever send him to his assigned district school? No way in H*LL, especially after what went on there this year. My only regret? Not putting both of our children in the Ft Thomas school system sooner.

[4chs]

Another factor besides the previous ones mentioned, is the fact that they have a good combination of academics and athletics, which entices students into their school system.

[gamer31]

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.

 

Welcome aboard!!:irked:

[gamer31]

Our son has been playing football since he was 6 years old. Being from outside the NKY area, we didn't know squat about the local area high school football programs. We started attending local games on friday nights. One school kept drawing us back and it was HHS. It just "felt good" to go to watch games there and experience the community coming together to support their school team. We endured the NKYFL, BCPWL and Kenton Co. middle school programs. We finally got him into the FTJFL and the change was almost instantaneous. He loved the game again. He had such bad experiences with the other groups that we thought he would never play again. After his 8th grade championship game, all of the players were grouped not by original team color, but were seated next to a member of the opposite color jersey. Blue, white, blue, white, etc. Coach Mueller told the boys that there were no longer a Red, Green, Gold or Blue team. They were ALL Highlands now. They were his Frosh Team for this year. His speech was moving as well as motivating. That is the kind of coach he is. But make no mistake, they are all held accountable. You will not have any incidents like what has occured at other schools this year. He doesn't put the fear of God into them, because he doesn't have to. Kids WANT to play for him because they will become better players under him. They will learn the game, and learn to love the game, which in turn make them stronger players and stronger teammates.

 

Do we live in Ft Thomas? No. Do we want a better education for our son than what he could get at our district school? Yes. Do we pay to send him to HHS? Yes. Were we recruited? NO. NO. NO. Would I ever send him to his assigned district school? No way in H*LL, especially after what went on there this year. My only regret? Not putting both of our children in the Ft Thomas school system sooner.

 

Nice post..

[tdyballgame]

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.

 

Are you serious with this nonsense! Show me one post that said every player lived there before they played there. I don't live in Ft Thomas and both of my boys went/go to HHS. I can name you several others. You really need to proof read before you post my friend!

[Lawnboy13]

..........and they cheat!!!! ............and get their players from Ohio ( you do know about the pipeline under the river that runs from Cincinnati to the fort ?) ............ all the senior studs drive caddy's and get paid after every game . Did I leave anything out ? :laugh:

 

Yes, they get all the hot cheerleaders also!

[Shiloh]

where would you send your child if you lived in Southgate, Highland Heights, or Wilder if you had the means to? Highlands is closer to these 3 cities than NCC, Newport, BB, Newport, and Campbell Co. That alone makes logistical sense. These kids play at Highlands b/c they love the school. They are succesful b/c kids like QB Toewls(?) would cut off his throwing arm if his coach told him that would be the only way to win state. I listened to a speech by Mueller back in 2001 and I was ready to line up against Ray Lewis, and I'm an NewCath guy.

[Bird Bath]

Very nice posts in the thread and truly what football is about. It is a rite of passage and football is fun in Ft Thomas you get to meet some neat folks and make friends along the way. We are passionate about the sport and even within our flock we don't always agree but we love our program. Dale is a great leader he nurtures them in a nest and makes them feel like they can soar to any heights.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Birdsfan

[Sweeperboy]

Well said Ram , I would like to add something to your post if you don't mind.

 

People don't realize the "tradition " part of the Birds. Only the people that have been going to HHS games every year for a long time can see it. It seems that the same last names keep coming up over and over. You hear "my granpa played , my dad played , brother , cousin etc, etc. I wasn't fortunate enough to get a ring , but throughout my family they have like seven rings between them. There are many generations of players and everyone of them wants to be better than the last. Like one of my nephews said ," football , was beat into me." ( I had to laugh !! ) There are too many to count , but a lot of families have more than one ring , going back generations. That doesn't happen at a lot of schools.

 

Eleven (11) Highlands football players that bear my family name that either have played or are currently playing. I think we have an Athlete or two in the pipeline as well coming up.

[Qryche11]

Great post Nky-Harry.

[skycvg]

Is the FTJFL independent of the the school system? In other words can any kid play in it that wants too?

 

http://www.fortthomasjrfootball.com

 

This may open the door for you. There is a higher fee for being out of district, but you can play real football here. Usually a couple clinics during the summer prior to the season for all youth groups.

[woodsrider]

Does any other community run a similar style feeder program?

[Qryche11]

http://www.fortthomasjrfootball.com

 

This may open the door for you. There is a higher fee for being out of district, but you can play real football here. Usually a couple clinics during the summer prior to the season for all youth groups.

 

They even had a community forum last night to discuss ways to make the league better which was a great idea. I couldn't attend due to coaching hoops but this just shows they value the input of the parents. I doubt the BCPWFL and NKYfL is doing anything like this.

 

My two cents on this subject is the community support and motivation of the players is what makes the program so good. They have great coaches but more than that by 9th grade year they have over 100 kids in grades 9-12 who eat, sleep, drink nothing but football and they sacrifice everything else for the sport. They are highly motivated to win every year and the pressure comes not only from the past champions, Uncles,Dads, etc It also comes from their peers.

[oldjarhead]

Coaching, I spent 3 years on the sideline of a team that played them sometimes twice a year. We had players that were just as good and worked just as hard. Highlands almost always won becouse they were better coached.