Harry Doyle

Actions of the kids?! Good Lord. That stuff needs to be given a rest. 16 years coaching as an assistant and head at John; who also grew up/in as a coaches son. Football has been his life for 30+ years....just time for other things. But the crap about John Hardin and the "actions of the kids" stuff is about as much of an overblown malarkey as I've ever heard. T2T; I like you...excuse the rant, but I felt the need to just get that out there. With that said; this isn't a job for everybody. It's a good job no doubt, but to think it's a breeze? Not quite (nor are any these days). You have a very transient community make up of the school. This isn't a job for everybody. And, let's be honest...there is a whole lot to keep up; I don't exactly envy the next coach. They are taking over a program that has played in 10 straight region finals, winning 9 of them with one state runner up. Win the region? "So what, you're supposed to." Don't? "What's wrong?!?" It's no secret; for whatever reason the wolves would come howling at Coach Lewis the last two years and all he did was play a brutal non district schedule his entire four years there; winning three region titles in four years with an overall playoff record of 11-4 in four years. Couple that with what Mark Brown did and somebody has some tough acts to follow.

I know of some others who have gone this route, too. Take off all or most of May, come back in June for a little 2-3 week Mini Camp if you will; then 3 week dead period. I know Lawrence County and John Hardin both do this. Dumb question here....but, good stuff?!

Count yourself lucky...those are very few and far between even in KY. But, yep...in GA? Like the end of what Oprah use to do..."You get a car, you get a car, you get a car!" lol Except this is in extended days....coordinators down there at many places get 25-50 extended days; position coaches obviously less days, but they still get them.

Honest question or am I missing something there? lol

Yep. That too.....EXaaaactly.

Another thing.....from a coaching side of things; those other states to our south (specifically Georgia and Alabama) get those little golden nuggets called "Extended Days" & in bulk. lol Their time in June/July is very much compensated. Here? Where these slap in the face stipends (especially for assistant coaches) haven't so much as changed (and in some cases decreased b/c of extended days being taken away) in the last 20-30 years? Not so much.....

Talk about comparing apples and oranges......Us compared to Florida, Georgia, Alabama. We've never been on their level and never will.....population and the demographics within that will always give them the trump card; forever and ever. Now...Tennessee? Sure. We have and do.....a little more comparison there in terms of populations. But, you're right....that's who we try to compete with. Us trying to compete with Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, etc is about like hoping our best 1A can compete/beat our best 5A/6A on any kind of a regular basis.....not going to happen.

What people don't talk about is this; there are plenty of programs out there that lift 3-4 times a week Jan-June; go through Spring Practice with a vengeance, etc & are still average programs at best year in year out. That's never mentioned, though.

I won't disclose the names of these schools, but....two schools: One has won a state title in recent years & is always knocking on the door (certified Top 10 program in our state). Another, while a much smaller, see's the region finals/semis pretty regular. Both schools are about as opposite ends of the spectrum as it gets in terms of size of school & I know for a fact that their June programs are; come the last day of school? "See you boys July 10th". I'll throw out another who played in the state finals this year. Their coach has given them a three week dead period the last few years, but this year they are going to a almost right at a full month.

Get some coaches behind closed doors & ask them just this....in particular; come Fall Break they are tanked. Which, IMO (and, not just mine, but others b/c you see them doing it) is why people are trying like no other to get their Open weeks correlate with their Fall Breaks; taking that complete week OFF (see Mayfield and Bowling Green as just a examples that do this every year. John Hardin has the last few years, etc.)

Play on playa......preach.

A CRAP LOAD of kids; especially the "Who's Who" are involved in basketball, baseball and/or wrestling. Some of these kids, especially the ones that are three sport (which are several) will go from 2:00-8:00 or later on some nights when all three have things going on. Two Days/Week....2-2.5 hours...split groups in the weight room and outside (lift/skill seperate). Eight workouts. It might just end up being 6 workouts, because we might be taking a 3 Week Dead Period (what a travesty; I know..How dare one do such a thing) due to the week before Dead Period the wrestling & basketball teams are both going to be out of town for their "Team Camps". Come July 10th? Go time. Practice in the morning from 9:00-11:00. M/W- Skill will lift from 11:00-Noon. T/Th- Linemen lift at those times. T/TH those first couple of weeks will be like two-a-days for the skill kids w/ 7v7 in the evenings. They might even come out to practice on a Friday morning that summer, and see water slides/food grilling for lunch...err, "practice". 7v7 all day Saturday tournaments? Nope. You can get the same level of competition/reps at the weekly 'round robin/grid' things without paying to help another program's booster club AND taking up an entire Saturday's. You can find me on my boat with my wife & two daughters and/or playing in a golf scramble with my dad/grandfather. .....plenty of time and opportunities for work to get put in.

I think tons of kids want to and enjoy playing. I don't think it's a question of that; rather than it's just not the be all-end all level of importance that it might be to some of their parents/coaches? I think this generation gets a bad wrap the older I've gotten.....at no point in any of our times has more been asked of 14-18 year old in any and every sport out there & it's not slowing down. This generation that PLAY? They work their tails off....they are constantly competing...maybe not in "our" sport this time of year/June like we'd want them to, but they are "competing"...and, I really think that gets lost in the translation of this a lot of times. If they aren't showing up because they are at home eating cheetos and watching SpongeBob; then that's one thing....not showing up b/c of basketball, baseball and/ or wrestling...or heaven forbid (insert sarcasm) they take go on a family vacation before Dead Period b/c their parents work schedule(s) don't allow for those times off? So be it...get tore up if you (not specifically you, but just a generalization) want; I'm not.

It is and it isn't. I had those workout packets & what was done was done....was what it was. Even still, they go home....coaches/players get the hell away from one another, and somehow they manage to do just fine. We just went 4 days a week in the summer when we were on campus. I never saw many guys lose their scholarships; come to think of it...I didn't see a single one lose one and I played all the way through. The taking the spot thing? Sure that happens.....that happens in high school, to as you know.

So many out there cut their nose off to spite their face. At every D1 Football program across the country right now the overwhelming vast majority of all student/athletes are HOME (some do the May summer term if they HAVE to for eligibility reasons), and they will be home until the 1st week of June (so they are OFF/AWAY from the coaches, campus facilities, etc for some 3-4 weeks). They come back in June/July for summer school/workouts, but May? Gone. If not mistaken, they usually get a week to do the same at the end of July before camp starts, too. Smaller division schools (NCAA D2/D3 & NAIA)? The overwhelming majority of student-athletes go home all of May, June & July (the schools at that level can't afford to PAY them for going to summer school like D1 programs...that's how D1 programs get away with it...not only are their classes paid for, but so is their time for being there...aka...their SUMMER JOB is class and football). High school football? Coaches (some) lose their ever loving minds if they don't have them all summer long (especially in June). Hell, some even put on a front like a two week Dead Period is the devil. ....somewhere, somehow...things have gotten just a tad bit twisted.

I was about to say that I knew the 4th region does this..seems cool..I like it, and haven't really "seen" it.

I can dig it.....BG, KY is my favorite town in the state, but I'm good with UK/Lex for sure. Distance wise...it doesn't matter...unless it's a complete dark hole; I'm 2/2.5 hrs from everywhere in the state.

....love me some Huggs. His attire IMO is perfectly fine IMO, too. Agreed.

I guarantee you more are getting out than there are getting in. The thinning of the ranks is real....don't think for one minute that it isn't.

How many 13-14 year olds do you think are exactly excited about giving up literally 1/2 of their summer to go out and be a dummy holder and run sprints for 8 weeks before their first game? **I know, I know....practice those guys like you do the rest of the team. That's all great in idea. Bigger schools with larger & adequate staffing can do that. I even know "Smaller" schools (3A below) who have been able to two platoon their staffs where all kids are actually PRACTICING...and, THAT is nothing short of a thing of beauty; however, not the case at most places** If people don't think the start of school beginning basically August 1 at most places; coupled with starting practice July 10th (giving up dang near literally half of their summers) doesn't have anything to do with declining numbers then they are flat out living in denial. With that said (and, again...just PART of my theory as to why we see low numbers in that age group), I don't see any reason for incoming freshmen (UNLESS they are going to be seeing a pivotal role(s) and/or unless they just want to come out) to start practice until that last week of July or hell; not even until that Monday closest to /or on August 1st. .....but, that's just me.

Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY on line one.......Bellarmine on line one please. Facility + Location...name one better?! There isn't.

Pretty common practice these days at places 3A and below, even 4A.

It's for sure.

They did there for a while with Travis for sure. 5th in 13 years or 4th in 9. What's the saying...potato? Potatoe? :thumb: Graves 04 Teague 05-07 Graves 08-10 Gay 11-15 Stephens 16-? I've heard the same.....they have some solid groups from next years seniors back through the incoming freshmen...both in numbers and talent. As you know...a whole hell of a lot of the equation right there.

No doubt. A huge; if not overwhelming majority of the reasons for turnover. What I was alluding to, but should have stated.