New Colonel

They absolutely can pick and choose who has access. Why can't they?

I definitely think this should be the norm. How do we know the cameraman doesn't have a violent criminal record or something of the sort. The fact that schools just let these news stations pull up by the gates, park illegally not in spots, and walk onto the field without anyone saying a word is truly mind blowing when you think about it.

This is WAY overdue. There have been entirely too many people on sidelines for too long, especially at the big time schools with lots of state titles. When coaching, I have run into reporters and camera men numerous times because they are in the way. I have seen kids getting hurt too because again they are completely in the way and do not care. I have had camera people curse at me and players. It's even worse when your game is being broadcast on cable TV as they run large wires all over your sidelines and create tripping hazards. At the multi title schools, you always have dozens of "somebodies" down on the sideline, usually around the 10 yard line to the goal line. Typically these are big donors, celebrities, or other prominent people. Enough already. Schools can deny whoever they want to the sidelines. That isn't a right to be there, no matter your credentials or cameras. Everyone has a HD camera now with their cell phones, so just having a camera doesn't give you access. It's ironic that players and coaches have boundaries on the sidelines, but everyone else can go wherever they want. Get right up to the sidelines. Go outside the players' box. This doesn't occur in any other sport. We don't let camera crews in our baseball and softball dugout, yet it's perfectly ok to have cameras in a coaches face while he's addressing his players on the bench, or my favorite, when they go on the field during a timeout and put a camera in everyone's face. Good for schools for limiting access. Let whoever trash them online, that's fine. There's too many people on sidelines that coaches and players don't know, and that's a big safety issue for me. If you want to film or take photos, get cleared ahead of time. If you don't, take them from the track. Nobody is entitled to field access who isn't a coach, player, official, or health provider.

Awesome topic. Bourbon raffles can be great, however, some school districts have rules where you can't do that, even if you are a booster group that's separate from the school. And I hear the multipurpose athletes. I have 3 kids, all multisport, 1 in elementary, 1 in middle, and 1 in high school. I feel awful every time a new fundraiser comes about, it's sports, it's PTO, it's the school's arts programs, etc. Then there's participation fees for these activities, and then charged admission to the games. It is completely overwhelming. But I do it all because I do understand the need.

Great topic. I have noticed something the last few years and it's what I started calling fundraiser fatigue. People are completely overwhelmed with the amount of fundraisers and don't quite donate like they used to. Every organization is strapped for cash and your friends, family, and neighbors are constantly hit up for donations. Wish there was a better way to fund extracurricular activities that are sponsored by the schools, but that's a tall ask as well.

Wow. I had no idea. Seems like a big liability to me.

That's a brutal schedule.

Thanks for the info. Didn't know it was Covid that did away with transportation MS. Wish they'd go back and bus them to their activities since the elementary schools only have basketball as a school sponsored sports team.

How to the high school teams get to their games? Drive themselves? So 70 football players are all carpooling? If so, that's crazy.

I do agree with the TF AD. He doesn't really do anything. He won't try to find coaches for sports they don't have but then claim they want to have, like wrestling. Coaches end up doing his job many times with logistics, scheduling, etc. Heck, they don't even transport kids for middle school games as a district, so really not sure what be does.

Right, I understand all of this. But it's not so hard that 2 outside organizations with no affiliation with the school district have no problems getting the field. I was under the impression that district events get priority over outside entities for facility usage/rentals. Half of TF games are on Saturdays this year.

Is the field supposed to be done before the season starts?

That's awful.

I get that, but there is time. As I stated, they have no problem giving the youth program (not officially affiliated with Dixie Heights) and the flag football on the weekends. Band almost never gets the field. I know it's complex and a lot, but that's what ADs get paid to do is to figure all that out.

That was the worst and literally made you jump/flinch little every time, even though you knew it was coming. Unfortunately in my coaching career, I heard that cannon way too much in the few times we played there.

I've heard TF will have one next year Sorry, you said next year. My reading comprehension is lacking apparently.

I assure you Turkey Foot has no home games for the second year in a row. Last year, they had 8th grade night at St. Henry, thankfully they were gracious enough to allow that to happen. And the field project is a few years off every time I've heard any details. They are going to demolished the building in between Caywood and Turkey Foot first to increase parking. It would be nice if Dixie would give priority to their middle school instead of outside organizations. It would only impact 3 or 4 days during the season, and it could be a week night as some middle school games are during the week.

As someone with a 15 year old, I absolutely love the new age for learner's permit. My son now gets an entire year to practice under my wife and I supervision before getting his license, whereas before he would have only gotten 6 months. This is a win in my book.

Summitview in Independence also has their own stadium. It's grass. There are plans for Turkey Foot to get a field in the next few years, since they are the only Kenton County middle school without a home field. They have zero home games the past two seasons. For some reason they can't get any home games at Dixie Heights, even though Dixie let's the youth team play games there.

Doesn't ever happen at the youth level, which is what I currently coach. Even when I was still coaching high school 10 years ago, it was hit or miss with officials, mostly miss. Officials then and now rarely say anything to me or other coaches on the teams I'm coaching before coin toss.

Have you seen how thin these pads are anymore? No, they don't. But they are required, so they get worn. If you get hit hard enough in the hip to get a hip pointer, the pads in these newer girdles definitely won't prevent one from happening.

The knee pads protect more than the hip and butt pads, which are pretty useless.

I am. If any kid is not properly equipped, they are definitely picking and choosing what rules their players follow. What you tolerate as a coach, you promote. Likewise for the vast majority of officials for allowing it too.

I couldn't disagree more with this. Do what's right by the kids. Period. If that somehow violates this rule and you get fired, then you can sleep better at night knowing you did everything possible to help kids, which is why almost everyone gets into this profession to begin with.

Yep, and it won't be enforced at all again.