3high

Poor coaching.

How is the basketball not sanctioned? It was the school team and coaches. The Fall baseball league was coached by "unpaid" assistant baseball coaches. The same players that make up the baseball team in the spring, were the same players that the fall team consisted of. Either way, I am happy that we have the fortunate chance to have spring practice, something that we used to not have. However I think some of the problem that lies in the interference between sports is the length of the seasons the KHSAA has set forth. For one, football season is too long, specifically the playoffs, which pushes the start of basketball back, which in turn pushed the start of baseball back. Secondly, both basketball and baseball play too many games in this state. Basketball should have a 20 game regular season, then district, region, and then state if you make it. Baseball should have 20-25 regular season games before starting district play. Baseball should wrap up the 2nd or 3rd week of May. Then give Football two weeks to get 10 practices in the last week of May and 1st week of June. Just my opinion. I also think football practice starts too early in July.

One year, half of my skill kids played Fall baseball every saturday and sunday through out the football season. What's the difference? Many times we had kids on all-star and legion teams that played up until the 1st week of August. Football would start around July 16th and they would miss over 2 weeks of practice. I guess that's fair though because they were missing football in order to play baseball, instead of the other way around. The open gyms in basketball that were taking place the same time as football practice was comical also. The coaches are not allowed to attend or instruct open gyms, however they would put chairs in the doorways to the gym and observe, instruct, and shout directions from the doorway without technically being in the gym. What a joke.

Not knocking on Morgan, but if you do things by the bare minimum and you are a struggling program, you will get minimum results. To turn around a program like Morgan, you will need a complete commitment to the program from the Superintendent on down. And YES, money will need to be spent in order to create excitment and a buzz around the program. Things are not going to magically change overnight when the same standard and way of doing things continues to be done year after year. Money isn't the only solution but it sure does help.

I wish Lewis Co. all the luck in the world, but I have one question: How does a team go from finishing the year with 18-20 players to having 40+ kids out for spring and several 300lb bench pressers on their team? How is that possible? What caused the dramatic turn around in interest? Not trying to bash them or say it isn't true, just pointing out the fact that is a major turn around in 5 months.

Copley will do a great job. Congrats to a great young coach and friend.

I don't think this really matters. Whether you're the number 1 or number 2 choice, if you applied for the job and want it, you'll take it if offered. Regardless of whether or not you were their 1st or 2nd choice. Personally I believe either candidate will do a fine job, but there seems to be some support from the players for Copley to get it. If Hensley was offered the job and turned it down, I think that is a sad move on his part. Why go this far in the job process and go through the interviews and make trips to the school and then turn it down? Maybe he was lobbying for more support or money from the Dunbar Administration to get him to stay.

Looks like there's someone on the grassy knoll.

I find it hard to believe that nothing illegally was done then if Coach is accepting the two game suspension. The KHSAA does not conduct nor condone Witch Hunts. We can blame the whole mess on a "Mysterious Flooding of a rental property". Bet the KHSAA has heard that one before. My understanding is that the house that they moved into, after leaving the flooded property, was one belonging to Coach Matney, or the address given to the KHSAA for this young man was Coach Matney's address. Either way, it's all water under the bridge now. JCHS is not penalizing Coach Matney any further than the KHSAA two game suspension. The KHSAA has dealt their punishment and life will go on. Whether it was a mistake or not, doesn't really matter. It doesn't compare to the impact Coach has had on the school and community and the turn around he has accomplished with the JCHS Football Program. He is a great coach and cares greatly about kids and that's really all that matters.

Some teachers go above and beyond and put in countless amount of hours for their students that they do not get credit for. Some coaches go above and beyond and put in countless amount of hours for their students that they do not get credit for. Fact is some teachers do this, some don't. Some coaches do it, some don't. But to say that one is more important than the other is false. Sorry I know I said I wouldn't post again on this thread but I felt compelled to do so.

You beat me to it!:lol:

I'm not saying coaches are more important than teachers, but I will say they are just as important. Do teachers teach open field tackling? Do teachers teach zone blocking? Do teachers teach tip drill? Do teachers teach sprinting mechanics? Do teachers teach 3 step or 5 step drop? The answer to all of these is No. Do coaches teach the things "you" mentioned? The answer is also No. You can't compare the two, and your comparision only shows how narrow minded you are toward football coaches or maybe coaches in general. Teachers are grossly underpaid, I think we would all agree on that. However I guess I have a difference of opinion with you in how important a coach is to a young man's life, school, and community, regardless of Wins or Losses. I am finished arguing with you on this topic.

Are you saying that Coaches don't change lives? The lessons learned on a football field are lessons that you cannot always find in the classroom. What about the Coach who keeps his star player out of trouble by giving him something to focus on and work at (football in this case) and shows him how to become a leader not only on the field but in the hallways and classroom? Then he teaches that young man discipline by coming to practice on time and being held accountable to his team and teammates. Then he shows that young man that it's okay to cry, it's okay to hug the guy next to you, it's okay to scream and yell in enjoyment, it's okay to invest everything you have into a game regardless if you win or not because you have to give your best effort all the time. Then he teaches him to call the guy next to him "brother" regardless of the color of his skin or how rich or poor his family is. He teaches that young man to look beyond the outer appearance of the man next to him. Then he exposes that young man to ACT/SAT scores, Core GPA, the NCAA Clearinghouse, he gets colleges to come look at this young man, he takes him to campus visits, he takes him to combines, he takes him to college football games, he gets a college coach to offer that young man a scholarship, and all of a sudden he has changed that young man's life. He's afforded that young man an oppurtunity to go to college and better himself, all because he took an interest in him at a young age and got that kid into his football program and as a result has now changed his life forever due to the lessons and oppurtunities that young man learned and received as a result of being in the football program. How is that not changing a kid's life? I can give you names of coaches all over KY that have done that for young men. They have went above and beyond the requirements set forth by their job title to better the lives of their athletes. To compare coaches and teachers and tell us that Coaches do not change lives like teachers do is ridiculous!!!!!! I'm not saying whether or not it's right or wrong to pay a coach 100,000 for coaching football, BUT I am saying that they do change lives and I TOTALLY resent your statement.:madman:

There are several schools across the country that pay high school football coaches over 100,000 a year. The avg. salary of the Dallas Metro area Coaches in Texas was somewhere between 88,000-92,000. The poll took into account responses from over 100 schools as to what they paid their H.S. coach. Almost 50% of the schools replied that they indeed payed their coaches over 100,000. There are several schools in Georgia and Alabama they pay that much. Of course at some of these places, not all of that money is paid by the school system itself. Some of it is payed by well-organized, large, and hard working booster clubs. It just seems out of the norm here in Ky because not many if any schools other than Johnson Central pay their Head Football coach that much money.

Seeing how this forum/website is dedicated to sports we often only hear about the athletic exploits of schools, in particular Raceland. We often miss out on other great aspects that are going on inside the walls of all the high schools that we mention on this website. I have heard "GREAT" things about the administration, faculty, and student body at Raceland. I was told the kids are very respectful and the school spirit runs rampant through the hallways. Sounds like a fantastic place. When you take a drive down US 23, you only have to look over toward the Ohio River to see all the great things that are being done on campus. Top notch facilities for a Class A school match a top notch administration and student body. I really don't have a favorite memory, but I can tell you I sure have enjoyed watching former Ram Aaron Pettrey kick for my Ohio State Buckeyes.

I was surprised the punishment wasn't more severe. There has been several new faces dotting the Golden Eagles roster the last couple of years. Most of that has had to do with the recent success of the Eagles football program and Matney's resurrection of a struggling program. However today, we find out, from the KHSAA, that some of those faces showed up on their roster due to bylaws 4 and 10 being broken. This is a black eye for a program that is finding success and becoming a football power in the Ky state playoffs, not to mention a dominant mountain school program. However, it will only be a slap on the wrist due to the KHSAA's inability to enforce stiffer punishment. I will be surprised if the one's involved, who broke bylaw 4 and 10, quit doing what they're already doing.

Pikeville has one of the best weight training programs in the state. I know Coach Copley gets it done in the weight room. How are they lacking in this area??????

:thumb:

I am a huge fan of Tyler Jones. I love the way he plays. However he will probably project as an outside linebacker or strong safety in college and quite frankly he is probably a little too short and too slow to play those positions at a D1 school. He is a great high school football player and will make a fantastic NAIA player, but I don't think he is D1 caliber. I'm not questioning his heart and character because I think he has a huge heart, especially with him playing banged up half the year, but he's not D1. I think our area fans don't realize just how fast you have to be and how quick you have to be to play D1. Perfect example was Dontae Wright of Lawrence Co. He was a fantastic high school player and was much faster on the field than most in our area but when he went to Miami of Ohio, it took him several years to get on the field and he didn't become a full time starter until his senior year. The same could be said with Gerad Parker from Lawrence and Mike West from Lawrence who got buried on the depth chart at Marshall. All 3 of these guys were great h.s. players but it took several years for them to contribute at their respective D1 schools. I think the same will be said with Kasey Clark of Russell who went to Murray. If he stays with it and continues to work he will get on the field at some point and contribute but he will have to work and get faster and quicker to compete at that level, and I think Kasey is one of the best to come through this area in the last couple of years. One more example is Dustin May who is a senior at Belfry this year. This young man is a fantastic football player. He's somewhere around 6'3 and 225 and can run but the D1 schools thought he was a little too slow and all he got was some preferred walk on offers. He ended up signing with NAIA power Georgetown and I think he will have a fantastic career there. He probably just isn't quick enough to play D1.

Congrats. 3 very good players. I really enjoyed watching Tyler Jones this year and the way he played defense. He is an outstanding hitter and open field tackler.

Bret Denton- Raceland

I would be surprised if a kid with that size and speed combination gets an offer from a D1 program. However any time you can get some exposure and take a visit to a big time college program than I would encourage the young man to take advantage of it. I would just hope he doesn't get his hopes up to high only to be let down on signing day of 2009. He definately needs to get faster to play at that level.

Great Hire.

Go to: http://ahsdoc.ihigh.com to see more pictures.

Ashland's Sam Hunter will only be a freshman in 2008.