The Sportster

Any news on the football coach there. They are missing some valuable spring practice time.

I know some of the parents and grandparents of the aforementioned players and they wanted their kids to be part of the BL program, but not the way it has been in the past few years. In past years, Betsy Layne fans were some of the proudest sports fans I knew of, but it seems they have been beaten down so bad in all sports that they have just given up. It wasn't that long ago that boys basketball and baseball were very competitive regionally. Even football was showing some promise. I would love to see BL get back on the right track, I just don't know if they ever will. Maybe pride is something that is sorely missing there.

To: Betsy Layne Fan From: A former Alumnus I have been gone from the area for quite some time, but I still have some contacts there. You seem to have an insight to the program and its happenings. Could you please answer the question from my previous post about why a lot of the good players have transferred away from BL? Was there any effort made to persuade these kids to stay? I checked on several of these players and here are my results: Honaker twins-starting for Pikeville(class A playoff team) Hamilton and Williams-both started for Pburg (Class AA playoff team) Hamilton- started for Pike Central (AA playoff team) Rice brothers (both started for class 3A power Pulaski Southwestern) There may be more, I am not sure. With these 7 players and some of the others that actually stayed, along with some that quit the team, Betsy Layne might have been respectable. I feel if a quality coach would have been there, some of these players might have stayed. What is your opinion on this situation? Am I totally offbase in this statement? Enlighten me with some info. Thanks

Jonathan Parsons???? You have got to be kidding. Why would you hire a coach that would then turn it over to another guy? If he can't do the job DON'T HIRE HIM. That goes for anyone, not just Parsons. I cannot understand the people from BL, they will settle for anything. They proved that by the last guy that had the job. Betsy Layne Fan-- its time to hire the right person or just give it up!!! They had a good young coach a couple of years ago and got rid of him. Maybe if he would have stayed they would not have lost the 8 or 10 good players they had a couple of years ago, they would be in better shape now. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't those players all start or did start for quality football teams all around the area and state? What happened for these players to leave? Please let us know.

Coach Rice actually does alot of coaching. He tries to motivate his players but they were just playing dead.

This job has been taken off the KHSAA website. Does this mean that it has been filled?

I heard they were offering head janitor job as a perk. That way they can save money from a teaching salary. I would be willing to bet that the person hired will already be employed by the Floyd Co. Board. They are not going to spend any extra cash to pursue a quality coach.

So Southwestern would move up to 4A??

Won't be that close

Well Southwestern has a tough schedule but I think that when it comes time to start the district they will be ready. It's easy to see that Rock and Bell are very confident or cocky...as usual ...I hope Rock dont have to go through another first game like they had last year. :thumb:

Congats Matt...Good Luck! :thumb: :thumb:

Actually he is from Powell County

I remember when all the termoil was swirling around that Dave had recruited the two and from my sources those two wouldnt be here in ky if it wasnt for the fine recruiting job done by none other than Wayne co's Rodney woods so it looks to me that the two players need to go back to Indiana and stay there

Jordan Walters from Southwestern should be a great one this year

Im going with P.C. Fraley has got his machine rolling

I believe it will come down to Southwestern and Boyle Country for district again, but Pulaski has alot of talent coming back and so does Russel. Should be an exciting dristrict in the upcoming season

1. Pikeville 2. Johnson Central 3. Paintsville 4. Lawrence County 5. Allen Central 6. Betsy Layne 7. Sheldon Clark 8. Pike Central 9. Prestonsburg 10. Belfry

How is Ryan Howard going to be a surprise player next season if he was already a great player last season?

Betsy Layne should have kept Jackie Bush around, Jackie was the right coach for this team. He cared about the school and the football program and worked really hard but BL gave him one year and expected him to make them perfect or something, but it dont work like that, building programs like Betsy Layne takes alot of hard work and alot of TIME. In my opinion BL missed out on the best thing for the program. I know a lot of players that left the team when Jackie did.

Blackshirt, I agree with you totally. Would P-burg have accepted a coach just because he was there. NO!!! There would have been a statewide coach if P-burg needed one, instead BL accepts a guy who has no football knowledge, just because his salary is paid by the federal gov't and he comes cheap. Sometimes you get what you pay for. It's time for BL to put up or shut down. Get behind the program with a new coaching staff and try to salvage what is left and go from there. Or just end the program and let everyone out of their misery.

Until BL gets serious about football, there will never be a team on the hill. If BL would have shown interest in the program, they wouldn't have lost so many talented players in the last few years. The Honaker twins to Pikeville, Hamilton to Pike Central, Two Hamiltons to P-Burg, the Rice brothers to Southwestern, and Williams to P-Burg. There could be others, I'm not sure. I do know those players could have really helped BL. What caused these players to leave? Any help, Betsy Layne fan? I have heard reasons why, but would like to know for sure.

There is no way a BL player is D1 caliber. If so, the rest of the team must be terrible. How can a team go 0-10 and be watched by D-1 teams. I hear that BL will not have football next year, any truth in that? If they would have kept all the players they lost to other schools in recent years maybe they could have competed this year. Its a shame that several good players transferred because of the lack of coaching and administrative support at that school.

We have a big portion of the line to replace on both sides but our skill players should be top notch.

Good idea but probaly to much trouble for parents to drive the long distance from certain places

I think Southwestern will be the favorite from their district and could win region, what does everyone else think?