[softballknowledge]

What is everyone's opinion on this? My opinion is that it should be broken down into 1A-6a just like football. This allows more girls to get recognized, which they deserve. Let me hear your opinions on this.

[outsidein]

Bad idea but hey what do I know.... If they do it should be no more than 3. But I would keep it the way it is now.

[blue1424]

I think it is a bad idea. I don't see any need for it.

[cougarpride08]

To me there isn't enough schools that has softball teams that could break down in classes. I am sure other states have classes in softball, but the numbers are a little different in Kentucky.

[walterwhite]

No way, shape, fashion or form. If you've been as a participant or spectator you know the state tournament is a great event. There's no need to water it own by having classes. If you're not good enough, work harder and get better.

[outsidein]

again have to agree with Walter... Don't wait till Feb 15 to pick up a bat or put on a glove. Put the work and time in to get better. Most top teams in the state actually work all year. Most of there players probably play 8 months out of the year.

[UKisN1]

No

[SoftballDad]

Thought about this for awhile....
I could see pros to having classes but I think it would dilute the state tournament to mean nothing.
It would help some schools seem better because they wouldn't have to interact with some of the big dogs but that really desn't do anything for the program.

I would rather play the heavy hitters all year and grow the group competitvely to become better. That way maybe we make to state one day.

So to sum it up IMO....classes would hurt the game more than help.

[walterwhite]

We don't need any watering down. Period. Work harder and get better.

[lastrebel1985]

No.
The state tournament is an exciting event. Classing would end that vibe as soon as it was implemented.
I've had many conversations around the country with parents from CA, GA, AL, OH etc., where there are multiple classes and multiple "state champions", and to a person, they would all love something like this to determine who REALLY is #1.

[lchsalumnus]

To me there isn't enough schools that has softball teams that could break down in classes. I am sure other states have classes in softball, but the numbers are a little different in Kentucky.

good ole Kentucky. still hanging on to the ancient beliefs of a "true" champion. i hate to tell you all, but it isn't about "working harder". also, it's not just a "few other states" who class. i'm pretty sure that at least 45 or 46 states class, that includes states with MORE than 1/2 less the population and schools as kentucky.


it isn't about "watering it down". the fact is that a school of 400 students (200 boys, 200 girls) will not be able to compete EVERY YEAR with a school of 1600 students. if you think that the school with 400 didn't make the state tournament because they "didn't work hard enough" then you are sadly mistaken or clueless.


splitting baseball and softball in to classes is needed. why do they do it in football? yeah, that's different.....sure......:eyeroll:


if you all truly want a "state champion", then kentucky can go to a 4 class system and have a 4 team tourney (champions from each class) to solve that.....

[walterwhite]

Got news for you lchsalumnus, I've been on both ends of the spectrum and I still would NEVER want classes in softball. Same old cry baby attitude because we don't have enough students to compete. Get out and work at the beginning levels of softball and continue through the years and you can and will be able to compete. You might have down years but you can establish a strong enough program with a strong feeder system to be competitive. Eastern Kentucky is far behind Louisville and western Kentucky and one of the main reasons is establishing travel ball teams and working on great feeder programs through the school system. Most don't care because they're too busy bouncing a basketball all year long. I'll tell you what, let's just quit keeping score and play for the fun of it. At the end of the season hand out trophies to everyone!

[walterwhite]

After EVERYONE gets their trophy we can build a fire and sing Kumbaya!

[walterwhite]

Furthermore, Kentucky already has classed softball. They play the All-A State every year.

[outsidein]

preach it walter.....Ichsa your funny I have never seen such bull... Yea softball could be like football and become a joke... One thing about Softball anyone can play it. Skinny, fat,short,tall,slow,fast.... and what ever.... anyone can play the game. How good they can be is how hard and much time are they willing to put into it and who is teaching the game. You have coaches that have no idea what there doing. They don't try to learn the game. You say big schools have advantage over small schools. I have seen many large schools there teams were bad. I have seen small schools come and whoop the the big schools. So if size matters than Henry Clay, Lafayette, Dumbar should win state every year in every sport because you say that more students makes better teams. LOL ok.... you see successful programs because these kids work hard, dedicate themselves summer, fall, winter and spring and they have teachers that know the game, continue to educate themselves about the game. When kids are at home sitting in the a/c or at the pool and hanging with there friends these other kids are at ballparks playing. ichsa if you check the roster of the best teams you will find they all play travel ball if you check the roster of the bad teams you will probably see no one plays travel ball other than maybe one possible two. But hey Ichsa I guess we should just water everything down to make everyone happy. Lets just put everyone in the tournament so we can be like football. Ky football 6 classes that is classless... what a joke.

[walterwhite]

Thank you outsidein. I am very passionate about this issue. The world has too much "gimme" involved as it is, there's no reason to ruin softball, too.

[outsidein]

I agree with you walter....i think your 100% right

[lchsalumnus]

Got news for you lchsalumnus, I've been on both ends of the spectrum and I still would NEVER want classes in softball. Same old cry baby attitude because we don't have enough students to compete. Get out and work at the beginning levels of softball and continue through the years and you can and will be able to compete. You might have down years but you can establish a strong enough program with a strong feeder system to be competitive. Eastern Kentucky is far behind Louisville and western Kentucky and one of the main reasons is establishing travel ball teams and working on great feeder programs through the school system. Most don't care because they're too busy bouncing a basketball all year long. I'll tell you what, let's just quit keeping score and play for the fun of it. At the end of the season hand out trophies to everyone!

yeah, because having 4 classes and having 4 state champions is "watering it down" and "giving trophies to everyone". give it a rest. eastern kentucky isn't far behind because they don't work hard enough. fact is that if you have 800 students to choose from, it is very likely that you will find 25-30 that have some very good skills. but when you only have 200 to choose from, it is less likely. i guess you also believe that everybody can dunk a basketball if they practice hard enough. and every student can score a 36 on their ACT if they study enough. right?

[walterwhite]

I'm not going to argue on a message board. You think what you think and I know what I know. Keep singin' the blues about student population and talent base, maybe the players and parents in your program will hear it long enough to believe it. You need to direct your attention to the All-A Classic, which has been held for the last several years, and offers an opportunity for "small" schools to play schools of like size for a state title. In fact, Reidland has won both the All-A and the KHSAA tournaments! Of course you won't have to compete with them as they've consolidated. Have a great spring, as you are probably waiting untill Feb. 15 to start your softball prep for this season.

[walterwhite]

Reality check, some kids are better than others. Some teams are better than others. Teams win, others lose. Life is full of victories and defeats. Sports should be preparing our kids for life, and the theory that "everybody's a winner" is a crock. You win humbly and lose graciously. You practice and work to do your best, not to do your best based on the size of your school or how many division I players your school has produced. My kids have been a part of great success and victory and heartbreaking defeat, and they are the better for all of it. If you want something handed to you on a silver platter, so be it. To each his own.

[lchsalumnus]

I'm not going to argue on a message board. You think what you think and I know what I know. Keep singin' the blues about student population and talent base, maybe the players and parents in your program will hear it long enough to believe it. You need to direct your attention to the All-A Classic, which has been held for the last several years, and offers an opportunity for "small" schools to play schools of like size for a state title. In fact, Reidland has won both the All-A and the KHSAA tournaments! Of course you won't have to compete with them as they've consolidated. Have a great spring, as you are probably waiting untill Feb. 15 to start your softball prep for this season.

a little too pompous, aren't we? trust me, both the baseball and softball teams at my school work every day (except the designated dead period). they practice and lift. they do it all. but of course you didn't answer my question fully. can every player dunk a basketball if they train enough? can every student score a perfect on the ACT? no, they can't. you are right, some kids are better than others. not to mention that some areas are more blessed with OPPORTUNITIES than others due to population, industry, etc.


i guess you say every other state that classes is "watering down" the talent. it's time for Kentucky to realize that this current system is ancient and needs to update it. go to three classes. who cares. fact is you post out there about the "ALL-A".....you realize that only includes the smaller schools. schools with 600 students aren't in this.

and where is "everyone winning" in classification? you get 3 or 4 winners. wow. yeah, out of 250+ schools, sure everyone is "winning" aren't they? hahaha. what a joke of a reason. your attitude is scary, especially knowing you are connected to high school sports. but if you think not classing is teaching kids about the "real world", then you should step away from any high school sporting event because you are way overboard.....

[walterwhite]

Hey if you think my attitude is scary that's a bigger problem than classifiying sports. You, my friend are the one who is way overboard. Hey, maybe you'll get your wish and the KHSAA will create classes. It wouldn't surprise me a bit. You have your opinion, I have mine. Leave it at that, but NEVER question my attitude toward players and program. You would be very surprised if you knew! This is the reason I didn't get involved with message boards. My case is closed, cause the powers that be will make their decisions regardless of our opinions.

[outsidein]

you are correct Ich everyone can't dunk and everyone can't get a 32 on ACT so by your way of thinking than we should lower the goal to 5 feet or lower so everyone can dunk and lower the perfect score for the ACT so everyone can get a perfect score. Now that is your way of thinking. So you say big schools have advantage. Why hasn't Lafayette, Henry Clay, Dumbar won softball state title? Why has Reidland, Calloway Co. Owensboro Cath. Mercy, Small schools and they have won softball state titles? hmmmmmmmmm large school and big school...... lol Try again. I would love to know who your high school is. How many of those girls play summer and fall ball? I mean not for local little league I'm talking about quality travel ball.

[lchsalumnus]

you are correct Ich everyone can't dunk and everyone can't get a 32 on ACT so by your way of thinking than we should lower the goal to 5 feet or lower so everyone can dunk and lower the perfect score for the ACT so everyone can get a perfect score. Now that is your way of thinking. So you say big schools have advantage. Why hasn't Lafayette, Henry Clay, Dumbar won softball state title? Why has Reidland, Calloway Co. Owensboro Cath. Mercy, Small schools and they have won softball state titles? hmmmmmmmmm large school and big school...... lol Try again. I would love to know who your high school is. How many of those girls play summer and fall ball? I mean not for local little league I'm talking about quality travel ball.

i'll be honest i don't know how much the softball players play in the summer at my high school. i know some do for sure. as for the baseball team, they all play for the high school team and play 30+ games. when you have a school of less than 600 students, the amount of athletes is stretched a bit thin to be able to concentrate on your precious "summer ball" because of football, volleyball, etc.


and using your logic, women's basketball should use the same size of ball as the men do and their 3-pt line in college should be the same as the men, too. right? or perhaps they don't play enough "summer ball" either.....:eyeroll:

[outsidein]

Ich I have put it out there for you. Sorry you just can't get past the poor 600 less schools get the shaft. Poor them. I have tried.... hey maybe the education at the 600 less schools is somethign to cry about also. Ok everyone if you go to a school with less than 600 students you get a free college education. This is per Ich because 600 less schools just get a bad deal all together. poor poor 600 less schools

[rawlingsfan]

To me there isn't enough schools that has softball teams that could break down in classes. I am sure other states have classes in softball, but the numbers are a little different in Kentucky.

There's actually MORE high schools participating in girls' softball (264) than football (221).