[UKisN1]

This is Coach Hicks. I will make one post and one post only. This post is about Elisha Justice taking the head coaching job at JBS. Me and Elisha are good friends and will always be good friends. When Elisha told me about the job I told him that I thought it would be a good opportunity for him and his wife. I am excited for him and I know that he will work extremely hard and do a good job. I hate to see him go but I did not want him to pass on a good opportunity.
I really wish that people would not get on here and bash people because it always trickles down to the kids. If you do not have anything good to say about someone then don't say anything. I am real easy to find. I am either at my house or at the gym. If you want to bash me PLEASE have enough guts to come do it face to face.
I will close by saying that JBS will be a contender in the 14 this year. Good Luck Elisha.

Great post.

[Ballers]

Some great young talent at JBS right now..
I'd say they'll do pretty good in their first year together.
Sticking with Knott for region.
Someone told me that Cordia was playing after everything???
Anyone know truth to that?

[truebeliever]

None of this is true. I really wish that people would not get on here and make up lies. It just makes you sound like you have an axe to grind with Coach Hicks. I will start by saying that his players don't like him, They Love him. He is a good Christian man and yes he does work his players very hard but that is what a coach is supposed to do. I am very close to this situation. Coach Hicks did not go to Mr. Napier and try to get rid of Jonah Justice. Jonah wanted to coach football and that is that. Coach Hicks and Elisha are close friends and will always be close friends so don't try to make it into something that is not true. He encouraged Elisha to take the job. He did not want to lose him but he thought it was a good opportunity for Elisha. Coach Hicks does more things for his players than any other coach that I have ever seen or heard of. The only coach that he got rid of is Donovan Little and anyone that was around the program really understands why he got rid of him. You can ask any teacher at Shelby Valley High School about Donovan Little and all of them would give you the same response. He is the worst teacher in the building and he is very unethical.

From what I have heard the kids love Hicks. The only flaw he has is that maybe he is too ambitious. Coaches should never practice on Wednesday nights from 7-9, especially coaches that claim to be Christians and should be in church themselves. Teach these players things they can use for the rest of their lives and priorities not just basketball. I'm not here to judge anyone but one might would think maybe Hicks professes to be a Christian for popularity and not because its what he truly believes, if it is what he truly believes I challenge him to set the example and go without practice on those two hours every week and to take his family and himself to church instead. Two hours less a week isn't going to change how good your team is and who knows maybe it could change someone's life forever, I would like to think Hicks thinks two hours a week is worth it if it will anyway.

[baseball1974]

Elijah will have to learn as he goes for the most part. He knows the game and is very intelligent, and he's had a great mentor when he was in college to learn x's and o's from at both schools. He's starting very young as a head coach. The average age of a first year high school head coach is 28. Sometimes it's hard for kids to "buy-in" to a system with somebody close to their age? However, his playing experience will earn him immediate respect, and hopefully he can be a fast learner with everything else? The key that I learned as a young coach was to surround myself with good intelligent people that I didn't mind challenging me on things. Sometimes egos in coaching won't let that happen, but Elijah seems to be a grounded kid and I think he'll be very successful.

I'm very happy that he got away from the situation at Valley. It'd be awful to see him attached to something like that early in his career? I wonder if that played a role in his decision, or if being a head coach was enough to make that move?

[pugsley79]

No, they don't recruit at Valley?? Yell right? They move them into the community and get them eligible and then they return to where they lived. They have done this several times but I think this last one is going to cost them??????????????? Whats wrong don't have enough talent in your own community???

[baseball1974]

No, they don't recruit at Valley?? Yell right? They move them into the community and get them eligible and then they return to where they lived. They have done this several times but I think this last one is going to cost them??????????????? Whats wrong don't have enough talent in your own community???

I was under the impression that the team that won the state title had been playing together since before they were teenagers? Is that not true?

[Crazy Horse]

^^all but 2 went to Virgie, but they all lived in Pike County and came in as freshman...ZERO transfers

[More Cowbell]

^^all but 2 went to Virgie, but they all lived in Pike County and came in as freshman...ZERO transfers

All of the starting five went to Shelby Valley feeder schools, 3 at Virgie and 2 at Dorton.

[baseball1974]

^^all but 2 went to Virgie, but they all lived in Pike County and came in as freshman...ZERO transfers

All of the starting five went to Shelby Valley feeder schools, 3 at Virgie and 2 at Dorton.

That's what I thought? So all the bs about transfers and recruiting is a joke, or is this coach doing things differently?

[Crazy Horse]

Same thing I said, no transfers. All went to Pike Co middle schools, I'm friends with several of them

[pugsley79]

No, Ashley Hatfield came from Phelps. Sawyers, Fraley and Swindell from East Ridge(Girls Basketball). Hunter Swindell played at Elkhorn city Middle school. Michael Fields from East Ridge. Looks like East Ridge is running a farm system for valley. The kid they brought in last year from Grant County for Boy's basketball. Adams kid from Pikeville and Bentley from Prestonsburg. You want me to go on crazy horse and baseball1974.

[baseball1974]

No, Ashley Hatfield came from Phelps. Sawyers, Fraley and Swindell from East Ridge(Girls Basketball). Hunter Swindell played at Elkhorn city Middle school. Michael Fields from East Ridge. Looks like East Ridge is running a farm system for valley. The kid they brought in last year from Grant County for Boy's basketball. Adams kid from Pikeville and Bentley from Prestonsburg. You want me to go on crazy horse and baseball1974.

Sure because I really don't the answer? I've heard both sides. One group says their all home grown and the others say otherwise? My question was about the state championship team specifically

[More Cowbell]

No, Ashley Hatfield came from Phelps. Sawyers, Fraley and Swindell from East Ridge(Girls Basketball). Hunter Swindell played at Elkhorn city Middle school. Michael Fields from East Ridge. Looks like East Ridge is running a farm system for valley. The kid they brought in last year from Grant County for Boy's basketball. Adams kid from Pikeville and Bentley from Prestonsburg. You want me to go on crazy horse and baseball1974.

Ashley was originally from Phelps, but he started going to Virgie for middle school. He was not a high school transfer.

[Mr. Onion Head]

No, Ashley Hatfield came from Phelps. Sawyers, Fraley and Swindell from East Ridge(Girls Basketball). Hunter Swindell played at Elkhorn city Middle school. Michael Fields from East Ridge. Looks like East Ridge is running a farm system for valley. The kid they brought in last year from Grant County for Boy's basketball. Adams kid from Pikeville and Bentley from Prestonsburg. You want me to go on crazy horse and baseball1974.

So I guess that's why East Ridge relied on players from another country then?

[Crazy Horse]

All but 2 went to Virgie during Middle School, I know this cause I played Virgie in 8th grade against them and am friends with several

[Crazy Horse]

Ashley Hatfield for sure went to Virgie

[thegr81]

Sounds like JBS is doing the same thing that Cordia is/has been doing. Bring in a former D1 player with Pitino connections , and also bringing in several players from other countries. If I remember right Cordia brought in 3/4 players the first year when they started and that is how many JBS has as well. Not a lot of bashing going on in a situation that to me has several similarities. (Big name coach,out of state/ country players, guardians, and dorms involved). Personally I don't care who brings in who but the view s of what JBS is doing seem a lot less harsh than those of Cordia. Maybe I'm completely wrong about this just trying to generate conversation.

[zaga_fan]

Sounds like JBS is doing the same thing that Cordia is/has been doing. Bring in a former D1 player with Pitino connections , and also bringing in several players from other countries. If I remember right Cordia brought in 3/4 players the first year when they started and that is how many JBS has as well. Not a lot of bashing going on in a situation that to me has several similarities. (Big name coach,out of state/ country players, guardians, and dorms involved). Personally I don't care who brings in who but the view s of what JBS is doing seem a lot less harsh than those of Cordia. Maybe I'm completely wrong about this just trying to generate conversation.

Do JBS students live in dorms?

I thought it was a rule that they never go near the dorms.

[thegr81]

Do JBS students live in dorms?

I thought it was a rule that they never go near the dorms.

Not sure I know that JBS has dorms and dorms are not illegal per KHSAA rule if they are available to all students.

[baseball1974]

Personally I think the whole "recruiting" rumors in eastern KY are blown way out of proportion. Obviously Cordia did and got busted because it was very blatant and in everyone's face. However, I don't think it is happening on that scale or close to that scale at other places around eastern KY. If I'm wrong and that is going on, then they are doing a really terrible job at it? If you're risking your schools as well as your own reputation by recruiting high school level players, then at least be doing it for a state championship? Recruiting so you can win a regional tournament is just hilarious to me and everyone else around the state.

[region]

Personally I think the whole "recruiting" rumors in eastern KY are blown way out of proportion. Obviously Cordia did and got busted because it was very blatant and in everyone's face. However, I don't think it is happening on that scale or close to that scale at other places around eastern KY. If I'm wrong and that is going on, then they are doing a really terrible job at it? If you're risking your schools as well as your own reputation by recruiting high school level players, then at least be doing it for a state championship? Recruiting so you can win a regional tournament is just hilarious to me and everyone else around the state.

You are wrong.


It is rampant, and yes they are doing it to win region titles in basketball or just to compete for state titles in football.


Parents are crazy, but school boards are more to blame. They will not allow schools to call other schools out in the same counties, others fear some retaliation, and others do not report it because they think in the future they can get by with it too.

Pike and Perry Counties are the mecca for recruiting and getting away with it.

[baseball1974]

You are wrong.


It is rampant, and yes they are doing it to win region titles in basketball or just to compete for state titles in football.


Parents are crazy, but school boards are more to blame. They will not allow schools to call other schools out in the same counties, others fear some retaliation, and others do not report it because they think in the future they can get by with it too.

Pike and Perry Counties are the mecca for recruiting and getting away with it.

Well that is very sad then. If I was going to risk everything I'd definitely make sure I at least got a state title out of it? Pathetic

[kyhsaarules]

From what I have heard the kids love Hicks. The only flaw he has is that maybe he is too ambitious. Coaches should never practice on Wednesday nights from 7-9, especially coaches that claim to be Christians and should be in church themselves. Teach these players things they can use for the rest of their lives and priorities not just basketball. I'm not here to judge anyone but one might would think maybe Hicks professes to be a Christian for popularity and not because its what he truly believes, if it is what he truly believes I challenge him to set the example and go without practice on those two hours every week and to take his family and himself to church instead. Two hours less a week isn't going to change how good your team is and who knows maybe it could change someone's life forever, I would like to think Hicks thinks two hours a week is worth it if it will anyway.

Now come on. Let the Coach coach his way. If you want to make it a Religous debate. I believe with you coach. There is no where in the Bible that it tells us to go to Church on Wednesday nights. But lets go on to say, nor did Jesus start Sunday school, have music in his Church. May I say more

[FarristownFlyer]

This blows my mind!