[Pulp Fiction]

Beating your rival.
Having a 10-0 season.
Making the playoffs.
Winning the District.
Winning the Region.
Making it to the State Championship game.
Winning the State Championship.


Every school in the Commonwealth defines a successful season differently.


Before the 2006 season, Johnson Central defined a successful season by beating Paintsville in the Apple Bowl and winning the Apple Barrel for a year. With only one district title and one 10-0 season in school history before the 2006 season, making it to the state championship, let alone winning a state championship was really never talked about around our school or community. When the 2006 season came around, we went 10-0, won the district, won our first regional championship and had Covington Catholic coming to Johnsonville in the state semi-finals. We fell short, but it wasn't until that very cold night in late November did we realize that we really could win a football state championship.
From 2007 through 2014, we had some great talent and some great teams, but never could get over the hump. We would have 8 & 9 wins in the regular season, but would fall to a NKY powerhouse in the 2nd or 3rd round of the playoffs. In 2015, we finally made it to the state championship game, but got beat. The players, the coaches, the fans.... we all expected to be back in Bowling Green in early December this season. There was a buzz around Johnsonville all Winter, Spring and Summer...... when the season finally arrived, we knew this was our year. Anything less than the Big Gold Football would be a major disappointment. God smiled on our little school in Eastern Kentucky.


Take a team like Phelps, one win in the playoffs or winning the district would mean more to that team than a state championship for a team like Trinity or St. Xavier.




Nobody goes 15-0 and wins the state championship every season, some more than most... but nobody does it every year....... So what does your school consider a successful season?

[Hurricane Storm]

Some general comments:

1. Getting thru the season with no kid seriously hurt. That is first and foremost. The season is successful for all teams that can do this. Avoiding paralysis or worse is more success than any championship. I'm not trying to sound philosophical, but it is a truth for all.
2. Maximizing your potential. Some teams are weaker, but working to get better and competing each week is success for some teams. Others have lots of talent, but thru one factor or another (coaching, over confidence, attitude), don't achieve what they should.
3. Challenging yourself. Playing schools that are better than you can help you get better. Losses can be learning points and not always bad. Playing cupcakes just for the sake of wins can really expose a team come playoff time. A 9-1 or 10-0 record could flop out come round 2.
4. Granted, winning it all is the goal, and jut 6 six teams get to do that. I'm not sure that 15-0 feels any better than a 10-5 champion. It may mean both were equally challenged along the way, but one team maintained and one team achieved its potential. The trophies look the same, just may have a different number of "A"s on them.
5. Advancing further each year has to be a basic success, but for teams that win championships often, the word "dynasty" may become their new level of "success". Not every team will win every year, but teams that win often or seem to always make a deep run for a long period of time are adding to their legacy each year, championship or not. Getting to that level may be the ultimate definition of success.

[Granny Bear]

LOVING that outline, Hurricane Storm!!

The only thing that I would add, because I'm getting older and softer, is that the coaching staff strive to make better human beings. Teach life lessons, in addition to strategy and football plays.

[MtnHSFootballFan]

LOVING that outline, Hurricane Storm!!

The only thing that I would add, because I'm getting older and softer, is that the coaching staff strive to make better human beings. Teach life lessons, in addition to strategy and football plays.

OUTSTANDING! :Thumbs:

[THOMCAT]

Beating your rival.
Having a 10-0 season.
Making the playoffs.
Winning the District.
Winning the Region.
Making it to the State Championship game.
Winning the State Championship.


Every school in the Commonwealth defines a successful season differently.


Before the 2006 season, Johnson Central defined a successful season by beating Paintsville in the Apple Bowl and winning the Apple Barrel for a year. With only one district title and one 10-0 season in school history before the 2006 season, making it to the state championship, let alone winning a state championship was really never talked about around our school or community. When the 2006 season came around, we went 10-0, won the district, won our first regional championship and had Covington Catholic coming to Johnsonville in the state semi-finals. We fell short, but it wasn't until that very cold night in late November did we realize that we really could win a football state championship.
From 2007 through 2014, we had some great talent and some great teams, but never could get over the hump. We would have 8 & 9 wins in the regular season, but would fall to a NKY powerhouse in the 2nd or 3rd round of the playoffs. In 2015, we finally made it to the state championship game, but got beat. The players, the coaches, the fans.... we all expected to be back in Bowling Green in early December this season. There was a buzz around Johnsonville all Winter, Spring and Summer...... when the season finally arrived, we knew this was our year. Anything less than the Big Gold Football would be a major disappointment. God smiled on our little school in Eastern Kentucky.


Take a team like Phelps, one win in the playoffs or winning the district would mean more to that team than a state championship for a team like Trinity or St. Xavier.




Nobody goes 15-0 and wins the state championship every season, some more than most... but nobody does it every year....... So what does your school consider a successful season?

I will disagree on the part that I made bold print. Several years back, probably 6 or 7, I stood and talked with Coach Matney and made the statement that I would one day stand on the sideline and watch Johnson Central win a KHSAA State Championship. Was I wishing, no. I firmly believed that it would happen. It was so sweet to stand beside kids that I watched achieve success at the middle school level take it one more notch.

[Granny Bear]

That has got to be the most special of feelings!

[Pulp Fiction]

I will disagree on the part that I made bold print. Several years back, probably 6 or 7, I stood and talked with Coach Matney and made the statement that I would one day stand on the sideline and watch Johnson Central win a KHSAA State Championship. Was I wishing, no. I firmly believed that it would happen. It was so sweet to stand beside kids that I watched achieve success at the middle school level take it one more notch.

It would have been nice if you would have informed me of this back then....,...

:insane:

[Blue&Gold Blooded]

Well, if you don't win the State Championship, you end your season on a loss every year. So i would consider 8 plus wins and at least 2 wins in playoffs a really good season.

[Willie Turnover]

From a coaching perspective a successful season is one in which the kids of administrators and the kids of politically connected parents get ample playing time.

[Blue&Gold Blooded]

I'm assuming that was sarcasm??? lol

[THOMCAT]

It would have been nice if you would have informed me of this back then....,...

:insane:

I tried but you couldn't hear me over that stuff that you call music.:betterthanexpected:

:hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

[MayfieldCardinal]

A state title is expected period. Where I come from anything else is a disappointment. It has been that way for as long as I have been alive and I am months shy of 50

[mysonis55]

That is correct. I have been with this team to watch them play in 11 state championship games. If we win the title, there is a line of cars and emergency vehicles staged at the county line when we get back. There is a large procession through town to the school and a pep rally. If you lose there, it's like a ghost town when you get back. Same if you lose in semis. These kids know that expectation and they carry it with them win or lose.

[Granny Bear]

I tried but you couldn't hear me over that stuff that you call music.:betterthanexpected:

:hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

Taking Pulp to the burn unit!!!

oliceLigoliceLigoliceLig

[proud44pirate]

A championship or the season was a bust at Belfry.

[Pulp Fiction]

I tried but you couldn't hear me over that stuff that you call music.:betterthanexpected:

:hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

Taking Pulp to the burn unit!!!

oliceLigoliceLigoliceLig

:flame: :flame: :flame:

:headphone

[TheHotSnakes]

I would assume that the amount of schools who define success by a championship is probably pretty close to the amount of schools who define success by simply winning some games in August and September.

Everybody else falls somewhere between on that spectrum. A lot of schools know they probably aren't out right favorites to win it all, but their goal is to play themselves into that conversation and have a chance at it. Some places, the further past .500 you are, the closer to God you become.

[Wrangler]

7-3 with a Weak independent Schdeul

[Blue_Bird96]

I think with most teams their definition of successful season changes each year!

[Glacier]

At our school, I remember a time not too long ago when if we didn't go 0-10 that was considered a success.

[LeeCoUKFan]

The current senior class at Pulaski County has definitely raised the bar considerably, on what is considered a successful season, as an appearance in the state championship game is now what is expected every year. Someone else had it right though, the definition of a successful season changes every year. With the Maroons losing a lot of firepower on both offense and defense with this graduating class, I was say a Region Championship will be considered a very successful season next year.

[Unbeaten55]

winning a playoff game for McCreary Central would be a huge step so that would be consider successful

[4Life]

Regional Championship

[Profit]

First off ...Depends on a schools past program experiences.
If your used to competing for state championships, then an undefeated season is what you strive for. If your program has had a history of losing seasons for quite some time...then small gains in the win category are good seasons and should be noted to your team and community. Once thats established, a team should look for more involvement and larger numbers on a team roster. These are the things that will make for a better season. Good seasons are relative to the teams history and continual improvements year after year..this is the proof in the results. Building a program...whether it be from a 0-10 season or a 15-0 season should be the basis for consideration on "A good season".
"Winning attitudes promote winning seasons".

Cultures have to be built at the foundation of a program in order for the house to stand tall. So in closing

A good season for one may be the beginning groundwork that was once laid by an 0-10 team who's coach and community decided it was time to build a house and make it a castle.

[Cav-nation]

We need numbers, a steady feeder program, and staff. No commitment into the program like we need.