[charlie22]

Horst, I agree with your thoughts on the importance of the youth league and BCA, I agree with your thoughts on the importance of community support.

Which is why I think coaching is the most important. And by coaching, I don't mean just calling the right plays or putting the right players in the right positions.

The Ft. Thomas Jr. Football League was started by Homer Rice, then the Highlands head coach, and two others. Since it's start, the FTJFL has always had significant involvement by the Highlands coaches to make sure it is ran in a way that it ultimately provides significant benefits to the high school program (and actually some other near by high school programs). Since the Highlands football program technically has no control over the FTJFL, it's critically important that Highlands always have the right kind of coach that can provide input to the administrators of the FTJFL without alienating them. I'm aware of youth programs that have little involvement from the high school head coaches in the area. Sometimes that's a result of the high school coaches not wanting to spend their time on being involved in the youth leagues and sometimes that's a result of the youth leagues' administrators having egos and being so power ****ry that they won't let the high school coaches have any input. When that happens, the youth leagues do not maximize their positive influence on a high school program.

The right coach is also very important in the community support area. You need someone that is willing and able to be an Ambassador for the football program out in the community. Attend civic clubs meeting, be accessible to the community and media, etc. Not all that long ago, Highlands had a very good Xs and Os coach that was terrible in the PR department. He hated doing those things and placed no value on doing those things, so he pretty much refused to do them. He had a very gruff and condescending demeanor. As a result, community support for the program was hemorraging in the community. Fortunately, the school administration realized what was going on and changes occurred. Right now I'd say community support and financial support for the program is as high or higher than it has ever been. I don't think it's coincidence that Highlands football program is enjoying some of its most consistent and highest level of success.

So in my opinion, without the right head coach, a youth league might not be as influential in a high school's success as it should be and community support might be much harder to generate. Coaching is still my number one thing needed to build a successful program.