[Dragonsdad]

I just heard that ex-Dragon star Jeff Miller has recently put his resume in for the job. Personally, I think that Derrick Akal is proven. He's the man for the job. I Don't blame him for wanting one more year with those girls though, they have worked hard to get where they are and could get by Clay next year.

[eightball]

Doesn't matter who applies, Akal will be the coach this year or next, according to wether he stays with the girls one more year. I am not saying he is or is not qualified for the job, I am just saying that the whole way they went about with Lester stinks and sad. Maybe Lester and his wife can get a job somewhere and continue coaching somewhere, maybe the county. The funny thing about this whole situation is that it is being headed by Parks who works for the county board.

[BearClaws]

Bill Scott took the redskins to Rupp. Ask Around why he got fired after doing that with Cumberland. Then he took over and had players from 3 states and what did he do? Seems a trend is starting to show. Better be careful what you wish for because it might come true. Just look at past history. Bill is a fine person that was done wrong!

[BearClaws]

What about coached the Junior High Team for the last 2 years. Coached and headed a AAU team trying to get county kids along side a assistant principal in the county for the last several years. Has keys to the school and gym in Harlan. What would surprise you about him hiring a coach for the green?

[Mountain]

What about Charles Thomas? He is a former Harlan Star and has some coaching under his belt.

[zone buster]

What about Charles Thomas? He is a former Harlan Star and has some coaching under his belt.

Listen to eightball, it's going to be somebody who they can get rid of after one year (if Akal stays with the girls). Charles would be crazy to give up what he's doing to be head coach for just one year.

Got to feel bad for the returning players. What "they" are trying to do really shows how much "they" care about those players, especially the seniors to be.

[dochurt]

I know the AD at Harlan, in the paper he is quoted as saying they(administration) was planning on keeping Lester. Ball's as honest as they come, I wonder if Lester was mad about the "conversations" that he had with administration and resigned thinking that the administration would beg him to stay. Hope Akal stays with the girls, I think they have a chance to make a run next year behind the Mullins kid

[zone buster]

I know the AD at Harlan, in the paper he is quoted as saying they(administration) was planning on keeping Lester. Ball's as honest as they come, I wonder if Lester was mad about the "conversations" that he had with administration and resigned thinking that the administration would beg him to stay. Hope Akal stays with the girls, I think they have a chance to make a run next year behind the Mullins kid

Nobody said the AD was not being honest. Of course they wanted Lester to come back, after the fact Akal said he wanted to stay with the girls. Lester probably figured things out and didn't want to be "used" anymore.

[eightball]

Of course Ball wants Lester to stay another year. That way Akal can stay the girls coach to coach his daughter for her senior year. THEN the next year give good ole Lester the chop and hire Akal. Listen guys, this is the dirtest way a school can do a coach (Lester). I am glad that Lester has resigned or if he hasn't he should because with Parks and company in charge Akal will be the coach sooner or later so that he can coach Parks boys.

[warmachine]

Who is this Akel guy and why would they want him over someone like Casey Lester? Poor little Harlan Independent has probably done about as good as they could do considering all the kids go to Harlan County High now. Its A LOT easier to be successful coach GIRLS coach than it is coaching BOYS. Boys ball is taken much more serious here in the mountains. Girls basketball is second fiddle.

[Yogibear]

Who is this Akel guy and why would they want him over someone like Casey Lester? Poor little Harlan Independent has probably done about as good as they could do considering all the kids go to Harlan County High now. Its A LOT easier to be successful coach GIRLS coach than it is coaching BOYS. Boys ball is taken much more serious here in the mountains. Girls basketball is second fiddle.

Derek Akal was the de facto coach at Cumberland High School the last few years of its existence. (He was an assistant on paper). Does a good job. Was and assistant at HCHS for the first two years. Took the girls job last year at HHS. Many speculated there were ulterior motives in the hire. Harlan Ind has kept most of their kids.

[Dragonsdad]

Harlan doesn't seem to be very competitive in basketball. How many district championships or even district runners up has Harlan achieved in the last ten years? I hear that there are some talented kids at Harlan that aren't even on the team. Why? I think we are ready for some new blood at Harlan. And... just how do you go about letting a long time coach go? Come on, he's 87 and 155 in 9 years. I say give someone else a chance. Coach Lester devoted a large part of his life to Harlan,but if he doesn't want to leave how do you let him go without hurting his feelings. There will be hard feelings any way you go about it. How many years would HC or any other school let a man coach and average winning less than 55% of his games and no trophies to boot. Not 9 years I guarantee. Let someone take that job and have a winning season next year and see how fast they jump to give Akal the job. Coach Lester should be praised for his efforts at Harlan and allowed to go gracefully,but now is the time for change and change we should. Coach Lester nor the administration at Harlan should make this any harder than it has to be. Coach Lester is respected in the HHS community and he should be remembered that way.

[buckets]

Harlan doesn't seem to be very competitive in basketball. How many district championships or even district runners up has Harlan achieved in the last ten years? I hear that there are some talented kids at Harlan that aren't even on the team. Why? I think we are ready for some new blood at Harlan. And... just how do you go about letting a long time coach go? Come on, he's 87 and 155 in 9 years. I say give someone else a chance. Coach Lester devoted a large part of his life to Harlan,but if he doesn't want to leave how do you let him go without hurting his feelings. There will be hard feelings any way you go about it. How many years would HC or any other school let a man coach and average winning less than 55% of his games and no trophies to boot. Not 9 years I guarantee. Let someone take that job and have a winning season next year and see how fast they jump to give Akal the job. Coach Lester should be praised for his efforts at Harlan and allowed to go gracefully,but now is the time for change and change we should. Coach Lester nor the administration at Harlan should make this any harder than it has to be. Coach Lester is respected in the HHS community and he should be remembered that way.

In the 9 years that Lester has been there what other boys sports teams has a winning record? I would guess to say that not one sport has a winning record over the last 9 years or so. That is just a guess. If no team has a winning record over that time period then why so harsh on the basketball coach. Who are the players walking the halls that are so talented that did not play? From everything I gathered from talking to Coach Lester they had a plan, it did not work out and they told him he could come back for another year. Who would want to do that? Also, they will have a hard time winning a district title. They would have to beat Bell or Harlan Co to have a chance to win a district title. That will not be easy, unless they go out and get some players from the county. The last 15 years the only time HHS has had some success was because half of the team was made up of county kids.

[Dragonsdad]

Football is the only sport at Harlan that has had any positive results at all in the last 10 years. At least they have won some playoff games and at least competed for district and regional titles. but thats not because we are losing athletes to the county. On the contrary,we take athletes away from the county. The problem of a declining county population is the culprit. Since the county school opened they have lost 5 or 6 hundred students because of the declining population. The football team at Harlan has several kids who live in the county that under the current system should be attending the county and in coming years those kids will have to go to the county if nothing is done to change the system. They also are on the verge of having a couple of really productive years in which they could possibly win a region title or more. Theres plenty of good athletes on the football team. I'll not mention any names on here,but there are at least 3 kids at Harlan that could have got lots of playing time for the basketball team. I'm not saying that coach Lester is a bad coach,he's not,but things could have been done better. Look at the girls program,they play at the same level as the boys. The administration at Harlan also could have done better by promoting athletics a little more. I've not seen the band boosters or choir boosters trying to raise money hardly at all and they go on trips and things all the time. The football boosters are scratching and working their tails off just to be able to send the players to camp. So, its not just Coach Lester's fault.But,maybe its time to start over and try to get it right this time.JMO.

[Mountain pride 10]

Five years ago would have never thought it possible that HHS could find itself in the position that it is in today. At this point in time the foundation around the grounds of the campus of HHS is crumbling away, and I don't see anyone that has the tools to make it stand tall again. That really makes me sad, it is a time in our history that may end in defeat to our rivals from the Harlan Co School District, they have so much more in resources than we can come up with, money, politics, and they have the the law and the KEA on their side too. With all of these things piled up against us, it's hard to see a win coming our way, in the near future. Now before some go off on twisting my thoughts, let me explain that in no way do I hold any ill will toward the county board or there administration, they are in a bad position also, with a declining population effecting them more than us. Since the 1960s Harlan City Schools have enjoyed the situation that many of it's students have came from outside the city school district, and a number of these students have been good both in sports and in the classroom. Now also before someone blows up about recruiting let's all be adults here, no one school or district just goes out and tries to openly recruit students. Now from time to time does someone from this or that school see little Johnny play and say to his dad that he sure would fit with my son and his team, yes it does in every school, in every town, in every state in this sports crazed nation. So with all that being said HHS just doesn't have the same draw that it has had in the decades past. So how ever things turn out, I just don't see HHS coming out on top this time.

[eightball]

Well said Mountain pride 10. Maybe it is time that we join forces with the county and become ONE. Imagine what we could have then if we pulled all our resources together. I have debated and debated what to do with my kids and I have come to the conclusion that the County is the best place for them.

[dontfeedthebears]

Casey is a terrific guy and hate that it ended this way. I wish him and his family nothing but the best. Everywhere Derrick Akal has went he has won. I'm a huge DAkal supporter and if he gets the job I will back him 100%. The man can flat out coach, so say what you will, but he's proven. Best of luck to Coach Lester and Coach Akal in their future plans.

[Mountain pride 10]

after getting a few calls regarding my gloom and doom message , you see I am normally the glass is over half full guy, but as like most fans of this years Green Dragon sports teams, and I see the football team on the verge of maybe something special, and the girls basketball team having great success with the whole team coming back, I think okay maybe we have one good run in us yet. Then we have the boys basketball team not reaching their goals and now a coaching change, regardless of who wanted what from who, we have no coach, and I can't see Billy Hicks making a return so that puts us square into the all important spring sports where sheer numbers may not be so important to success. Well thank God that horror movie is over between the Baseball, Softball and tennis teams I don't think we won over 5 games or matches combined. My final thoughts on the matter is that I have one leaving the High School and one just starting in the fall, and I can't honestly say if he will be able to get all four years in as a Green Dragon, and again I find myself feeling a sadness that I never saw coming a few short years ago.

[Dragonsdad]

I agree with you MP10. As someone who,from my earliest memories,always lived and breathed Harlan High School,it makes me sad to think of a world without the Green.But,I have to hold on to the sliver of hope that the state government will change it's laws and give parents the choice of where to educate their children. There has to be a way that it can be done. I always dreamt of playing football for Harlan and wearing the green,, as a kid, and some day watching my boys live it just like I did. I would hate to see it go. It would be the worst thing for this county ever. I have always said that when you take away tradition you strip away identity. Harlan High School has always been known for families that have gone there for several generations. I know kids who's grandfather's and grandmother's went to school together at Harlan before marrying and their son's and daughter's also went there. Look at all the tradition that was lost when Cumberland, Evarts and Cawood went down. The money that was spent building the new school could have saved those schools. It's hard to believe that no one saw the decline in county population coming when the decision to consolidate was made. But, thats all history now. None the less I'm holding on to hope for our county and our school. God Bless Harlan High School!!!

[BB CLAW]

I have a great deal of respect for Derek Akal and his coaching abilities. Harlan Ind. is very fortunate to have him lead their Girls. I think that Coach Akal has a bunch of gals depending on him leading them and I dont think he would do that to them. He may, but I dont think he will. Maybe in a year or two. Also, Harlan Independent has always depended on county athletes and also students.

[HDE]

I agree with you MP10. As someone who,from my earliest memories,always lived and breathed Harlan High School,it makes me sad to think of a world without the Green.But,I have to hold on to the sliver of hope that the state government will change it's laws and give parents the choice of where to educate their children. There has to be a way that it can be done. I always dreamt of playing football for Harlan and wearing the green,, as a kid, and some day watching my boys live it just like I did. I would hate to see it go. It would be the worst thing for this county ever. I have always said that when you take away tradition you strip away identity. Harlan High School has always been known for families that have gone there for several generations. I know kids who's grandfather's and grandmother's went to school together at Harlan before marrying and their son's and daughter's also went there. Look at all the tradition that was lost when Cumberland, Evarts and Cawood went down. The money that was spent building the new school could have saved those schools. It's hard to believe that no one saw the decline in county population coming when the decision to consolidate was made. But, thats all history now. None the less I'm holding on to hope for our county and our school. God Bless Harlan High School!!!

I normally agree with you, but I think you have your head in the sand in regard to the impact HCHS has had on the county.
Many of us saw the decline in population, which was the reason the school was built. There were countless stories written about the declining population. Why would you spend millions to fix up 70 year old schools when you could instead build the nicest high school facility in Kentucky.
As far as sports, why would anyone want to continue losing as the county schools had been doing for the most part over the past 20 years when you could join forces and build strong teams in just about every sports.
The HCHS football team won a regional championship in its THIRD year and will be favored to win a second this year. Evarts and Cawood won one regional title each since 1959. Harlan still hasn't won its first.
The girls basketball team advanced to the regional finals its first two years and both HCHS basketball teams will be ranked second in the region this year.
I disagree that tradition was lost. Nothing was changed about the history of those schools. It's still there in the record books.
As far as identity, notice all the Black Bears signs on cars in and around Harlan County. It's staggering to think the popularity the teams have already accumulated in such a short time. I'm sure MP 10 could tell you about the excitement around HCHS football games the past couple of years. There is no comparison to what I saw at Cawood, Cumberland, Evarts or Harlan in recent years. The kids seem pretty happy to identify with winning.

[NewGuy]

Well said HDE, I agree wholeheartedly. That's why I can't grasp why the county would care about anything going on at the city. The city won't and can't compete with the county in athletics, facilities, money, coaches and players. And some of the best players that the city has had over the last three years since HC has been open, have defected to HC. Fields, Davenport, Massingale, Chitwood, and a few more that would have made a difference in Harlan Independent Athletics. Casey would have had a better record with Fields, Massingale, and Chitwood. And the football team would have been better with Chitwood. Davenport would have helped the girls program. So, you are correct that the county will win and build tradition, and the county will keep their best players and at times get the cities BEST players, but the city will get a few who just want to play and may not at HC for whatever reason. And there is nothing wrong with one wanting to build tradition and one wanting to hang on to theirs.

[Dragonsdad]

HDE,I too am excited about HCHS and their athletic programs,now that they are here. I have a step son that attends there and HCHS is a perfect fit for him. He is with autism and the special education staff and school staff in general have done a wonderful job with him. I have nothing but praise for them.But,is it such a sin to worry about losing 100 years of tradition. I went to Harlan my mom and dad attended there and my oldest son plays football there now. All of my family,aunts and uncles and cousins attended there. I just don't want to see Harlan go down that way. What's wrong with being able to choose where you send your kids to school? I will also say,go Black Bears!I will support them because they are Harlan County and I love Harlan County. But You'll never get the Dragon out of me. Crazy,but that's just the way it is and I'll fight too keep it going.

[Yogibear]

HDE,I too am excited about HCHS and their athletic programs,now that they are here. I have a step son that attends there and HCHS is a perfect fit for him. He is with autism and the special education staff and school staff in general have done a wonderful job with him. I have nothing but praise for them.But,is it such a sin to worry about losing 100 years of tradition. I went to Harlan my mom and dad attended there and my oldest son plays football there now. All of my family,aunts and uncles and cousins attended there. I just don't want to see Harlan go down that way. What's wrong with being able to choose where you send your kids to school? I will also say,go Black Bears!I will support them because they are Harlan County and I love Harlan County. But You'll never get the Dragon out of me. Crazy,but that's just the way it is and I'll fight too keep it going.

Anyone can chose where to send his/her kid. Just write the check. If you can't afford the fee, then do what the law says and send you kid to the appropriate district.

[eightball]

Amen Yogi!!!!!

[HDE]

HDE,I too am excited about HCHS and their athletic programs,now that they are here. I have a step son that attends there and HCHS is a perfect fit for him. He is with autism and the special education staff and school staff in general have done a wonderful job with him. I have nothing but praise for them.But,is it such a sin to worry about losing 100 years of tradition. I went to Harlan my mom and dad attended there and my oldest son plays football there now. All of my family,aunts and uncles and cousins attended there. I just don't want to see Harlan go down that way. What's wrong with being able to choose where you send your kids to school? I will also say,go Black Bears!I will support them because they are Harlan County and I love Harlan County. But You'll never get the Dragon out of me. Crazy,but that's just the way it is and I'll fight too keep it going.

I respect and understand your thoughts about Harlan and its tradition. I just disagreed with the comments about the students somehow losing their "identity" when Cawood, Cumberland and Evarts closed. I just don't see how anyone could argue that HCHS hasn't taken sports to another level in this county.

[Black Bear Cuz]

Anyone can chose where to send his/her kid. Just write the check. If you can't afford the fee, then do what the law says and send you kid to the appropriate district.

That is putting it in simple terms Yogi!! Very well put!!

[Mountain]

Why would Harlan only want a coach for one year? Is these rumors true or what? That would not be good for the boys or girls program.

[Dragonsdad]

What about the parents who can't afford it. They have no choice. What's good for one may not be good for another.Besides, when i chose what school to send my kid to,football was no.2 on the list with his education no.1. I feel I made the best decision. I'm not gonna talk school choice on this thread any longer. Wanna talk it,start a thread. I'l post.

[Yogibear]

Opinions vary.