[Smoke’m]

Are there any youth football programs around the state that are not associated with their respective school district? 

Club teams, AAU, travel football? 

I know in Breathitt they have the Lumberjacks youth travel team. Are there any more like that in the area?

[Gold River]

Are there any youth football programs around the state that are not associated with their respective school district? 

Club teams, AAU, travel football? 

I know in Breathitt they have the Lumberjacks youth travel team. Are there any more like that in the area?

I’d love to see some youth AAU, club level football in eastern Kentucky especially. Tackle should start at 5 years old if you do it by age and do it right there won’t be injuries and get kids use to the feel of things early.

[pirateforlife]

The Chargers out of Louisville. I'm not sure what kind of program they are or if their kids also play for a school team but the 2 7th graders that UK recently offered play for them.

[Smoke’m]

The area where I’m from there are several youth programs that are feeders for their respective schools. But there are also neighboring counties that do not have football programs at all.

If there were club teams/aau teams in that area that could draw kids in from 2-3 counties that don’t have football, I think it would be a great stepping stone in creating new programs for these smaller, rural county schools. Specifically the Wolfe, Lee, Menifee, Owsley, Morgan and Elliott county areas. Or areas like that, that don’t have football programs.

[Scotty_Bronson]

We just went to Etown and played in the Heartland Classic. 11U had 5 travel teams from the state. Lexington Raiders, NKY United, Dolphin Elite (Bullet Co), East Chargers (Louisville), 606 Outlaws (NEKY). Elizabethtown had a good representation in the younger divisions with their home team "Ironmen". The 11U division was really competitive. Top 3 teams were seperated by a TD at best.

Theres a big movement to replace traditional youth sports with travel/AAU style teams in football. Having a son that plays in a regular league that is semi-associated with the school, as well as travel football, I see the advantages to both. My son enjoys the league he plays in with his buddies from school, but takes travel ball alot more serious. I think the league teams could benefit from approaching things in a more competitive level, rather than using them to simply build numbers.

[irishcard16]

The area where I’m from there are several youth programs that are feeders for their respective schools. But there are also neighboring counties that do not have football programs at all.

If there were club teams/aau teams in that area that could draw kids in from 2-3 counties that don’t have football, I think it would be a great stepping stone in creating new programs for these smaller, rural county schools. Specifically the Wolfe, Lee, Menifee, Owsley, Morgan and Elliott county areas. Or areas like that, that don’t have football programs.

Well the premise of what you are saying is spot on. But when you designated you location and named those areas. They do all play for the lumberjacks indeed and continue playing for the Bobcats in middle school and High School. That travel football organization is the sole reason breathitt survived that whole mess when it happened. Kenneth Combs deserves a statue. 

But you mentioned Lee, Owsley, and Wolfe. Each county is so rural that it may produce on average in each grade 2 eventual varsity level football players, not enough to be competitive at the varsity level. So them going and playing for the lumberjacks and eventually Breathitt Co is a good thing IMO.

[ROTC]

Did Wolfe abandon its football program so soon?

[Smoke’m]

Are there any youth football programs around the state that are not associated with their respective school district? 

Club teams, AAU, travel football? 

I know in Breathitt they have the Lumberjacks youth travel team. Are there any more like that in the area?

I’d love to see some youth AAU, club level football in eastern Kentucky especially. Tackle should start at 5 years old if you do it by age and do it right there won’t be injuries and get kids use to the feel of things early.

The area where I’m from there are several youth programs that are feeders for their respective schools. But there are also neighboring counties that do not have football programs at all.

If there were club teams/aau teams in that area that could draw kids in from 2-3 counties that don’t have football, I think it would be a great stepping stone in creating new programs for these smaller, rural county schools. Specifically the Wolfe, Lee, Menifee, Owsley, Morgan and Elliott county areas. Or areas like that, that don’t have football programs.

Well the premise of what you are saying is spot on. But when you designated you location and named those areas. They do all play for the lumberjacks indeed and continue playing for the Bobcats in middle school and High School. That travel football organization is the sole reason breathitt survived that whole mess when it happened. Kenneth Combs deserves a statue. 

But you mentioned Lee, Owsley, and Wolfe. Each county is so rural that it may produce on average in each grade 2 eventual varsity level football players, not enough to be competitive at the varsity level. So them going and playing for the lumberjacks and eventually Breathitt Co is a good thing IMO.

 I am not really sure if there is such a rule, but if a child wants to play football and his school doesn’t have a program. Can said child play for a neighboring team while still attending his school? Or am I just dreaming. Because I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before. Maybe not.

[RoShamBo]

^At one point you were able to but not sure if you still can. I went to the school that is now Somerset Christian when I was in elementary and I know of at least one kid that was in high school there at the time who played football at Pulaski.

[ROTC]

It is only allowed if the two schools are in the same district; and one offers football and the other does not.

[Scotty_Bronson]

Years ago, like 20 years ago when i played MS ball lol. Is the last time i onow of that you could go to a neighboring school, within X amount if miles and play football. At that time, Elliott Co had some kids play for West Carter and Rose Hill had kids playing at Fairview. Im pretty sure that has since been discontinued though.

[Scotty_Bronson]

Would like to know everyones thoughts on the Travel Football. I personally work with the 606 Outlaws, we use a collection of kids from the RCJFL. Which includes Teams from Boyd, Greenup, Carter, and Mason Counties. Imo, in our area its great for the kids. Takes alot of them places they would never experience, playing against competition they would never see in league play and helps prepare them a little more for the next step. It also allows eqch teams studs, workhorses, whatever you want to call it, a chance to focus a little more on a single position and have other more quality players around them. We took a team of 13 10yos, 2 11Yos, and 2 12yos to Etown and played in the 11U division. All of our 10yos and 1 11yo all qualified to play in the 10U division, but we decided to bump up a division. It was a great experience for the kids. Their growth in a few short weeks was remarkable. I think its a little different than AAU basketball and travel baseball as well. Simply bc its a little harder to put a team together in a sport like football. Im hoping to build more for the group I have over the next year.

[Smoke’m]

Would like to know everyones thoughts on the Travel Football. I personally work with the 606 Outlaws, we use a collection of kids from the RCJFL. Which includes Teams from Boyd, Greenup, Carter, and Mason Counties. Imo, in our area its great for the kids. Takes alot of them places they would never experience, playing against competition they would never see in league play and helps prepare them a little more for the next step. It also allows eqch teams studs, workhorses, whatever you want to call it, a chance to focus a little more on a single position and have other more quality players around them. We took a team of 13 10yos, 2 11Yos, and 2 12yos to Etown and played in the 11U division. All of our 10yos and 1 11yo all qualified to play in the 10U division, but we decided to bump up a division. It was a great experience for the kids. Their growth in a few short weeks was remarkable. I think its a little different than AAU basketball and travel baseball as well. Simply bc its a little harder to put a team together in a sport like football. Im hoping to build more for the group I have over the next year.

100% agree. I played high school and coached the past ten years at the middle and high school level in the region I had mentioned earlier. But those neighboring schools I mentioned never had football. Like Elliot, Menifee, Lee, Wolfe, etc. We have some great youth teams around here, but I would like to give kids in those other areas chances to compete in a sport they never would have a chance to while in school. Pair them up with kids who play the game and want to prepare a bit more for the next level. 

I just didn’t know if there were travel leagues/teams locally, in the 606 or 859 areas. 
I have tons of questions. I recently retired from the game. But I miss it too much.

[foozeball80]

Lake cumberland youth football league now somerset youth football league did travel. Including tourneys in Florida etc.

[wolfcat]

I really like the idea. It's a great experience for the kids.
The Lumberjacks are the only reason Breathitt football is still on the map.

[Smoke’m]

I really like the idea. It's a great experience for the kids.
The Lumberjacks are the only reason Breathitt football is still on the map.

I would love to start a youth team like those of the Lumberjacks and Outlaws. I want to get back into coaching and teaching the fundamentals. I’d love to start one in the Cave Run Lake/Red River Gorge areas. Kids from Montgomery, Bath, Rowan, Elliot, Menifee, Powell, Wolfe, Lee and Morgan.

[ROTC]

It won’t succeed. Kids in that area are all in the direct pipeline to Coach Cal or the Cincinnati Reds?????

[Smoke’m]

It won’t succeed.  Kids in that area are all in the direct pipeline to Coach Cal or the Cincinnati Reds?????

 Seems like you know exactly what you’re talking about. The best of the best. Then maybe those areas I mentioned that don’t have football. Giving them a chance to learn the sport and expand.

[ROTC]

Without being facetious- part of the real problem in that area is very few of them have EVER had a great football program. The parents and grandparents of kids right now have no idea how to correctly support and develop a community conducive to having a powerful football program. It starts with the joke youth programs where daddies get on boards and rig little league drafts and develop K-2 dynasties!!! Further, there is no effort to put quality coaches in the buildings and support them with good pay and teaching assignments that allow or motivate them to want to be there and build something.

[Smoke’m]

Without being facetious- part of the real problem in that area is very few of them have EVER had a great football program.  The parents and grandparents of kids right now have no idea how to correctly support and develop a community conducive to having a powerful football program.  It starts with the joke youth programs where daddies get on boards and rig little league drafts and develop K-2 dynasties!!!  Further, there is no effort to put quality coaches in the buildings and support them with good pay and teaching assignments that allow or motivate them to want to be there and build something.

I 100% agree. That’s why I want to do this. To develop good football players. Teach the fundamentals. Youth leagues around here are exactly how you describe them. Daddies putting their kids in positions to score and be kindergarten superstars, instead of actually coaching the game.

[ROTC]

I honestly believe the best youth programs that aren’t directing being led by the high school coach are the ones where a community sponsor is responsible for funding a team and providing its coaches.

[Scotty_Bronson]

Almost all the schools in NEKY have the HS coach involved in some way with the JFL programs. The thing that I dont see though, are the HS systems being coached. Even in the Raceland JFL. Now that being said, they know fundamental football and have a base knowledge that gives them the tools needed to learn the systems once they are in MS. I noticed a great deal with my last group of travel players from the area. I had some really, really good, hard nosed, downhill and gritty players. But there were only a handful that you could adjust thing on the fly. Which, imo, football IQ, can compensate a little for the less atheletic or naturally gifted kids. Especially the ones who know systems. A basic understanding of holes and positions, and for the little bigs, understanding gap protection, is crucial for development offensively moving forward. And defensivley kids need to understand gaps. Understanding basic defensive coverages in the secondary is huge too. The difference between man, zone, cover 2 v cover 3, etc. I think alot of times when aggressive and hard nosed kids get to the MS level, they get tagged with the stigma of being the opposite of that. And imo, it stems from being overwhelmed. Im less concerned about JFL wins and losses and more concerned about developing players and preparing them for the next level. But there has to be a balance between the two. Kids that arent winning are kids that will quit. Kids that arent learning are also kids that will eventually quit. Its no easy task to correctly coach youth football.

[ROTC]

A lot of this is relative to the size and scope of a community. Take N Ky for example. There exists in Campbell, Kenton, and Boone several leagues and opportunities for youth football. In a small rural county, there may be one league where every player will grow up and play for their home town school. As an overall rule of thumb: I believe kids should have fun; they all should play, because you never know how kids will grow and develop; and fundamentals should be the focus. Also, some HS coaches may not want to re-teach their system if someone in youth football corrupted it.

[Scotty_Bronson]

^this 100%. Imo, you have 2 choices, sit down with the HS coach and find a simple variation of everything they do to use at the youth level. The other option is keep everything basic and create different things for them to learn from a system stand point. We do alot of that. The kids started with basic 1-9 holes and learned the difference between lead, dive, and stretch. After 2 years of that we introduced counter and some iso. Next year we will introduce more of the HS terminology and alignments as they will be in 6th grade and in their last year of JFL.

[TheBear]

Are there any youth football programs around the state that are not associated with their respective school district? 

Club teams, AAU, travel football? 

I know in Breathitt they have the Lumberjacks youth travel team. Are there any more like that in the area?

I’d love to see some youth AAU, club level football in eastern Kentucky especially. Tackle should start at 5 years old if you do it by age and do it right there won’t be injuries and get kids use to the feel of things early.

The area where I’m from there are several youth programs that are feeders for their respective schools. But there are also neighboring counties that do not have football programs at all.

If there were club teams/aau teams in that area that could draw kids in from 2-3 counties that don’t have football, I think it would be a great stepping stone in creating new programs for these smaller, rural county schools. Specifically the Wolfe, Lee, Menifee, Owsley, Morgan and Elliott county areas. Or areas like that, that don’t have football programs.

Well the premise of what you are saying is spot on. But when you designated you location and named those areas. They do all play for the lumberjacks indeed and continue playing for the Bobcats in middle school and High School. That travel football organization is the sole reason breathitt survived that whole mess when it happened. Kenneth Combs deserves a statue. 

But you mentioned Lee, Owsley, and Wolfe. Each county is so rural that it may produce on average in each grade 2 eventual varsity level football players, not enough to be competitive at the varsity level. So them going and playing for the lumberjacks and eventually Breathitt Co is a good thing IMO.

 I am not really sure if there is such a rule, but if a child wants to play football and his school doesn’t have a program. Can said child play for a neighboring team while still attending his school? Or am I just dreaming. Because I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before. Maybe not.

It is not a rule in Kentucky at the High School Level.  I know Tennessee has the rule.  Would be a benefit to a lot of smaller 1A schools.

[ROTC]

Kids may play at another school IN THE SAME DISTRICT if their school doesn’t offer the sport. Example kids at Lee Co. can’t play football at Powell. Kids at Jackson City can’t play at Breathitt; even though they are in the same county- they are two separate school districts.

[NewBallCoach]

The area where I’m from there are several youth programs that are feeders for their respective schools. But there are also neighboring counties that do not have football programs at all.

If there were club teams/aau teams in that area that could draw kids in from 2-3 counties that don’t have football, I think it would be a great stepping stone in creating new programs for these smaller, rural county schools. Specifically the Wolfe, Lee, Menifee, Owsley, Morgan and Elliott county areas. Or areas like that, that don’t have football programs.

Head Coach, Lexington Raiders 11u here........and I agree!  Very competitive and fun!  Lots of talent and different looks from different teams.  Very good atmosphere!
In the more rural areas, I wish those kids had more chances to play youth football.  Maybe it could happen thru their elementary schools.

[ROTC]

Most of these counties mentioned in this thread have elementary basketball. None of them, to my knowledge offer elementary school sponsored football. And what are the results: none of them are great at basketball; hardly no kids from this area are playing basketball at the next level; and football is either non-existent or weak to average at best.

[Scotty_Bronson]

The area where I’m from there are several youth programs that are feeders for their respective schools. But there are also neighboring counties that do not have football programs at all.

If there were club teams/aau teams in that area that could draw kids in from 2-3 counties that don’t have football, I think it would be a great stepping stone in creating new programs for these smaller, rural county schools. Specifically the Wolfe, Lee, Menifee, Owsley, Morgan and Elliott county areas. Or areas like that, that don’t have football programs.

Head Coach, Lexington Raiders 11u here........and I agree!  Very competitive and fun!  Lots of talent and different looks from different teams.  Very good atmosphere!
In the more rural areas, I wish those kids had more chances to play youth football.  Maybe it could happen thru their elementary schools.

11u raiders that were in etown?