[RTruth]

Hearing more and more that Phelps will not be able to field a team next year due to numbers. 

They’ve struggled for 15 years to get more than 20 kids to play. 

Is it the end?

[runthepill]

Hearing more and more that Phelps will not be able to field a team next year due to numbers. 

They’ve struggled for 15 years to get more than 20 kids to play. 

Is it the end?

Sorry to hear this news. Getting harder and harder for these small schools to maintain their programs. Hopefully they can bounce back.

[irishcard16]

Hearing more and more that Phelps will not be able to field a team next year due to numbers. 

They’ve struggled for 15 years to get more than 20 kids to play. 

Is it the end?

I have heard this and that the school is not far behind.

[Fan of many]

What school would Phelps kids go to if they wanted to play football

I guess what I mean to say is what is the closest school for them to go to

[jamesclay]

The really good players would be sent, uh, I mean would go to Pikeville.

Average or below players would be left to fend for themselves.

[EKUAlum05]

What school would Phelps kids go to if they wanted to play football

I guess what I mean to say is what is the closest school for them to go to

Really depends where they live. 

There is no real good way to get to Phelps which is why the school has existed for so long.

Those that live closer to Kimper would probably send their kids to Pike Central, those that live closer to Pounding Mill would most likely go to Belfry, truth be told the ones who live near Freeburn would make the most sense going to Mingo Central, WV. If Matewan still had a HS it would most likely be the closest option for most people who live in the Phelps district.

With the exception of those that live going toward Kimper, there is no good route to Belfry that doesn't involve crossing a mountain.

[RoShamBo]

What school would Phelps kids go to if they wanted to play football

I guess what I mean to say is what is the closest school for them to go to

Really depends where they live. 

There is no real good way to get to Phelps which is why the school has existed for so long.

Those that live closer to Kimper would probably send their kids to Pike Central, those that live closer to Pounding Mill would most likely go to Belfry, truth be told the ones who live near Freeburn would make the most sense going to Mingo Central, WV. If Matewan still had a HS it would most likely be the closest option for most people who live in the Phelps district.

With the exception of those that live going toward Kimper, there is no good route to Belfry that doesn't involve crossing a mountain.

Yeah Phelps is on an island in Pike County. Would Hurley be an option? Can't be much further from Phelps than Belfry, PCC, or Mingo. Those roads are rough though. As one of the guys on my crew likes to say, you can read your license plate while driving down some of those roads.

[Real Badman]

Kimper needs to feed into Phelps, problem solved. PCC has been overcrowded for years anyway to my knowledge between JC and Mullins.

[irishcard16]

What school would Phelps kids go to if they wanted to play football

I guess what I mean to say is what is the closest school for them to go to

Really depends where they live. 

There is no real good way to get to Phelps which is why the school has existed for so long.

Those that live closer to Kimper would probably send their kids to Pike Central, those that live closer to Pounding Mill would most likely go to Belfry, truth be told the ones who live near Freeburn would make the most sense going to Mingo Central, WV. If Matewan still had a HS it would most likely be the closest option for most people who live in the Phelps district.

With the exception of those that live going toward Kimper, there is no good route to Belfry that doesn't involve crossing a mountain.

From hornets in will go to PCC the rest will go to Belfry. At least that’s the rumor.

[HCS]

Kimper needs to feed into Phelps, problem solved. PCC has been overcrowded for years anyway to my knowledge between JC and Mullins.

I can't think of a situation where students where moved from a newer, more modern high school to an older, isolated school.
More likely, Phelps eventually closes like seven others over the past few decades.
I heard from a coach that there is an old road that connects Phelps to Belfry, but it isn't safe for buses. Fixing that road might solve the problem.

[EKUAlum05]

Kimper needs to feed into Phelps, problem solved. PCC has been overcrowded for years anyway to my knowledge between JC and Mullins.

I can't think of a situation where students where moved from a newer, more modern high school to an older, isolated school.
More likely, Phelps eventually closes like seven others over the past few decades.
I heard from a coach that there is an old road that connects Phelps to Belfry, but it isn't safe for buses. Fixing that road might solve the problem.

Callaway Mountain is by far the closest route from the heart of Phelps where the HS currently sits but it is a one lane Mountain with limited guard rails and sketchy at best pavement. That mountain can be intimidating to drive with a 4WD truck, let alone on a school bus.

If you want to drive Callaway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5083953,...328!8i1664


Pounding Mill is a longer route but for a mountain it is a tad bit safer than Callaway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5702582,...328!8i1664

In either case, then you have another mountain to cross from Blackberry back to Hardy or Stone in addition, although with two lanes those mountains feel like the autobahn compared to Callaway.

The third option doesn't involve a mountain necessarily but it requires buses crossing over to WV for the vast majority of the trip to get back to Belfry and mileage wise is definitely the longest which I am sure the BOE isn't too enthused about.

[jetpilot]

The really good players would be sent, uh, I mean would go to Pikeville.

Average or below players would be left to fend for themselves.

Totally false. Most likely zero Phelps players would wind up at Pikeville.

[Real Badman]

Kimper needs to feed into Phelps, problem solved. PCC has been overcrowded for years anyway to my knowledge between JC and Mullins.

I can't think of a situation where students where moved from a newer, more modern high school to an older, isolated school.
More likely, Phelps eventually closes like seven others over the past few decades.
I heard from a coach that there is an old road that connects Phelps to Belfry, but it isn't safe for buses. Fixing that road might solve the problem.

I get it, but there will always be a Phelps High School. Its too isolated unlike previous consolidations. I would also argue, Kimper is closer to Phelps than PCC.

[papabear02]

Hate to see any program fold, tough place to have a school and athletics though.

[Spud6]

Hate to see any program fold, tough place to have a school and athletics though.

Athletics yes. School I don’t think so. It’s too isolated to not have a school over there

[Westside]

I thought David Jones had things headed in the right direction or at least that is how it looked from the outside looking it. I was hoping things were going to continue trending up after he left.

[HCS]

I hate that the KHSAA hasn't posted school enrollments in two years. It's probably because the Kentucky Deparment of Education hasn't supplied the numbers. Either way, it would be good to see where everyone is at this point.
What is the enrollment in 9-12 at Phelps?

[Spud6]

I hate that the KHSAA hasn't posted school enrollments in two years. It's probably because the Kentucky Deparment of Education hasn't supplied the numbers. Either way, it would be good to see where everyone is at this point.
What is the enrollment in 9-12 at Phelps?

I’d say a lot of this comes from kids being all over the place. You have kids virtual thst still count for the school they are in then you have kids in virtual academy

[jetpilot]

Lots of great people at Phelps now and over the years. The McCoy brothers gave much back there
It’s so isolated and I hate it
Love Phelps worked there in my summers off from college
Learned more in those summers than all year in college
I fear Phelps will be another lost place that nobody remembers
No place better than Phelps KY

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

Kimper needs to feed into Phelps, problem solved. PCC has been overcrowded for years anyway to my knowledge between JC and Mullins.

I can't think of a situation where students where moved from a newer, more modern high school to an older, isolated school.
More likely, Phelps eventually closes like seven others over the past few decades.
I heard from a coach that there is an old road that connects Phelps to Belfry, but it isn't safe for buses. Fixing that road might solve the problem.

Callaway Mountain is by far the closest route from the heart of Phelps where the HS currently sits but it is a one lane Mountain with limited guard rails and sketchy at best pavement. That mountain can be intimidating to drive with a 4WD truck, let alone on a school bus.

If you want to drive Callaway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5083953,...328!8i1664


Pounding Mill is a longer route but for a mountain it is a tad bit safer than Callaway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5702582,...328!8i1664

In either case, then you have another mountain to cross from Blackberry back to Hardy or Stone in addition, although with two lanes those mountains feel like the autobahn compared to Callaway.

The third option doesn't involve a mountain necessarily but it requires buses crossing over to WV for the vast majority of the trip to get back to Belfry and mileage wise is definitely the longest which I am sure the BOE isn't too enthused about.

I heard grumblings about 15-20 years ago the county schools was trying to push the state build a road that connected Phelps and Belfry. The plan was to build a four lane over both mountains. The plan also was to shut down Phelps and send those students to Belfry. This was about the time the State was nearly done with the 119 expansion. I heard the state told them that there was no way they could build a road over those mountains and they’d have to tunnel through the bottom of both of them to make a road….Next thing you know, Phelps gets a complete makeover. New School, New Athletic Facilities…ETC….I never heard anything about a new road after that…

[DukeBoy]

Shut it down. About like all them little small grade schools in Perry County. Combine them and get them kids ready for life. Life ain’t easy cheesy. Learn to be more social and learn to compete in athletics.

[RoShamBo]

Shut it down.  About like all them little small grade schools in Perry County.  Combine them and get them kids ready for life.  Life ain’t easy cheesy.  Learn to be more social and learn to compete in athletics.

[Image: https://c.tenor.com/GwgpX7LAAhMAAAAM/confused-no.gif]

[jamesclay]

Shut it down.  About like all them little small grade schools in Perry County.  Combine them and get them kids ready for life.  Life ain’t easy cheesy.  Learn to be more social and learn to compete in athletics.

Flex on them elementary kids tough guy!

[Real Badman]

Shut it down.  About like all them little small grade schools in Perry County.  Combine them and get them kids ready for life.  Life ain’t easy cheesy.  Learn to be more social and learn to compete in athletics.

What? Pike County is not Perry lol. Those things can not be done.

[DukeBoy]

Tuff guy. To funny. Flexing right now. I just think there’s to many dang schools. Hope no elementary kids read my vicious post.

[jamesclay]

Tuff guy.  To funny.  Flexing right now.  I just think there’s to many dang schools.  Hope no elementary kids read my vicious post.

[KColley]

If you think six high schools for a county the size of Pike County is too many, I am sorry, but I am going to have to disagree with you on that one.

I have covered sports in both Kentucky and Ohio and having traveled to Pike County as a football player (Russell-Belfry twice, 2008 and 2010) and as a sports reporter (West Carter-Pike County Central, 2016), I can tell you that six is definitely not too many. If anything, a case could be made for another.

However, I wouldn't know where you would put it in Pike County unless it is in the far southeastern section of the county. Like many have commented, I feel terrible for the kids and families who live in the far southeastern part of the county. I can't even imagine how far it takes for them to get to school every day, especially those who live in Paw Paw, Argo, Woodman, Stopover, and Majestic. It's probably not a walk in the park for those who live in Ransom or McCarr, either. I'm sure that folks in Ashcamp and Shelby Gap in the far southwestern end of the county or Hatfield, McCombs and Gulnare wouldn't mind a shorter drive.

With population dropping by nearly 10,000 in the county over the last 10 years, however, building another high school isn't feasible to me. Six is probably going to be the way it is for a while but I could see that number dropping to four eventually if the county population keeps trending in the wrong direction.

Consolidation, and more particularly the placement of high schools in the consolidation plans, are hurting Floyd, Harlan, Letcher and Pike Counties. Obviously, the loss of jobs and what I believe to be a lack of attention by our governments to helping with those issues are feeding into that, as well. Then you have Leslie, Magoffin and Martin Counties, who should only have one high school like they do but really need serious help with road construction.

The idea of Interstate 66 being built in southern Kentucky was supposed to help with a lot of the counties above, but because that never came to pass, the problems that many kids and families have had for basically two generations now is enhanced even more because of these consolidations and the lack of jobs.

[HCS]

Consolidation, and more particularly the placement of high schools in the consolidation plans, are hurting Floyd, Harlan, Letcher and Pike Counties. Obviously, the loss of jobs and what I believe to be a lack of attention by our governments to helping with those issues are feeding into that, as well. Then you have Leslie, Magoffin and Martin Counties, who should only have one high school like they do but really need serious help with road construction.

The idea of Interstate 66 being built in southern Kentucky was supposed to help with a lot of the counties above, but because that never came to pass, the problems that many kids and families have had for basically two generations now is enhanced even more because of these consolidations and the lack of jobs.

I would argue that Harlan County, once the state's fourth-largest county, has been hurt more by the lack of good roads than any other county in the state. Leslie has a parkway slicing through it, going from Perry through Leslie to Clay and into London. Magoffin was recently connected in a road project over there, and I was on the new road into Martin County last year.

[dodger]

What school would Phelps kids go to if they wanted to play football

I guess what I mean to say is what is the closest school for them to go to

Really depends where they live. 

There is no real good way to get to Phelps which is why the school has existed for so long.

Those that live closer to Kimper would probably send their kids to Pike Central, those that live closer to Pounding Mill would most likely go to Belfry, truth be told the ones who live near Freeburn would make the most sense going to Mingo Central, WV. If Matewan still had a HS it would most likely be the closest option for most people who live in the Phelps district.

With the exception of those that live going toward Kimper, there is no good route to Belfry that doesn't involve crossing a mountain.

Yeah Phelps is on an island in Pike County. Would Hurley be an option? Can't be much further from Phelps than Belfry, PCC, or Mingo. Those roads are rough though. As one of the guys on my crew likes to say, you can read your license plate while driving down some of those roads.

[Big Five-0-]

Lots of great people at Phelps now and over the years. The McCoy brothers gave much back there
It’s so isolated and I hate it
Love Phelps worked there in my summers off from college
Learned more in those summers than all year in college
I fear Phelps will be another lost place that nobody remembers
No place better than Phelps KY

I've spent a lot of time myself in Phelps back when coal was really moving. Your right jet. many a good people in Phelps