[sstack]

JCPS schools are not going to allow middle schoolers to compete on varsity, JV or freshmen teams starting in the 2010-2011 school year. What is your thoughts on this? I feel this will hurt the very gifted athletes and girls sports that depend on the middle school kids to field a team. You would not hold a child back academically, so why hold a child back athletically.

[kai]

Johnson County is all about who you are and not what you can do. The adminstration, principals and board office included, worry about keeping people happy rather than who can actually play. This is what has led to this crazy rule, a jr. or sr. of a teacher, principal, administrator, or local rich guy will not be beat out by an 8th grader who can actually play. CRAZY!! playing is a privilage and not a right, trust me, if you fight with the Board or KHSAA they will remind you of this. If that is true the best should play and the weaker players should not complain because they have no right to play.
But all the other schools in the 57th are excited.

[sstack]

Johnson County is all about who you are and not what you can do. The adminstration, principals and board office included, worry about keeping people happy rather than who can actually play. This is what has led to this crazy rule, a jr. or sr. of a teacher, principal, administrator, or local rich guy will not be beat out by an 8th grader who can actually play. CRAZY!! playing is a privilage and not a right, trust me, if you fight with the Board or KHSAA they will remind you of this. If that is true the best should play and the weaker players should not complain because they have no right to play.
But all the other schools in the 57th are excited.

I should have made it more clear; it is Jefferson county public schools in Louisville, not Johnson County.

[kai]

Sorry, I heard Johnson County had discussed this so I just assumed. Hopefully, johnson won't follow.

[blue1424]

Here is the Courier-Journal article:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2...gh+schools

[dawgbyte02]

I understand the concern of being able to field teams. But in WV, which is much like eastern ky, they have a four year eligibility rule. You can only play varsity four years. This makes coaches develop players for their respective sports and prevents politics, to a certain degree, from being part of the equation. In larger school systems this has never been a problem as they have true varsity, JV, and true freshmen teams. These school systems have many upperclassmen that try out for varsity and JV and get cut. It is very rare that a middle school player can play and compete on a true varsity level. Girls BB and softball in E ky tend to use a lot of these players in order to field a team. But I think coaches can do a better job of getting HS girls out if they are truly interested in building a program. The schools that have good competitive programs year in and year out have good coaches and good feeder programs that develop players at an age specific rate. One or two good atheletes do not make a team but rather a consistent and fair development and training program for all participants builds a solid program.