[sstack]

That may very well be the case. Iv'e never been there, i dont know the people, the culture, or anything of that nature.
What I was stating is how does a 4A school with around 400 boys i assume, could have the extraordinary athletes they have every year. Every team that has ever been assembled unless their a private school, should have down years where they lost to many players to recover. I wish every school could get a pick from the kids they wanted in their school to play football and everything be fine.
I'm sure highlands has a great program when the kids are young to keep them in football throughout there careers. But a lot of other schools do to and yet the numbers still seem to fall off no matter what a school like mine does. When you go from having 60 eighth grade football players to having only 8 of them play as seniors, then you know its time for a change.

I guess what i'm getting at is how does Highlands keep that quality of football player every year? Even if they have 40 seniors, it doesnt mean any of them are any good, it just means you have 40 seniors. I dont know how they get these all star teams every year, it just seems like every now and then there would be a down year and a down fall.

They do have their down years, it just has been on an incredible run as of late. Like I said before, people tend to stay in Ft Thomas so you have good athletic genes continue to run through the school system. It is amazing how many grandfathers, fathers, sons and brothers all have state championships. Kids like to emulate their parentsj

[RunItUpTheGut]

Sure, there are some who are drawn to the athletic success, but the overwhelming majority of our kids are home grown and have been a part of the Highlands football future since the third grade when they started playing in the FTJFL. (This league also benefits NewCath, our neighboring parochial high school.) I believe (please note that I said that) Jared Lorenzen came to town after a divorce. One parent lived in the Scott district and the other lived in Ft. Thomas. That's like having a choice between taking Elle McPherson to your prom or Roseanne Barr. Derek Smith lived in a neighboring district that didn't have football, so he paid tuition to go to Highlands. The Bruns twins who currently play do so because their mother moved to town after a divorce.
PM me if you're ever going to be in the area in the August-October time period. I'll take you to a green team practice and you can see the future for yourself. Seriously, I'll even bust out the grill and make dinner in your honor. It's all above board, no matter what has been said in the past.

:Thumbs: Thanks man. As i said, im not a Highlands hater. I think what you school does for other schools when it comes to town to play them puts you in a league all by yourself. Most of the time when you go to a school in the playoffs, as you did in 08 at Whitley, it makes that game the biggest one in the history of the school.

I think a lot of people could learn off the Highlands program. As many others, when i was younger I was always told Highlands was a private school and thought that until i got older and figured it out when i was in high school that that wasnt the case. I think that just shows that Highlands has been so good in the past that people "assumed" you all had to be a private school.

The names of the good ones you have mentioned are understandable for why they were playing at Highlands. That happens everywhere.

Something else i have always wondered is why doesn't UK recruit more from the are with NCC and CCH and Highlands there? It's always confused me as to how UK could let that much talent go to other schools.

[RunItUpTheGut]

They do have their down years, it just has been on an incredible run as of late. Like I said before, people tend to stay in Ft Thomas so you have good athletic genes continue to run through the school system. It is amazing how many grandfathers, fathers, sons and brothers all have state championships. Kids like to emulate their parentsj

I can only imagine the arguments at a Highlands Thanksgiving dinner about who had the better state championship team, the dad, son, or uncle lol.
That would be something else.

[Blau Vogel]

Not everybody around here in small towns can have a roster of 100+ to pick players from. Just saying.

Why not? The enrollment is about the same. 2 year avg per KHSAA

Bell Co. 800
Highlands = 787

Pretty darn close.

[wooderson]

That may very well be the case. Iv'e never been there, i dont know the people, the culture, or anything of that nature.
What I was stating is how does a 4A school with around 400 boys i assume, could have the extraordinary athletes they have every year. Every team that has ever been assembled unless their a private school, should have down years where they lost to many players to recover. I wish every school could get a pick from the kids they wanted in their school to play football and everything be fine.
I'm sure highlands has a great program when the kids are young to keep them in football throughout there careers. But a lot of other schools do to and yet the numbers still seem to fall off no matter what a school like mine does. When you go from having 60 eighth grade football players to having only 8 of them play as seniors, then you know its time for a change.

I guess what i'm getting at is how does Highlands keep that quality of football player every year? Even if they have 40 seniors, it doesnt mean any of them are any good, it just means you have 40 seniors. I dont know how they get these all star teams every year, it just seems like every now and then there would be a down year and a down fall.

Oh they do!!!! The problem for most schools in Highland's class is that Haley's Comet usually comes around more times in a century than does a down year in the Highlands football program. :yikes: On a serious note, Highlands shouldnt be scrutinized to the point of questioning their method for success. They should be the model for which all schools strive to achieve. Im not from the Highlands area but was lucky enough to match up with them a few times during high school (actually got the best of them one time) and I consider myself lucky to have known/become friends with a few people from that area. If you could understand what football means to the kids that are coming up through their grade schools then you would soon understand the degree of excellence these kids strive to achieve. I would consider their fans more spoiled (in a good way) because they have become accustomed to the perfect pass, the perfect run or the perfect pass on a regular basis but the kids that are there and are going to be there seem to have understood the importance of carrying on the tradition at an early age and that is almost hard to believe if you havent actually witnessed it. I say congrats to Highlands on all of your success and all of Kentucky should embrace it rather than question it.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Why not? The enrollment is about the same. 2 year avg per KHSAA

Bell Co. 800
Highlands = 787

Pretty darn close.

What i think he is referring to is that Highlands has the players just show up. Around here you have to get the kids to stick with it and keep at it just to keep them playing.
Back in the 90's, football around the Bell/Whitley area was life. There was no problem going to either one of these or Rock who was all in the same district and having all five lineman be 6'4 and 300 pounds. Now, kids of that size just go to school. It seems bigger kids are not interested in it anymore.
I could easily go down the hall ways of Whitley and pick out 10 to 15 kids that, if they came to practice and lifted, would start over the ones we have starting. It's been that way for a while now, i dont know what happened.

[BellCoBobcats09]

Why not? The enrollment is about the same. 2 year avg per KHSAA

Bell Co. 800
Highlands = 787

Pretty darn close.

How many boys? How many of those boys play?

[Stardust]

Not everybody around here in small towns can have a roster of 100+ to pick players from. Just saying.

If you are referring to Highlands, I'd be ashamed since your school has more Boys than the 3A Highlands!

[Can you dig it?]

Did you know Harlan Co. Coach L. was the last montain coach to beat highlands:Clap:

Yep. Had plans to be there, but the guy I was going with fell ill. :dump:uke::mop: I got a late start and was hoping to arrive at the half, but was listening as I drove. I turned around and came home. Didn't feel the need to waste the gas. As I mentioned earlier, I was pulling for Rockcastle to win it all after that, but those were Boyle's days.

[Can you dig it?]

:Thumbs: Thanks man. As i said, im not a Highlands hater. I think what you school does for other schools when it comes to town to play them puts you in a league all by yourself. Most of the time when you go to a school in the playoffs, as you did in 08 at Whitley, it makes that game the biggest one in the history of the school.

That's the experience I had at Bell County, Sheldon Clark, Rockcastle County, Johnson Central, Whitley County, etc. I enjoyed every minute of all of these road trips. (Except the speeding ticket on the way to Sheldon Clark.:eyeroll I look forward to the years when the Birds are the road team just because of the places I get to see that I might not otherwise.

[RunItUpTheGut]

That's the experience I had at Bell County, Sheldon Clark, Rockcastle County, Johnson Central, Whitley County, etc. I enjoyed every minute of all of these road trips. (Except the speeding ticket on the way to Sheldon Clark.:eyeroll I look forward to the years when the Birds are the road team just because of the places I get to see that I might not otherwise.

I bet going deep in the playoffs allows you to see a lot of different places every year. I would assume this would be a wide variety of a lot of different places and people.

[Can you dig it?]

I bet going deep in the playoffs allows you to see a lot of different places every year. I would assume this would be a wide variety of a lot of different places and people.

True on both counts. I missed a few of them when I was in college, (I worked so that the high school kids I worked with could go to the games,) but I've managed to make most of the road games since I got old and crotchety. Haven't had a bad time yet. Even the occasional loss has something funny or interesting to offer. An early season loss at Henry Clay a few years back was a kick in the stomach, but the effect it had on the Clay players and fans was a sight worth seeing. It was a great celebration.
The home losses, OTOH.......uke: I HATE seeing the CovCath fans celebrating on our field.

[Benchwarmer]

A select few would, but most, mine included, wouldn't.
You're just blowing smoke as usual, right? You don't have any inside info or anything, do you?:yikes::biggrin:

Do what?

[BellCoBobcats09]

If you are referring to Highlands, I'd be ashamed since your school has more Boys than the 3A Highlands!

My point is........ Kids go to Highlands to play on a successful team, outside a BIG CITY period. They are good in academics at the same time.

No one has answered my question? How many players does Highlands have?

[Benchwarmer]

How many boys? How many of those boys play?

Bell Boys 404
Highlands boys 425

[RunItUpTheGut]

True on both counts. I missed a few of them when I was in college, (I worked so that the high school kids I worked with could go to the games,) but I've managed to make most of the road games since I got old and crotchety. Haven't had a bad time yet. Even the occasional loss has something funny or interesting to offer. An early season loss at Henry Clay a few years back was a kick in the stomach, but the effect it had on the Clay players and fans was a sight worth seeing. It was a great celebration.
The home losses, OTOH.......uke: I HATE seeing the CovCath fans celebrating on our field.

haha nice:biggrin:

[kypecos]

My point is........ Kids go to Highlands to play on a successful team, outside a BIG CITY period. They are good in academics at the same time.

No one has answered my question? How many players does Highlands have?

I believe that kids go to Highlands because it is the only high school in Ft. Thomas. I hope that answers your question.

In fact, Ft. Thomas "loses" quite a few of their students to the neighboring Catholic school, Newport Central Catholic, and even a few to the county school, Campbell County. (May be one of the reasons that NCC is so succesful). Now Highlands also gets a few from a neighoring city or two that do not have their own high school but those are pretty limited circumstances and also depends on availabilty.

So, no, kids don't go there to play on a successful team. The kids that are already there just strive to make the team successful.

[BellCoBobcats09]

Bell Boys 404
Highlands boys 425

Their are alot of boys at Bell that needs to play but wont.

[Blau Vogel]

Most of the time in these discussions, opponents to be say, we are not playing Highlands history, we are playing this year's team. You couldn't be more wrong. This year's team and all future teams will be standing on the shoulders of those that came before.

On Thanksgiving, families around Fort Thomas will gather like everywhere else. The difference is, the young men on this year's team will be sitting down with brothers, fathers, cousins, uncles and in a few cases, grandfathers that have won football state championships. That IS history and pressure to succeed. No young man wants to be the only one at the table without a ring. The seniors this year already have two or three, but they want their own with their own year on it.

The vast majority of these kids have been playing with and against each other, since 3rd grade when they first put on the pads in the Fort Thomas Junior Football League. (There are enough players for: 5 3rd & 4th grade teams, 6 5th & 6th, 4 7th & 8th) They catch the fever early and find it hard to kick. The high school players and coaching staff take an active interest in the little league teams. The goal of the league is to develop players in every way. Every player gets considerable playing time in EVERY game. They learn the Highlands system starting day one. On the first day of frosh practice, they don't have to be taught the basics, they have already been practicing them for six years. Coaches can work on refining talent as opposed to developing it.

Success breeds success. The seniors on this team have had nineteen weeks (counting this week) more practice than most teams because of the success they have had, having been to three state championship games. That is nearly two more years of practice than a team that plays only 10 games per year.

In one of the threads today, I saw that one of the posters asked another for a t-shirt from their school. In reply, the second poster asked what size and if he wanted a district champ shirt or a regional champ shirt. That said a lot to me. I have NEVER seen anything but a STATE champ shirt at Highlands. I am not taking a shot at anyone for celebrating success. I think being champions of the district or region is a great accomplishment. What I am saying is at some schools, being the last one standing defines ultimate success.

[Blau Vogel]

http://www.highlands-bluebirds.com/

http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?cmenuid=1&url=ftjfl&sid=291157645

[Can you dig it?]

Their are alot of boys at Bell that needs to play but wont.

Why not? Seems like a tradition that any remotely athletic kid would want to be a part of.

[BellCoBobcats09]

Why not? Seems like a tradition that any remotely athletic kid would want to be a part of.

Just dont want too.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Why not? Seems like a tradition that any remotely athletic kid would want to be a part of.

I call it the video game effect. lol. Seriously, instead of playing football which requires a lot of time as you know, these kids want to go home and get on the internet and play video games all day everyday.
True story, when I was in high school, there was kid that was a brute literally 6-6 every bit of 315-320, solid as a rock, little body fat, just born that way, he just had a little belly fat which you want on a lineman. I asked him one day why he didn't play football. He looked at me and said he wouldn't be able to keep up with computer game online if he played, and that he didn't like organized sports, even though he had never played one.
Crap like that is what gets me, i don't see how some parents just let their kids go home and do that stuff, i sure wouldn't let mine.
I know all kids are different, some wanna run around after girls, some wanna play video games, and some are just flat out lazy, but surely out of the 5A school we have with almost 700 boys, we can dress out more than 30 varsity kids like we did this year.

[BelfryPride]

This thread is closed, started as a show of support for mountain teams, but has seriously went off topic.