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All kids are now eligible to play including this season........DIRECT shot at Belfry Middle School.

[Panther Thunder]

People have left Pikeville this year and in the past for this reason. Pikeville will not let holdbacks play the year they hold back.

[BlueSky]

Being such a small school, how is Pikeville going to compete in years to come?? I know sports does not mean as much to a lot of them, but it is a great learning tool in many ways. And if your in why not be in to do your best...

[phs1986]

All kids are now eligible to play including this season........DIRECT shot at Belfry Middle School.

Had a few from last year that would have been nice to have held back wouldn't it!! Hindsight is 20/20.....

[NEXT]

People have left Pikeville this year and in the past for this reason. Pikeville will not let holdbacks play the year they hold back.

Only reason this rule was changed in the middle of the year is the Pugh kid from Pikeville.


He now attends Johns Creek as a holdback.


I was all for letting holdbacks play in the regular season, and not post season tourney.


Now they get the post season tourney.........Waggner and his merry mean think Belfry has a shot at winning something, so change the rules so they can't.

[NEXT]

Had a few from last year that would have been nice to have held back wouldn't it!! Hindsight is 20/20.....

Belfry's whole group aside from 1 would have stayed back, and parents were told no by the BOE.........would have been real nice.......as in compete with any middle school in the state.

[phs1986]

Belfry's whole group aside from 1 would have stayed back, and parents were told no by the BOE.........would have been real nice.......as in compete with any middle school in the state.

Mine just turned 14 as well as one other(they are 18 days apart in age)...... They could have stayed back and still been with kids their age!!

[DortonWildcat5]

Mine just turned 14 as well as one other(they are 18 days apart in age)...... They could have stayed back and still been with kids their age!!

I had several who wanted to stay back, but didn't because the rule wasn't changed. Two were so young that they could have held back 2 times and still been eligible. They both turned 13 after school started their 8th grade year. I'm glad they changed it back to make the playing field equal, but it is not fair to the kids who never got the chance.

[NEXT]

I had several who wanted to stay back, but didn't because the rule wasn't changed. Two were so young that they could have held back 2 times and still been eligible. They both turned 13 after school started their 8th grade year. I'm glad they changed it back to make the playing field equal, but it is not fair to the kids who never got the chance.

Don't get me wrong, I am glad its changed also......but letting them play in the County Tourney THIS YEAR is a direct shot at me and my father.

[DortonWildcat5]

Don't get me wrong, I am glad its changed also......but letting them play in the County Tourney THIS YEAR is a direct shot at me and my father.

No, I already know your stance on it. We've talked about it many times. I know several people who are mad because it is being changed during the season. I think we will see the effects of the rule change in the form of more competitive Pike County teams in the coming years.

[The King]

There's no way this rule should be changed after the season has started. If decisions were made for the proper reasons the change would take effect next season.

[Panther Thunder]

The fact is teams that have excelled have alway had hold backs. Not in Jr. High though. I started school late, along with a lot of people I know. Then others repeat 6th grade, etc... Without older kids it is very hard to compete. The ones with the kids that are 14 and 15 are going to be physically ahead of the ones that don't. Look at Virgie with Daniel Harmon, J.P. Newsome, Tyler Newsome, Ashley Hatfield. Dorton with Elisha Justice. Pikeville had Houston McAnallen, Blake Branham, and more... All of those kids were either heldback at one point or started later.

[bleedin blue]

I think if kids can make the grades they shouldn't be allowed to be held back just to have an advantage over other kids in sports. Why would anyone put sports over academics. I they cant make the grades they should be home studying instead of at practice or a game.

[BHSPirateMom #1]

Mine just turned 14 as well as one other(they are 18 days apart in age)...... They could have stayed back and still been with kids their age!!

Yes, mine just turned 14.

[Hondo]

There is always going to be some saying, "they should be allowed to be held back", and some saying "they should not be held back for sports".

There are alot of reasons to hold kids back; it may be purely for sports, partly for sports, or sports may not be a factor.

Ultimately, I believe a parent and their child are the ones to make that decision. Not someone elses parents, not one of the "powers that be" at a BOE, or even a coach.

[jcoleman10]

I dont think that it is right to hold back kids to play sports. All that is doing is hurting the teams that are playing legit ages and i think that it is right that if they are hold backs that they shouldnt be able to play in the county tourney. I think that is not fair and i am complete against it and i think that is nothing but cheating the kids that are hold backs because they are supposed to be high school kids playing against other high school teams. It makes a mess out of the game and it is unfair and i would rather lose with the right age group of kids than win with high school aged kids in middle school...

[The King]

I think if kids can make the grades they shouldn't be allowed to be held back just to have an advantage over other kids in sports.

There are so many kids that are holdbacks these days that alot of parents now hold their children back just to level the playing field...

[Hondo]

There will always be a discussion and disagreements on this issue; ultimately, what I feel like you should do with your child (when it comes to this issue) doesn't and shouldn't matter.

Either allow it statewide or disallow it.

[warriors_momma]

Make the grades or sit on the bench. No parent should hold back a child for sports.

[Panther Thunder]

Make the grades or sit on the bench. No parent should hold back a child for sports.

Let it be known that all throughout the land, a decree, from the all mighty Momma is to be in effect immediately: No child shall be held back for participation in an activity that may one day lead to a free or reduced college education. If caught parents will be punished accordingly.

[thetribe]

A true senior should get a scholarship over a holdback any day. Also, how many players from the mountains get scholarships anyway? Holding a child back in middle school just to play sports and having an unfair advantage over other children is simply not right.

[phs1986]

Age, maturity, or special need for the child would be sufficient... Doing it for sports alone is not to me a just cause....

[Tin Cup]

Only reason this rule was changed in the middle of the year is the Pugh kid from Pikeville.


He now attends Johns Creek as a holdback.


I was all for letting holdbacks play in the regular season, and not post season tourney.


Now they get the post season tourney.........Waggner and his merry mean think Belfry has a shot at winning something, so change the rules so they can't.

Didn't he also take the high school district tournament from Belfry this year?

[Panther Thunder]

A true senior should get a scholarship over a holdback any day. Also, how many players from the mountains get scholarships anyway? Holding a child back in middle school just to play sports and having an unfair advantage over other children is simply not right.

That's what the colleges are looking for.

And for the second part of your post, Daniel Pugh, Elisha Justice, and Daniel Harmon are examples that it will help your chances for a scholarship. I'm sure there are more.

If they are trying to do it to get a scholarship and they have a legitimate chance at it and it is fully allowed in the rules, then why not try for it? Because it might hurt someone else's feelings? You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. Being held back allows the individual to physically mature. That will help them play in high school and be prepared if they are to go on and play somewhere after school.

[thetribe]

That's what the colleges are looking for.

And for the second part of your post, Daniel Pugh, Elisha Justice, and Daniel Harmon are examples that it will help your chances for a scholarship. I'm sure there are more.

If they are trying to do it to get a scholarship and they have a legitimate chance at it and it is fully allowed in the rules, then why not try for it? Because it might hurt someone else's feelings? You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. Being held back allows the individual to physically mature. That will help them play in high school and be prepared if they are to go on and play somewhere after school.

I wouldn't stop myself from doing something just because it may hurt someone else's feelings if that is what I had my heart set on doing BUT holding a child back so like YOU said, they will physically mature..that is wrong. Being bigger, playing an extra year, getting an edge physically is unfair. Would you want your 10 year old child playing against a 14 year old holdback in a middle school game? It happens everyday. Sure some kids in the mountains do get a scholarship and more power to them, but I feel that if they are held back by their parents just to play sports then it is not a legit reason. The schools allowing a parent to walk into the office with a child who makes straight A's and request them to hold them back so they can play basketball for another year? Ridiculous. I've seen it with my own eyes and I've just never supported it. You or anyone else here that is for it have your own reasons and you won't see mine and change your mind, as I will not with yours either.

[BHSPirateMom #1]

I wouldn't stop myself from doing something just because it may hurt someone else's feelings if that is what I had my heart set on doing BUT holding a child back so like YOU said, they will physically mature..that is wrong. Being bigger, playing an extra year, getting an edge physically is unfair. Would you want your 10 year old child playing against a 14 year old holdback in a middle school game? It happens everyday. Sure some kids in the mountains do get a scholarship and more power to them, but I feel that if they are held back by their parents just to play sports then it is not a legit reason. The schools allowing a parent to walk into the office with a child who makes straight A's and request them to hold them back so they can play basketball for another year? Ridiculous. I've seen it with my own eyes and I've just never supported it. You or anyone else here that is for it have your own reasons and you won't see mine and change your mind, as I will not with yours either.

Not sure how a 14 year old could play against a 10 year old. That's 4 years.

[NEXT]

Didn't he also take the high school district tournament from Belfry this year?

Why yes he did............

[The Private]

I am from Letcher and I think they did the right thing for the kids.All counties are able to hold kids back.Look at Knott co,Hazard in the 14th they all have holdbacks.They will compete state wide. Trust me they did the right thing.Good job board of education.

[Dream_Weaver]

This change is two years too late for my kid.....

[NEXT]

This change is two years too late for my kid.....

Please advise some of our parents .......most will not listen to me