[RunItUpTheGut]

I actually agree with everything you have said in this forum topic. You did say Whitley will win 2 to 3 games at the beginning of the year. Campbell is the best thing to happen to Whitley Co, I do in retrospect question some of his schemes. I also have to question at one point Whitley was one of the largest schools in its division then they got bumped up and where they were one of the smallest and then they got bumped down in division. However, Whitley has always had a problem with numbers, I remember people would say Campbell was to hard on the boys, but he has been long gone and the same problem prosist.

Why is Whitley starting so many young kids? A 5A school should not be, I can understand a school like Williamsburg, Jellico, Lynn Camp, those types, but 5A is a huge school, what do you think?

Ill try to answer your comments in order....

Whitley was one of the largest 3A schools in the state before they went to 4A football in 2001.
Then when the reclassification happened, we were put in 5A and are in the upper half of the list when it comes to numbers.

Campbell also had trouble getting players after 2001. I honestly believe its due to the changing times. Kids just dont want to play sports anymore and the ones who do are the few who will sacrifice other things. Kids dont want to give up there video games and computer to go play football for a team that may or may not be good.
This is not only a problem at Whitley, MANY 5A and 6A schools have a numbers problem when it comes to football. Take North and South Laurel, who are both bigger than Whitley for example. Over half of Whitleys starters this year were under classmen, and while that may look good for the future, it all depends on IF these kids keep playing.
For example this year our starting runningback just up and quit before the first game of the season and he was a heck of a player. Back when i played, you didnt do this and your teammates didnt let you do this.
I believe in order to be successful, you have to have a coach that can get on the same level as kids and relate to them in many ways. A young coach seems to be the way to go as the hard ass approach to things just doesnt seem to work anymore, kids will just quit and not care.
Look at the job Haddix has done at PCC this year after being able to get those kids to play. I know there no powerhouse, but compared to where they have been, there MUCH improved and things are looking bright for them.

Times are changing, and maybe we should make some changes too...