[EKUAlum05]

Reading this almost makes me feel sorry for you guys in the east. I said almost. I don't wanna help yall beat us or anything. I am reading this and wondering how yall are talking about 35-45 kids in 2a or 3a over there. We are 1a and have 59 dressed out. I think we will have a few more back next year. We have a few freshmen this year that didn't like getting hit by the big boys. I think they may return next year. I expect our numbers to be more in the range of 65 next year, maybe more. I tell you as a parent how to take care of some of that stuff. I have always had my son play up against older and therefore more developed players. I work hard to let him know just how exciting it is to watch him play but also remind him regularly of things he needs to work on. There will be days when you get a little concerned that it may be too much for them. There are days when you see something happen that makes you totally excited. You have to believe in the kids and stick with it. Every time I think about whether or not I did the right things, I think back to one day when mine was 10 years old. I had him playing against (literally) high schoolers in baseball. He turned a triple play. Now, it was a little concerning when he came to the plate with a kid with little control throwing 80 mph but he took a few deep breaths and put the bat on the ball. He grew more in that summer than he ever has.

I am talking about your run of the mill 2A/3A team. The teams who are not your programs you immediately think of...in other words the programs who are getting beat bad when they play the good teams.

Mayfield is the exception. Much like a Belfry, Pikeville, or the like in EKY..the teams who are traditionally strong will maintain good numbers. Think of teams like a Webster County, Crittenden County. Hart Co, or a Metcalfe County.

In year's past these are teams who could maintain decent numbers and were typically competitive teams, even if they were losing. Now these are teams who when they play a "good" team get crushed by a running clock. Even still, then they play a Todd Central or a Trimble County and they put a running clock on them.