[Oldtiger]

Just for fun, what type changes would you like to see the KHSAA Make concerning Prep Football in the state of KY? example; Private vs public school class divisions?

What Needs fixed.

[Jarons]

Fewer classes

[Panther Thunder]

4 Classes.

Pick one:

-East/West meet in the Championship: Reseed in Regional Finals.

-Reseed Semifinals, Regions play continues through Region Finals.

[Jarons]

Fewer classes

And seed teams at the beginning of the playoffs.

[WETSU]

I would like to see the teams seeded with RPI after the first round of the playoffs instead of the second. This would still keep it in district for the first round and keep travel distance down. Current way stronger districts are punished and weaker teams are getting to advance.

[NateInSports]

Just for fun, what type changes would you like to see the KHSAA Make concerning Prep Football in the state of KY? example; Private vs public school class divisions?

What Needs fixed.

There's not enough football-playing schools to separate.

People are arguing that 32-40 teams per class (currently) is too few teams per class, yet we want to put 18 or so private schools in one class.

And some people feel there is already too much travel in districts or cross-regions, but we would make it worse by classing privates.

Plus, some publics and independents have open enrollment (see Louisville/JCPS) or allow out-of-district tuitions (see Elizabethtown independent or the 3 Hardins which are publics)

[KYHSFBFan]

Here's a few things I believe would improve things:

1) Go to 5 classes
2) Privates use a 1.33% factor in determining enrollment
3) Allow schools to move up in class if preferred
4) Seed playoffs beginning round 1 with D1-D4 AND D5-D8
5) 2 Friday and 3 Saturday championships
6) Top 3 teams in each District advance to playoffs, 1 seeds get 1st round bye

[Real Badman]

Why does everyone keep making suggestions about private schools? There is 0 that will come of it.

The smaller schools like KCD, Holy Cross, Bethlehem are inconsistent for success. All that would do is make an even more travel in 1A

Saint Xavier/Rocks are already at the top of the mountain, where else is there to go?

which leaves us with CAL and DeSales and Lexington Catholic - Probably some mid tier 3/4A fans trying to get them in 5A so they don't have to compete with them, IMO

[RAMDAD50]

Before making suggestions I believe everyone needs to think about the purpose of high school sports and who they are for! We live in a state where participation in football is low and the numbers keep dropping yet some want change that would weed out lower tier programs! It’s about the kids not about our viewing pleasures! There is no reason what so ever to put private schools on a separate class in this state.There is t enough privates that make a difference when it comes to determining a champion in each class! We need to start thinking of how we can save this sport instead of posting suggestions that would end it just because we don’t wanna see 50- 0 first round game

[Single Wing 77]

I’d leave it the way it is with one exception.
1. Move all private schools to 6A, and adjust accordingly. They can recruit, and every private in the state is in a large metropolitan area, so they choose how competitive they are.

[TheBear]

First, due to the continuous loss of players. I would like to see KHSAA adopt the rule, that Tennessee has and that would be if a school has not had a sports program for in the past five years, that school may compete in that sport at the nearest school of similar size. For some Class A schools to gain players from neighboring class A schools (ie Hickman County and Fulton County or Carlisle County/Ballard).

[Single Wing 77]

First, due to the continuous loss of players. I would like to see KHSAA adopt the rule, that Tennessee has and that would be if a school has not had a sports program for in the past five years, that school may compete in that sport at the nearest school of similar size. For some Class A schools to gain players from neighboring class A schools (ie Hickman County and Fulton County or Carlisle County/Ballard).

Actually this made me think of one other change I’d like to see made too. Pass a Tim Tebow rule allowing homeschool kids to play sports within their district.

[HCS]

First, due to the continuous loss of players. I would like to see KHSAA adopt the rule, that Tennessee has and that would be if a school has not had a sports program for in the past five years, that school may compete in that sport at the nearest school of similar size. For some Class A schools to gain players from neighboring class A schools (ie Hickman County and Fulton County or Carlisle County/Ballard).

Don't Fulton City and Fulton County have programs?

[NateInSports]

I’d leave it the way it is with one exception.
1. Move all private schools to 6A, and adjust accordingly. They can recruit, and every private in the state is in a large metropolitan area, so they choose how competitive they are.

I wouldn't consider Owensboro Catholic and Bardstown Bethlehem to be in large metropolitan areas.

And there are 29 coed privates (plus the five girls-only academies of Assumption, Mercy, Notre Dame, Sacred Heart and Presentation) who don't have football.

Sayre was the first private to add football in like the last decade.

COED PRIVATES WITHOUT FOOTBALL (29)
Ashland Holy Family
Ashland Rose Hill Christian
Benton Christian Fellowship (WKY)
Beverly Red Bird Christian
Covington Calvary Christian
Covington Latin
Covington Villa Madonna
Danville Christian
Danville KY School f/t Deaf
Florence Heritage
Frankfort Christian
Hager Hill Piarist
Hopkinsville University Heights
Lost Creek Riverside Christian
Louisville Beth Haven
Louisville Collegiate
Louisville Evangel Christian
Louisville Highlands Latin
Louisville KY School f/t Blind
Louisville Portland Christian
Louisville St. Francis
Louisville Walden
Louisville Whitefield
Maysville St. Patrick
Oneida Baptist Institute
Paducah Community Christian
Paducah St. Mary
Pippa Passes June Buchanan
Whitesville Trinity

There are five privates in EKY alone who aren't in metro areas and don't offer football.

[NateInSports]

Actually this made me think of one other change I’d like to see made too. Pass a Tim Tebow rule allowing homeschool kids to play sports within their district.

Tebow rule likely never to pass in Kentucky without an overhaul of longstanding KDE rules.

Homeschoolers don't want the CURRICULAR part of what high schools, but they want the EXTRA curriculars that go with them (never mind the insurance part or the uproar if a kid who doesn't even go to the school was picked over someone who does and has put in their time; same reason some schools don't allow foreign-exchange just out of principle). Academic teams, Bands, Beta clubs, drama clubs, etc., don't allow homeschoolers either. Not just a KHSAA thing.

[EKUAlum05]

1. 5 Classes
2. Freedom to play up if that is the choice, the smallest public school drops down in that Semi-State.
3. Let's be honest here... the only Private Schools in KY that is a gorilla is Trinity and maybe X, but even then X is not the monster they once were.
4. RPI is tweaked to better calculate out of state games and give better value for beating teams who reached the 3rd Round or further the previous year.
5. The playoff system I have always advocated for:

- Each Semi-State is broken down into 4 Districts, 8 Districts per class much like it is now.

- Only the Top 3 teams advance per District.

- Each District winner in each Semi-State is seeded 1 thru 4 automatically using the tweaked RPI. These four top seeds per Semi-State get a 1st Round BYE. Perks of winning District and keeps the regular season meaningful.

- The remaining 8 teams per Semi-State are seeded 5 thru 12. If #5 and #6 are from the same District, it doesn't matter They earned that seed with their RPI.

- Rounds 1 and 2 are played at the Higher Seeded team's homefield (* They must meet a minimum mandated requirement for visitor seating and visitor locker room and facilities to be eligible to host*)

- Rounds 3 and 4 are played on designated neutral fields.

- State Final is winner of Western Semi-State vs. Eastern Semi-State.

[EKUAlum05]

It floors me that people are so obsessed with the Private School debate. There really are only two classes that have had a significant impact though, 6A and 2A.

I guess if you really want to be picky, just make the private schools play one class higher. It wouldn't change 6A, but it would make some of the smaller schools get a little tougher competition most years.

1A: 24 of the 26 teams were Public Schools to reach the State Finals. 12 of the 13 State Champs were public schools (LCA in 2009)

2A: 9 of the 26 teams were Public Schools. 3 of the 13 Champions were Public Schools. (Fort Campbell X 3, CAL X 2, DeSales X2, NewCath X 2, Cov. Holy Cross X 1)

3A: 25 of the 26 teams were Public Schools. No Private School won a State Title.

4A: All 26 teams were Public Schools.

5A: 23 of the 26 teams were Public Schools. 11 of the 13 Champions were Public Schools (CovCath X 2)

6A: 13 of the 26 teams were Public Schools. 3 of the 13 Champions were Public Schools. (Trinity X 9, St. Xavier X 1)


All told, since the 6-Class System:
120 of the 156 teams to reach the State Finals have been Public Schools (77%)

55 of the 78 teams to win a State Title have been Public Schools (71%)

[footballfever]

Eliminate 3-4 seeds in playoff. Have 6 classes championships Thanksgiving weekend. Week after have DIII championship 1A vs 2A, DII 3A vs 4A and DI 5A vs 6A

[Single Wing 77]

I wouldn't consider Owensboro Catholic and Bardstown Bethlehem to be in large metropolitan areas.

And there are 29 coed privates (plus the five girls-only academies of Assumption, Mercy, Notre Dame, Sacred Heart and Presentation) who don't have football.

Sayre was the first private to add football in like the last decade.

COED PRIVATES WITHOUT FOOTBALL (29)
Ashland Holy Family
Ashland Rose Hill Christian
Benton Christian Fellowship (WKY)
Beverly Red Bird Christian
Covington Calvary Christian
Covington Latin
Covington Villa Madonna
Danville Christian
Danville KY School f/t Deaf
Florence Heritage
Frankfort Christian
Hager Hill Piarist
Hopkinsville University Heights
Lost Creek Riverside Christian
Louisville Beth Haven
Louisville Collegiate
Louisville Evangel Christian
Louisville Highlands Latin
Louisville KY School f/t Blind
Louisville Portland Christian
Louisville St. Francis
Louisville Walden
Louisville Whitefield
Maysville St. Patrick
Oneida Baptist Institute
Paducah Community Christian
Paducah St. Mary
Pippa Passes June Buchanan
Whitesville Trinity

There are five privates in EKY alone who aren't in metro areas and don't offer football.

Owensboro and it’s surrounding areas are big enough to support a 6A private school and Hardin/Nelson counties are the same. Plus it’s right outside of Louisville. There is plenty of talent for Bethlehem and OCath to go get if they chose to do so.

Sayre will build over the next couple years to be competitive.

I just think it’s ridiculous that a school can freely recruit while keeping their enrollment low enough to play in 1a or 2 a football.

I don’t see how the last part of this post is related to high school football. This thread is about high school football. Not the 854 small community schools who don’t offer football. (I know that some of the schools on this list have Long histories and that some of them have even offered football before). It is my opinion that every private school in the state could compete at the 6A level if they wanted too.

[FootballFan1999]

I think things are fine the way they are besides starting RPI third round. I’d like to see RPI get started for the semi’s. The third round is your “region championship” but the teams playing each other now because of RPI aren’t close to the same region. I like RPI but wish they’d go back to cross district first three rounds seed the last two. It may be boring to the fan to see a 50-0 first round playoff game but I promise the seniors on the losing end of that game are thankful they got one last playoff game.

[Jarons]

1. 5 Classes
2. Freedom to play up if that is the choice, the smallest public school drops down in that Semi-State.
3. Let's be honest here... the only Private Schools in KY that is a gorilla is Trinity and maybe X, but even then X is not the monster they once were.
4. RPI is tweaked to better calculate out of state games and give better value for beating teams who reached the 3rd Round or further the previous year.
5. The playoff system I have always advocated for:

- Each Semi-State is broken down into 4 Districts, 8 Districts per class much like it is now.

- Only the Top 3 teams advance per District.

- Each District winner in each Semi-State is seeded 1 thru 4 automatically using the tweaked RPI. These four top seeds per Semi-State get a 1st Round BYE. Perks of winning District and keeps the regular season meaningful.

- The remaining 8 teams per Semi-State are seeded 5 thru 12. If #5 and #6 are from the same District, it doesn't matter They earned that seed with their RPI.

- Rounds 1 and 2 are played at the Higher Seeded team's homefield (* They must meet a minimum mandated requirement for visitor seating and visitor locker room and facilities to be eligible to host*)

- Rounds 3 and 4 are played on designated neutral fields.

- State Final is winner of Western Semi-State vs. Eastern Semi-State.

This will never happen. It makes too much sense.

[JokersWild24]

I've always been fascinated by the idea of a "super class". Top eight or sixteen teams in the State in one division, and it being full of the type of teams that would absolutely roll the champions of any other division nine times out of ten. Probably wouldn't work in Kentucky because I think the implication is that it's privates and relaxed on recruiting (not a big deal in football when they are in their own division, but an issue when those athletes would play other sports that didn't allow recruiting).

[Real Badman]

Owensboro and it’s surrounding areas are big enough to support a 6A private school and Hardin/Nelson counties are the same. Plus it’s right outside of Louisville. There is plenty of talent for Bethlehem and OCath to go get if they chose to do so.

Sayre will build over the next couple years to be competitive.

I just think it’s ridiculous that a school can freely recruit while keeping their enrollment low enough to play in 1a or 2 a football.

I don’t see how the last part of this post is related to high school football. This thread is about high school football. Not the 854 small community schools who don’t offer football. (I know that some of the schools on this list have Long histories and that some of them have even offered football before). It is my opinion that every private school in the state could compete at the 6A level if they wanted too.

There is nothing different from the "recruiting' done by catholic schools, compared to say Open Enrollment districts. Kids especially in Louisville metro have to take entrance exams, pay tuition, etc.

The small schools don't have the infrastructure to compete on a consistent basis. Trinity/X would be 99% of schools in KY. Cal/DeSales/LexCath/LCA are your outliers.

Pike County Schools is a prime example. How many kids choose to go to Shelby Valley for basketball? or Belfry for Football? Open enrollment throughout the county. You can live in Motley and drive to Virgie to play basketball. I remember when kids lived in Breathitt County and traveled to Central for football.

I've heard countless times posters from a certain maroon independent school in EKY say students should have the option to go to the best schools when given the opportunity.

[TheBear]

Yes Fulton County and Fulton City have programs (if you call what City has left a program, as they do not participate in the KHSAA district and never know how many kids available to play). If you put both those schools together, the team would only have about 30-35 players, as City would only add about 15 players max. I was thinking more in the lines of Hickman County that has never had football, the little league program around here has had a lot of Hickman County players play up until middle school. By allowing schools to combine into one team, at least some cost sharing could be had and numbers increase for playing. If KHSAA would allow Fulton County, Fulton City and Hickman County work under a interlocal cooperation act in the state statutes and allow them to be one football team, the overall effect would be either they would still be an 1A team, or they become one of the smaller 2A team like Ballard Memorial and have game that are closer district games. Just my thought on how to make football better in 1A in far West KY, where everyone must travel at least 2hours for an away district game. To be honest, if Tennessee would allow Fulton County to play in the TSSAA, they would be better off in terms of travel and competition.

[HCS]

I can't see the KHSAA approving something like that. Fulton could solve this problem with one school, or could even merge with Hickman for one county.

[Real Badman]

I can't see the KHSAA approving something like that. Fulton could solve this problem with one school, or could even merge with Hickman for one county.

Believe that would be an act of congress to happen...or the KY General Assembly to be more accurate.

[HCS]

The General Assembly tried to get some counties to merge about 15 years ago. I talked to one of the legislators at the time and he discussed a plan I had written that would merge several counties with less than 10,000 residents. I would guess Fulton and Hickman would be in that category.

[plantmanky]

If the lower level participation numbers hold out, you will lose a football class in KY by attrition in about 10 years. So some form of combined schools teams needs to be discussed.

[HCS]

Kentucky is too small to have 120 counties - that is one of the problems.

[BoyleCo]

My changes:
1) 4 classes instead of 6
2) Only top 2 teams in each district go to playoffs
3) Playoffs are reseeded based on polls
4) 1 transfer per year. There are too many kids that get stuck with a bad coach or at a bad school with no options to leave. Let these kids leave when they want. No one is stopping kids from leaving due to academics or arts. So why punish the athletes?