AAA-Non-Sports Blogs
03/12/19 – KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® Heads to Rupp Arena for the First Time
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2019
The KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® will make its debut at Rupp Arena this week (March 13-17), as the historic venue plays host to the girls’ basketball tournament for the first time. This year’s tournament will mark the first Girls’ Sweet 16® played in Lexington in the modern era, as the city held the event 11 times prior to the return of girls’ basketball as a KHSAA-sanctioned sport in 1975, with the games played at the Armory from 1922-26 and UK Alumni Gym from 1927-32.
The 2019 Girls’ Sweet 16® gets underway Wednesday afternoon when Knott County Central takes on Scott County at 12 p.m. (ET). Fans can follow all the action through live webcasts at KHSAA.tv or listen to the games online at KHSAA.net. The games will also be carried statewide across 46 stations through the Kentucky Utilities/KHSAA Sweet Sixteen® Radio Network, with the games […]
Billy Hicks: “This was my last game”
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 10, 2019)
Nobody has coached basketball harder than Billy Hicks has coached basketball over the last four decades. If he wore a blood-pressure cup on the sidelines, the numbers would scare the bejeebers out of his doctor, not to mention his wife Betsy.
He has coached almost 1,300 high school games and won 1,013 of them. His winning percentage is a stunning 79%.
He has guided 14 teams to the Sweet Sixteen, 13 of them at Scott County over the last 25 years. He’s won more state tournament games — 33 — than any other coach. His Cardinals won 2 state championships (1998 and 2007).
Those aren’t just numbers. They represent a life’s work — a passion — that has consumed Hicks since he began coaching back home in Harlan County more than 40 years ago.
But Sunday afternoon in Rupp Arena, after Trinity beat Scott County 50-40 in the finals of […]
Trinity wins state title behind humble hero David Johnson
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 10, 2019)
David Johnson has to be one the most self-effacing, ego-averse MVPs in the history of the Sweet Sixteen.
After the gifted 6-foot-5 senior had 22 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 2 assists to spark Trinity past Scott County 50-40 in the finals of the 102nd Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ State Basketball Tournament in Rupp Arena on Sunday afternoon, he steadfastly refused the mantle of hero.
Reporters tried to elicit some acknowledgment from Johnson on his fabulous play by asking him questions about his clutch shooting and his gnarly defense, but his answers always circled back to his teammates.
What about his buzzer-beating three-pointer from the right wing to close the first half that tied the game (22-22) and prompted Trinity’s other players to do a happy dance to the locker room?
“I know my teammates are going to feed off of it, but none of that stuff fazes me,” […]
Twin brothers having a Jolly good time in Rupp
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 8, 2019)
The Jolly twins – Grant and Reid – are having a ball in the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen this week, but then they’ve been having a ball playing ball – be it basketball, football, baseball or golf — whether as teammates or sibling rivals, all their lives.
The Campbell County seniors have helped the Camels win two games in the state tournament for the first time in school history. They knocked off undefeated John Hardin 61-60 on Wednesday, and followed that up with a 49-42 victory over Walton-Verona on Friday.
That puts Campbell County in the Sweet Sixteen semifinals against Trinity Saturday night in Rupp Arena.
“We’ve been talking about this forever,” Reid said. “Last year we won our first-ever game here, and since the beginning of this season we were looking to go farther. We’ve done that.”
Reid, a 6-foot-5, 195-pounder, has been the Camels’ star. He […]
CovCath’s near-miracle comeback, play-by-play
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 7, 2019)
Take your pick.
It was almost the greatest comeback in Sweet Sixteen history, or almost the greatest collapse in Sweet Sixteen history.
Scott County led defending champion Covington Catholic 48-26 with 5:47 left and was cruising down easy street in their first-round showdown in the 102nd Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ State Tournament Thursday afternoon.
The top-rated Cardinals were still comfortably ahead — 60-41 — with 1:34 remaining, and 90% of the fans had exited Rupp Arena.
Then CovCath mounted an incredible rally. The Colonels went on an 18-0 run in a 67-second span.
Alas, the comeback fell just short, and Scott County escaped with a 64-61 victory.
Here’s how the frantic finish unfolded after Terrin Hamilton hit two free throws to give Scott County a 60-41 lead with 1:34 remaining:
- CovCath Jack Davin 3-pointer: 60:44 w/1:10 left
- Scott County turnover
- CovCath Michael Mayer layup: 60:46 w/1:10 left
- Scott County […]
Billy Hicks, through the eyes of his wife Betsy
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 7, 2019)
Betsy Hicks has been watching her husband coach basketball for more than four decades, from Evarts to Harlan to Corbin to Scott County, and in that time she’s missed only a handful of his games.
In late January, when Billy Hicks became the first high school basketball coach in Kentucky to reach 1,000 victories, Betsy figured she had witnessed 990 of them.
A couple of weeks earlier, however, she had witnessed an even more remarkable “first” in her husband’s coaching career.
On Jan. 12, when Scott County was rolling to an 87-57 home-court rout of Ashland Blazer, Billy Hicks left at halftime so he could get to the hospital for the birth of his first grandchild.
“I was shocked, definitely shocked,” Betsy said. “That’s the only time in my life he’s left a ball game. I mean I’ve been on my deathbed before and he still went and coached […]
Brewers’ basketball perfection secure in history for another year
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 6, 2019)
Only a few minutes after John Hardin lost in the first round of the 102nd KHSAA Sweet Sixteen Wednesday night, a phone call was placed to Barney Thweatt, who lives in Benton in the far reaches of western Kentucky.
Had Thweatt heard that Campbell County had knocked off previously undefeated John Hardin 61-60?
Thweatt, who’ll turn 89 later this month, couldn’t stifle his laughter of joy and relief.
“Yes, I listened to it all,” he said. “Nothing against John Hardin, but I’m glad they got beat. You know how selfish I am.”
Thweatt played on the last undefeated boys’ state title team in Kentucky — Brewers, a small school in Marshall County that went 36-0 on its way to the 1948 Sweet Sixteen championship.
It is a source of pride with Thweatt that no boys’ team since has been able to match Brewers’ accomplishment of perfection.
He was well […]
A special basketball day for the Brannen family
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 6, 2019)
Debbie and John Brannen didn’t stick around Rupp Arena for long after watching their son Grant coach Walton-Verona to a 76-54 victory over Knox Central in the opening game of the 102nd KHSAA Sweet Sixteen Wednesday afternoon.
The Brannens had to book it back up I-75 so they could watch their son John coach Northern Kentucky University against Detroit Mercy at BB&T Arena in the Horizon League tournament Wednesday night.
First, though, they had to stop off at home and change clothes, switching their Walton-Verona colors (blue & white) for NKU colors (black & gold).
The proud basketball parents are on the road a lot during the winter, catching all the Walton-Verona and NKU games they can.
Debbie estimates that comes to 60 or 70 games a season, with her and husband splitting up when there are scheduling conflicts.
If you include the youth league games their grandkids play, […]
The last six unbeaten teams that got beat in the Sweet Sixteen
BY MIKE FIELDS (March 6, 2019)
Since Brewers was crowned Boys’ Sweet Sixteen champion with a 36-0 record in 1948, six teams have entered the state tournament undefeated, but none have left holding the big trophy.
This year another unbeaten team will give it a try. John Hardin, out of the 5th Region, is 35-0. The Bulldogs will face 10th Region champ Campbell County in the first round of the 102nd Sweet Sixteen Wednesday night in Rupp Arena.
Here’s how the previous six undefeated teams fared in the state tournament:
1989 – Clay County (33-0), led by Russ Farmer, lost to Marshall County 64-60 in the first round. Dax Myhand and Dan Hall sparked the Marshals past Bobby Keith’s Tigers.
1982 – Mason County (30-0), coached by Allen Feldhaus Sr., beat Middlesboro 71-63 in the first round, then fell to Virgie and star Todd May 68-63 in the quarterfinals in front of a then-world record […]
03/05/19 – Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® Broadcast Info, 105.5 FM To Air Games Locally
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2019
The 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® gets underway Wednesday afternoon at Rupp Arena when Knox Central takes on Walton-Verona at 12 p.m. (ET). Fans can follow all the action through live webcasts at KHSAA.tv or listen to the games online at KHSAA.net. The games will also be carried statewide across 53 stations through the Kentucky Utilities/KHSAA Sweet Sixteen® Radio Network, with the games airing locally in Lexington on iHeart Media’s Rewind 105.5 FM.
All 15 games of the Boys’ Sweet 16® will be webcast live at KHSAA.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network (https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/). Subscription plans for the NFHS Network are available for $9.95 a month. A monthly subscription, priced less than the cost of admission to a state championship event, entitles users to every broadcast by the KHSAA and the more than 40 participating state associations. Viewers who subscribe for the Boys’ […]
Reggie Warford’s Hall of Fame credentials go beyond basketball
BY MIKE FIELDS (Feb. 27, 2019)
Remember Reggie Warford?
He was a basketball star at Drakesboro High in the early 1970s, a skinny, leaping left-hander who became the first recruit Joe B. Hall signed after Hall succeeded Adolph Rupp as Kentucky’s head coach. Warford helped the Cats win the National Invitational Tournament in 1976, and was the first African-American basketball player to graduate from UK.
“I guess no one wants to be forgotten,” Warford said in a phone interview from his home in Pittsburgh.
Warford has battled major health issues for the past 20 years, culminating with a heart transplant in 2014, and a kidney transplant in 2017. He has developed a pulmonary condition that restricts his breathing. The muscles around his diaphragm have atrophied. He’s on oxygen at night. He’s 64, wheelchair-bound, and courageously facing his mortality.
“I’m in my final stages here,” Warford said. “They’ve done everything they can do, and there’s nothing […]
02/25/19 – KHSAA to Award Fourth Annual Louis Stout Memorial Scholarships at Boys’ Sweet 16®
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 25, 2019
The KHSAA will present the fourth annual Louis Stout Memorial Scholarships during the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® to Lance Butler of Paducah Tilghman and Brynne Galloway of Garrard County.
When former Commissioner Louis Stout passed away in 2012, his late widow Anna directed that donations on his behalf go to the Louis Stout Memorial Fund for Students. Mrs. Stout felt this was an opportunity for the KHSAA to honor student-athletes who excel in athletics, academics, school service and community service.
Winners will receive a one-time $2,000 scholarship payable to an institution of higher learning, and were chosen after careful review, with selection criteria based on athletic activities, non-athletic activities, non-school […]
02/20/19 – Pannell Swim Shop/KHSAA State Swimming & Diving Championships Begin Thursday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 20, 2018
The 2019 Pannell Swim Shop/KHSAA State Swimming & Diving Championships (Feb. 21-23) begin Thursday with the boys’ and girls’ diving preliminaries at the Ralph Wright Natatorium on the University of Louisville campus. Boys’ diving prelims are slated for 12:30-3 p.m. followed by the girls’ diving prelims from 6:30-9 p.m.
This year’s event features a new format, as the entirety of the boys’ swimming and diving championship will be completed on Friday, with the girls’ swimming prelims and & finals contested on Saturday. Boys’ swimming prelims begin at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, with the diving competition opening the championship finals at 5:30 p.m. and the first swimming events at 7 p.m. Saturday’s schedule of events will follow the same timeline, with the girls’ swimming prelims starting at 10:30 a.m. The girls’ championship begins with the diving finals at 5:30 p.m., followed by the girls’ swimming finals at 7 p.m.
Tickets […]
Rick Bolus: still scouting, still loving it, after all these years
BY MIKE FIELDS (Feb. 20, 2019)
Rick Bolus estimates that he’s driven more than a half-a-million miles to scout more than 10,000 high school basketball games over the last 46 years. He’s in remarkably good health considering he’s consumed several thousand concession-stand hot dogs and boxes of popcorn along the way.
Shela Bolus, Rick’s wife, is into horses and loves trail riding. A few years ago her husband, on a rare occasion when he wasn’t sequestered in a gym somewhere, went riding with her.
“To make a long story short,” Bolus said, “I fell off the horse and broke my thumb and five ribs.
“That’s why I prefer basketball.”
Bolus has always preferred hoops over horses. Basketball has always been his passion.
He was a talented shooting guard for Male High School (Class of 1968), and his teammates included star Henry Bacon, who went on to have a solid college career at Louisville.
At Virginia […]
01/28/19- Preliminary Information About Calculating the RPI
PRELIMINARY BASICS ABOUT THE RPI (Based on the CHSAA model, final details will be released by KHSAA when the RPI is released)
NOTE: As of September 30, 2019, this information is superseded by the final release by the KHSAA of official information and details.
- RPI will be implemented in all sports as a publicity tool.
- In Football, the RPI will be incorporated into the tournament rules as a means of seeding Rounds 3, 4 and 5
- RPI stands for “Ratings Percentage Index”. In short, it is a way to measure a team’s strength relative to other teams, based largely on the strength of their schedules.
- The RPI formula is used by both the NCAA and NAIA, along with many high school associations and among other organizations, as part of their postseason system.
- Final details will be released with the first RPI calculations in September, 2019.
What percentages are being used in the formula?
[…]02/19/19 – Board of Control Addresses Future Postseason Formats for Fall Championships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2019
The Board of Control reviewed postseason formats and state qualifying for several fall sports during its meeting at the KHSAA Offices on Tuesday. Changes to the state golf qualifying process and golf alignment were among the topics discussed, along with the implementation of the RPI during the Football postseason and a revision of the semi-state round for the soccer postseason.
The final action in revising the golf regional alignment, as well as state tournament qualifying, completes nearly a full year of review of the manner in which the postseason championships are conducted in the sport. In past years, the golf format for advancement to the state tournament was for the top two teams from each region (four or five players), along with the top four girls at-large and top three boys at-large from each region, to qualify for state. Following the Board’s decision in January to revise the state […]
Basic Explanation and Plan, the New RPI to be used for Football
More Details about the Use of the RPI (Football Only)
- The RPI will be published beginning following football week 6. Publishing prior to that date will likely lead to incomplete data.
- Football RPI is frozen after Week 11, the end of the regular season. Hereinafter, the totals will be referred to as “Playoff RPI”
- Future consideration includes using RPI to break three-way ties within districts, but for 2019, the conventional tiebreaker remains in place.
- Third round playoff games, for the purpose of determining the home team, will be based on Playoff RPI in all classes.
- Highest remaining seed in regions 1-4 will host the fourth-highest remaining in regions 1-4;
- 2nd highest remaining seed in regions 1-4 will host the third-highest remaining seed in regions 1-4;
- Highest remaining seed in regions 5-8 host the fourth-highest remaining in regions 5-8;
- 2nd highest remaining seed in regions 5-8 host the third-highest remaining seed in regions 5-8. […]
02/15/19 – Board of Control Election Procedures
BOARD OF CONTROL BALLOT – BOARD OF CONTROL ELECTIONS – INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BALLOT:
- Balloting is ONLY done online for these positions.
- Balloting is available beginning on February 15.
- Only the Principal or Designated Representative may vote. The names on file as verified by the KHSAA website at the time of this ballot distribution are listed on the school directory page at http://khsaa.org/general/resources/member-school-directory/.
- If the wrong individual is listed as the Designated Representative, the correction may be made by anyone with Athletic Director system rights (Principal, AD) prior to the ballot being submitted. For support in correcting these entries, contact Rob Catron or Marilyn Mitchell at the KHSAA offices, however the change will be for all items related to Bylaw 1 and for the remainder of the school year.
- Those that have multiple system roles (coach, AD, etc.) be sure you select that you are logging in as the […]
02/15/19 – Sweet Sixteen® Online Media Credentialing System
The media credentialing system for the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ and KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournaments is now available online, and can be accessed by going to credentials.khsaa.org. Both of this year’s events will be held at Rupp Arena, with the boys playing March 6-10, followed by the girls’ tournament March 13-17.
The deadline to apply for credentials is 5 p.m. on the Monday prior to each respective tournament – March 4 for the Boys’ Sweet 16® and March 11 for the Girls.
OWNERSHIP OF MEDIA AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
The intellectual property, corporate, broadcasting and media rights to all State championship rounds of the KHSAA postseason championships belong exclusively to the KHSAA, including titling agreements and sponsorships. As such, the KHSAA is the only entity permitted to originate a live broadcast during the Sweet 16® (this includes the use of […]
2/14/19- Reminder to Schools about Esports Rosters and Information
For the 2018-2019 school year, KHSAA member schools participating in the sport-activity of esports through the KHSAA/PlayVs partnership are required to enter and maintain their teams, coaches and participants in the KHSAA member school database. THIS STEP DOES NOT REPLACE THE NECESSITY OF REGISTERING COACH AND PARTICIPANT SPECIFIC INFORMATION WITH PLAYVS. If you are participating in esports through another entity (not through PlayVS), please disregard this notice and do not enter your school information.
DECLARING THAT YOU PARTICIPATED IN KHSAA ESPORTS SEASON ZERO OR SEASON ONE DURING 2018-19
- As with any other sport/sport-activity, the first step the AD (or other designated administrator) will need to do is update the school’s Sport Participation Information grid to add the team(s) to the database, which will then allow entry of participants and coaches. (Direct link: https://schools.khsaa.org/schools_update/)
- On this grid, you will now see both of the newly added esports seasons (Esports – Fall and Esports – […]
02/13/19 – State Wrestling Championships Begin Friday at Alltech Arena
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2019
The 2019 KHSAA State Wrestling Championships sponsored by the U.S. Army ROTC begin Friday morning at Alltech Arena, with gates opening for fans at 8:30 a.m. and first round matches commencing at 9:30 a.m. Tickets to the State Wrestling Championships are available for purchase online at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA, including a discounted online-only $30 all-session pass.
Friday’s opening session will continue through the third round of the championship bracket (bouts 1-616). Saturday’s opening session begins with third round consolation bracket matches at 9 a.m., and continues through the sixth round consolation bracket matches (bouts 785-812).
The medal round session is scheduled to begin with the KWCA awards at 3 p.m. followed by the consolation bracket finals for third, fifth and seventh place. Upon conclusion of the consolation bracket finals, the competitors in the finals will be introduced and the first championship match will begin. Awards will be […]
BK154-Basketball Ticket Request Form
Loading…02/12/2019-Commissioner’s Statement on NFHS Football Rule Change Related to Replay
KHSAA staff is aware of the rule change and thankfully, we were part of the discussion. At this point, there are no plans to implement replay for our state football championship games, which is likely the only round in which we would consider it at this time. There is also no current plans to implement replay in other sports as well. It would take considerable research into costs, facility equipment, and needed manpower before stepping into this area. We applaud our peer states for their experimentation in this area and are equally proud that they were able during an experimental period to try the rule at minimal cost. We are also aware that for the future, that “minimal cost” will be changing to market pricing and again, have to ask the question of practicality.
While we all desire the best possible outcomes and all officials strive to “get it right”, this is truly a case where […]
02/11/19 – Baseball Online Rules Clinic Now Available
The 2019 Online Rules Clinic that is required for all head and assistant coaches and licensed officials in the sport of Baseball is now available. The clinic is required for ALL coaches at each school, head or assistant, paid or unpaid.
HEAD AND ASSISTANT COACHES
- For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, log in to https://schools.khsaa.org and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link entitled “View Online Rules Clinics“.
- February 11 – April 15 – the Clinic may be viewed by coaches at no charge during this period.
- April 16 – May 5 – the Clinic may be viewed by coaches for the late fee ($100) during this period.
- May 6 – May 19 – the Clinic may be viewed by coaches for the late fee ($200) during this period. After this time, postseason penalties per Bylaw 27 will apply. […]
02/06/19 – State Bowling Championships Begin Thursday at Executive Strike & Spare
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2019
The eighth-annual KHSAA State Bowling Championships get underway Thursday at Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville with the Unified, Adapted and Singles competitions. The Unified Championship, which is in its third year as a KHSAA offering, and the inaugural Adapted Championship start at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles Championship at 11:30 a.m. Advanced tickets to the event can be purchased at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA.
The Unified Championship will consist of one qualifying game for seeding followed by baker’s doubles matches throughout a 16-team bracket. The Adapted Championship will feature one qualifying game for seeding prior to the final head-to-head matchup. The singles competition will have each competitor bowl three games before the field is trimmed to the top eight individuals. The top eight will then roll two additional games, with the top four boys’ and girls’ performers advancing to the step ladder bracket, which will continue […]
02/05/19 – Esports Spring Season Participation Deadline February 8
Season Zero ended last week with Boyle County High School taking home the first KHSAA esports state title. Congratulations to Coach Laymon and the BoCo Gold team. The livestream of the state championship match is available at https://www.khsaa.tv
The deadline to join the esports Spring 2019 season is this Friday, February 8th. If your school is interested in participating, please be sure to create an account on PlayVS.com by the deadline to get started. You can still complete your profile and fill out your computer specifications afterward. Players have until February 22nd to sign up and finalize teams.
SPRING 2019 REGULAR SEASON STRUCTURE
- The regular season will run from the week of February 25th – April 22nd.
- Matches will be played at 4 p.m. EST on the following days for each league:
- Tuesdays: League of Legends – Two consecutive […]
02/01/19 – 2019-20 High School Volleyball Rules Changes Impact Uniforms, Prematch Protocol
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 1, 2019) — An overhaul of uniform-related rules and an adjustment to team roster submissions were among the most notable rules changes identified for the 2019-20 high school volleyball season.
All rules changes were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball Rules Committee at its January 6-8 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
“The sport of volleyball continues to be in a really good place,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee. “The rules committee focused its changes this year on improving the administration of the match by taking into account the feedback it received via the 2018 NFHS Volleyball Rules Questionnaire.”
The changes in uniform rules are a part of Rule 4-2, which reorganizes the uniform rule to improve understanding and eliminate solid-colored uniform requirements.
Rule 4-2-1, which permits teammates to wear like-colored […]
01/31/19 – Criteria for Completing Penalty Corner Among 2019 High School Field Hockey Rules Changes
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 31, 2019) — Rules regarding the completion of a penalty corner were among the changes for the 2019 high school field hockey season.
All rules changes were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Field Hockey Rules Committee at its January 7-9 meeting in Indianapolis, and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
“The Field Hockey Rules Committee continues to examine current trends of the game and work on overall consistency in the rules book,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Field Hockey Rules Committee. “While the sport continues to prosper, there are areas such as eye protection where the committee feels it is best to continue to research options for the betterment of the sport.”
Regarding eye protection, the committee voted to delay the requirement for all eye protection to be permanently labeled with the ASTM 2713 standard for field […]
01/31/19 – Dawahares/KHSAA Hall Of Fame Class Of 2019 Inductees Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 31, 2019
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association will induct its Class of 2019 into the Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame presented by Roberts Insurance on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the Hilton Downtown Lexington. This year’s 10-member class will be the 32nd inducted into the Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame, and consists of former high school coaches, athletes, officials, administrators, and contributors. The Class of 2019 will also be recognized during the semifinals of the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16®. The induction of the 10-member Class of 2019 will bring the total number of honorees in the Hall of Fame to 479.
KANDICE BROWN-PARKER (West Carter HS / Athlete) – As a senior at West Carter, Brown-Parker led the Lady Comets to the 2000 KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® title and was named the most valuable player of the tournament after averaging 20.3 points per game. She scored a game-high 19 points […]
1/24/19- Dear Mom and Dad, and in some cases, School Personnel: Cool it (Op-Ed Column)
By Karissa Niehoff, Executive Director of the National Federation of State High School Associations and Julian Tackett, Commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.
If you are the mother or father of a high school athlete here in Kentucky or one of the key school administrators in a member school or member school district, this message is primarily for you.
When you attend an athletic event that involves your son or daughter, or the members of your student body, cheer to your heart’s content, enjoy the camaraderie that high school sports offer and have fun. But when it comes to verbally criticizing game officials or coaches, it’s time for everyone to cool it. “The time has come for everyone involved in the game to “pump the brakes” as it relates to conduct at games, particularly, the parents who attend,” noted NFHS Executive Director Karissa Niehoff.
Make no mistake about it. Your passion is admired, […]
Guy Strong’s remarkable life in sports: ‘I’ve done it all and seen it all.’
BY MIKE FIELDS (Jan. 24, 2019)
WINCHESTER — The tapestry of Guy Strong’s life in sports, intricately woven over seven decades, is made up of his many accomplishments as a player and coach, and all the notable people he influenced and befriended along the way.
It’s difficult to quantify, and impossible to fully appreciate, everything Strong experienced from the time he was a star athlete at Irvine High School in the late 1940s to when he retired as basketball coach at George Rogers Clark in the early 2000s.
But the 88-year-old former coach and educator knows he had an exhilarating ride, most of which he was lucky enough to share with Aleen, his wife of 64 1/2 years before she passed away in 2016.
“Like I told one of my daughters, ‘When I go, I want you all to be happy because I’ve had a great life,’” Strong said in a recent interview. “I don’t want anybody […]
01/23/19 – Collins HS to Host Esports Season Zero Championship Monday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 23, 2019
The Season Zero Esports State Championship will be determined Monday at Collins High School, when squads from St. Henry District and Boyle County square off to decide the first state champion in a best-of-three League of Legends match. Admission to the esports state championship is free, though interested fans should reserve their tickets online at http://bit.ly/2sLlBAV.
Those unable to attend Monday’s championship can watch the event live online through the NFHS Network or Twitch.tv (https://www.twitch.tv/playvs).
Through its partnership with PlayVs, the KHSAA offered its member schools a new participation opportunity in October to join Season Zero and compete in League of Legends. The esports program will expand for the spring season, with team competing in League of Legends, SMITE and Rocket League. For more information on the Spring Season, visit http://bit.ly/2M4BKul.
-KHSAA-
About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High […]
01/18/19 – Sweet 16® Draw Show to Air Monday, January 28th on CW Lexington, KHSAA.tv
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 18, 2019
Pairings for the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® and the 2019 KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® will be revealed on Monday, January 28th at 1 p.m. (ET) when the annual Sweet 16® Draw Show is televised by The CW Lexington. The Sweet 16® Draw Show will also be streamed live online at KHSAA.tv and WKYT.com, and broadcast by WYMT (Hazard), WBKO (Bowling Green), WSAZ (Huntington) and WFIE (Evansville, on its app).
The 102nd installment of the boys’ basketball state tournament will be held March 6-10 when the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® heads to Rupp Arena. The 58th KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® will take place the following week (March 13-17) and will be a historic event for the KHSAA, with Rupp Arena playing host to the tournament for the first time.
The 2019 Girls’ Sweet 16® will mark the first time the girls’ state tournament has been played […]
01/16/19 – Board of Control Sets Sites for State Softball and State Archery; Reviews Football Playoff Format
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2019
In its first meeting of the new year on Wednesday at the KHSAA Offices, the Board of Control finalized locations for two spring championships while addressing the future playoff structure for football and continuing its research for future revisions to state golf.
Following last year’s action by the Board to transition the state softball tournament from a double-elimination format to single elimination, create an eight-team state tournament and a semi-state round, KHSAA staff sent out information to prospective cities interested in hosting the event. After reviewing information and options from both Lexington and Louisville, the Board approved a recommendation to award the 2019 and 2020 State Softball Championships to the University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium.
“The young ladies in the Commonwealth are so blessed to have great facilities interested in hosting the revised state tournament format,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “It will change many of the dynamics […]
01/15/19 – Winter Sports Championship Credentials
The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for the Winter Sports Championships (Bowling, Wrestling, Swimming & Diving) is now live, and can be accessed by going to credentials.khsaa.org.
Credentials to each KHSAA state championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media that regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system (credentials.khsaa.org).
Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of his/her organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. No credentials will be issued outside of the online credentialing system. The KHSAA reserves the right to limit the quantity of credentials issued to media outlets when space is at a premium.
Failure to adhere to the KHSAA policies and guidelines, as well as […]
01/11/19 – Esports Season Zero Playoff Info, Spring Season Update
The playoffs for Esports Season Zero are underway! Congratulations to Wolves Blue from Wolfe County High School for an undefeated regular season. They will face off against BoCo Black from Boyle County High School in the semifinals next week.
A huge congratulations to all of the following schools for making it into the Top 8:
Cardinals 1 from Nelson County
SDHS from St. Henry District
Titans from Collins
Paarthurnax from Warren Central
BoCo Gold from Boyle County
Eagle Level 7 from Johnson Central
Schools and students alike have seen the tremendous benefits of participating in esports.
“Collins High School esports has given a select group of students the chance to get out of their comfort zone and be a part of something with our school. It’s fun to see them interact with students they wouldn’t have without this opportunity. Win, lose, or draw this is a success!” – Powell Miller […]
BW110 – Regional Bowling Entry Form
Loading…12/18/18 – Initial Basketball Stat Leader Reports Released
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 18, 2018
The first statistical leader reports of the 2018-19 season for girls’ and boys’ basketball have been posted at KHSAA.org. The leader reports will be updated every day at approximately 3 a.m., and will include all teams missing stats for no more than two games.
Statistical entry is required of all member schools, and those failing to meet the requirement to enter stats are subject to penalties from the Commissioner, including fines and other actions within the constraints of Bylaw 27. Member schools are solely responsible for submitting statistical information. If a school or individual is omitted, or information is not updated, that means the team in question did not update its statistics through the KHSAA’s online system prior to the deadline.
Based upon recommendations from the Basketball Advisory Committee, the fine for schools not in compliance was doubled in 2017, as it creates a competitive imbalance for those that […]
12/14/18 – Swimming & Diving Updates & Reminders
There are a variety of reminders and updates included below for Swimming & Diving Coaches and participants. The information below supersedes any previous communication/interpretation issued.
Regular Season Schedule for Both Swimming and Diving
The Association has been communicating with Invitational meet hosts in an attempt to update the KHSAA website listing. Please review and email Kara Howard (khoward@khsaa.org) with any details if you are hosting any type of swim meet, including a diving invitational. Please include details such as the use of electronic relay equipment, use of wedges and if diving is part of the meet. To report your meet, go to https://khsaa.org/invitational-regular-season-swimming-and-diving-meets/
Diving Coach Designation
Administrators, please make sure the information on your diving coach (name and email address) has been entered in the school personnel area through the KHSAA website to assist these coaches in getting proper communications from the office. Even if your swimming coach is also the diving coach, […]
12/11/18 – New ACL Injury Prevention Course Available on NFHS Learning Center
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (December 11, 2018) — A new online education course regarding ACL injury prevention is now available on the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Learning Center, thanks to a partnership between the NFHS and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
The “ACL Injury Prevention” course is part of a sponsorship agreement between the NFHS and the NFHS Network, and HSS, the leading orthopedic hospital in the United States located in New York City. HSS is ranked No. 1 in orthopedics for the ninth consecutive year in 2018-19 by U.S. News & World Report. The course is available free of charge on the NFHS Learning Center at www.NFHSLearn.com.
While the course is designed to help coaches reduce the risk of ACL injuries to their student-athletes, it can be beneficial for administrators, students, parents and others as well. The course deals with the causes of ACL injuries, how to identify and correct movement […]
12/12/18 – Reminder about Stats Collection REQUIREMENT and Penalties for Noncompliance
Starting next week, the KHSAA will begin compiling daily statewide statistical leader reports for boys’ and girls’ basketball. The reports will be updated every day at approximately 3 a.m., allowing for more current and up-to-date information to be displayed at KHSAA.org.
Statistical entry is required of all member schools, and those failing to meet the requirement to enter stats are subject to penalties from the Commissioner, including fines and other actions within the constraints of Bylaw 27. Based upon recommendations from the Basketball Advisory Committee in 2016, the fine for schools not in compliance was doubled, as it creates a competitive imbalance for those that do participate.
The requirement to enter statistics, which has been in place for several years, was reiterated to coaches during the online rules clinic. Statistical entry has the benefit of allowing member schools to highlight and promote the accomplishment of their student-athletes, which should be a priority for all involved […]
12/12/18 – KHSAA State Dance Championships This Saturday at Frederick Douglass HS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 12, 2018
The second KHSAA State Dance Championships will be held this Saturday at Frederick Douglass High School, starting at 9 a.m. with the Jazz Small, Hip Hop Large, Pom Large and Jazz Large divisions. Awards for the first session are tentatively scheduled for 11:30 a.m., with the second session (Hip Hop Small, Pom Small) set to begin at 1 p.m. The last performance of the afternoon session is slated for 4 p.m., with awards to begin at approximately 4:20 p.m.
Advance tickets to the event are available for purchase online (https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA). Fans that purchase tickets in advance through GoFan will be able to enter the gym before tickets go on sale to the general public at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning.
The KHSAA State Dance Championships will be webcast live at KHSAA.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network (http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/). Subscription plans for the NFHS Network are available […]
12/10/18- Early Season Basketball/Wrestling Interpretations
This is being posted on the KHSAA basketball and wrestling web pages, as well as being distributed to all schools, basketball officials, and basketball assigners via email.
As we begin the basketball and wrestling seasons, three issues have been consistently discussed with communication to and from the KHSAA offices and various association representatives.
EJECTIONS AND BYLAW 21
All receiving this communication are reminded that there is no appeal of a judgment call by an official, including ejection of a player or coach. Bylaw 21 is explicit in that not only may protests not be granted, but they may not even be considered. This is not to say that coaches and school representatives should not give feedback to the local assigning secretaries.
As independent contractors, it is important that the assigners receive feedback as such not only helps the development of the officiating staff in that association but also helps the assigner determine future assignments. But this review […]
SB133-NFHS Requested Data-Face Masks
Loading…12/05/18 – Competitive Cheer Championships Set for Saturday at Alltech Arena
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 5, 2018
The seventh annual KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships will take place Saturday, Dec. 8 at Alltech Arena beginning at 9 a.m. with the All-Girls Small, All-Girls Medium and Game Day Divisions. The afternoon session is slated to get underway at 2 p.m. with the All-Girls Large, All-Girls Super and Coed competitions.
Tickets to the KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships are available for purchase online at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA. Doors will open for fans at 8 a.m. each day and those planning to attend should be advised that the Kentucky Horse Park charges $5 for parking.
The KHSAA Competitive Cheer Championships will be webcast live at KHSAA.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network (http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/). Subscription plans for the NFHS Network are available for $9.95 a month. A monthly subscription, priced less than the cost of admission to a state championship event, entitles users to every broadcast by the KHSAA […]
12/04/18- Football Schools Required to Submit Spring Practice Date Options
Per KHSAA Bylaw 23, each school must submit its spring practice dates on or before December 15, 2018, for the spring, 2019 spring practice period. Failure to submit these dates by December 15 will result in the school not being permitted to conduct spring practice. This deadline is to be rigidly enforced for 2018-19 so do not delay in submitting.
Once submitted, these dates cannot be changed. There will be NO extensions due to coaching vacancies, etc. The selection of spring practice is solely a function of the school calendar and not personnel.
THE SETTING OF THESE DATES IS A FUNCTION OF SCHOOL CALENDAR AND NOT PERSONNEL.
Go to this link —
http://khsaa.org/fb103-spring-practice-dates-designation/ and submit your dates for 2019 on or before December 15, 2018.
The Spring Practice regulations are reprinted below–
Each football school may conduct ten (10) spring practice periods of not more than two (2) hours in length and […]
12/03/18- First Phase (T35 Report) Open for Title IX Reporting Entry for 2018-19
The initial phase of entry for the 2018-2019 Title IX Reports, the ability to enter the financial information from 2017-18 to be entered on the form T-35, is available and online at schools.khsaa.org. There have only minimal changes based on the great cooperation and feedback from the membership.
T35 EMPHASIS POINTS
There has been a continual effort to eliminate inconsistent information that has been entered on that form, and the following points are emphasized:
- Entry for the T35 is now open. Login to http://schools.khsaa.org and begin entry when you are ready.
- The T35 requires you to enter 2017-2018 expense information, as it has been audited within your school and district.
- Your previous Annual Reports can be quickly reviewed in the KHSAA School Subdomain (the login page) by clicking on the tab labeled Past Title IX Annual Reports, in case you want to review past submissions.
- The T35 is to be entered with all KHSAA sanctioned […]
Thanks to its defense, South Warren survives, beats CovCath
BY MIKE FIELDS (Dec. 2, 2018)
When South Warren took a 20-0 lead on defending champion Covington Catholic early in the third quarter of Sunday’s Class 5A title game, Spartans’ quarterback Gavin Spurrier and his coach Brandon Smith had entirely different takes on the situation.
Spurrier said he thought he and his teammates “had it in cruise control” and were well on their way to a championship celebration.
Smith felt differently. He thought the entire second half was slow torture, and admitted he felt like he has “going to have a stroke” when CovCath closed to within 20-14 and had a chance to tie it or take the lead in the closing minutes.
As it turned out, South Warren’s defense rewarded both the exuberant Spurrier and the apprehensive Smith by preserving a 20-16 victory on a windy afternoon at Kroger Field.
It was a wild and crazy finish.
CovCath, riding a 29-game winning streak that […]
Dennis a real menace as Male wins 6A state title
BY MIKE FIELDS (Dec. 2, 2018)
Male High School has been playing football for 125 years, and in that time it has won almost 900 games, had 9 undefeated seasons, and since the playoffs were instituted about 60 years ago, the Bulldogs have claimed 8 state titles.
Male has produced its share of big-name stars, including in the last 25 years a trio of Mr. Football winners (Michael Bush, Montrell Jones and Douglas Beaumont), and a pair of record-setting quarterbacks (Chris Redman and Gerry Ahrens) who led the Bulldogs to state championships.
But you would have a tough time convincing current Male Coach Chris Wolfe that any of those legendary players were any more valuable than Garrett Dennis, the senior quarterback who carried the Bulldogs to this year’s title.
Just as he has been all season, Dennis was the main man as Male mashed Scott County 37-20 in the Class 6A finals Friday night at […]
Doug Preston’s winding journey to a dream destination
BY MIKE FIELDS (Nov. 29, 2018)
Doug Preston has arrived at a special place in his football coaching career.
He’s at Franklin-Simpson, where he has guided the Wildcats to the state finals for the third year in a row, and his son Collin, a senior linebacker, has been along for the ride.
What makes Doug Preston’s story even more interesting is the winding road he took to reach this destination.
Over the last 27 years, he’s coached at 10 different high schools. The Bourbon County and EKU graduate has hopscotched across the Commonwealth, working the sidelines in Central Kentucky, Northeastern Kentucky, the Louisville area and now Western Kentucky.
“It really has been a journey,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve told guys getting into coaching, ‘Don’t take the Doug Preston route. Go someplace and stay for a long time.’
“When I was starting out, I thought I’d work my way up the ladder and go from […]
11/27/18 – NFHS Part 2 Exam Online for Basketball, Wrestling and Swimming & Diving Officials
NFHS Part 2 Tests for licensed officials in the sports of Basketball, Wrestling and Swimming & Diving are now available online. The Part 2 exams, required for postseason eligibility, will be open until Monday, Dec. 10 at 11:59 p.m. (ET).
The tests will automatically close at that exact time. Login at http://officials.khsaa.org/authorize/ to take the test. A minimum score of 80 on the exam is required to be considered for assignment to officiate postseason play.
First-year officials are not required to take the exam, however, if any first-year official has completed licensing requirements, the test may be taken.
Any official determined to have been involved in the improper administration of the exam, including taking it for another official or having it taken by another official, will have the score disregarded for the year and be subject to other penalties in compliance with the jurisdiction of the office through the Federal Court Decree.
Please keep […]
11/27/18 – KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl Broadcast Info
For Immediate Release: November 27, 2018
The KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl returns to Kroger Field for the second-straight year this weekend, when the state football finals are contested Nov. 30th through Dec. 2nd on the University of Kentucky campus. Friday’s action opens with Beechwood (11-2) facing Pikeville (11-2) in the 1A Championship at 2 p.m., followed by Central (12-2) versus Corbin (13-1) in the 3A Championship at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s slate features three contests at Kroger Field, starting with Mayfield (14-0) against Christian Academy-Louisville (14-0) in the 2A Championship at 1 p.m. Franklin-Simpson (13-1) and Johnson Central (13-1) will square off for the 4A Championship game for the third-straight year at 4:30 p.m., followed by Male (13-1) taking on Scott County (11-3) in the 6A Championship game at 8 p.m. The 2018 KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl concludes Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when South Warren (14-0) faces Covington Catholic (14-0) for the 5A Championship.
Each […]
11/20/18- Kentucky Student-Athletes Invited to Apply for 2019 Kentucky Ag Athletes of the Year
Kentucky senior student-athletes with ties to agriculture may apply for one of six scholarships and the honor of being recognized as a 2019 Kentucky Ag Athlete of the Year.
The program is a partnership of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA).
“Students who participate in athletics and work in agriculture must juggle work, sports, and studies to achieve their goals,” Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. “This program is a way we can recognize their hard work and sacrifice while helping them continue their education.”
“Our office is always looking for more ways to honor and recognize the hard work of student-athletes, and we are certainly appreciative of the Department of Agriculture for its sponsorship of this program,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “We realize agriculture students have a lot of responsibilities to balance, and we are thrilled to be able to highlight them for their accomplishments.”
To […]
11/20/18-Applications Being Accepted for Louis Stout Memorial Scholarships for 18-19
When former Commissioner Louis Stout passed away in 2012, his widow Anna directed that donations on his behalf go to the Louis Stout Memorial Fund for Students. She felt this was a chance for the KHSAA to honor student-athletes who excel in athletics, academics, school service and community service. The award process for 2018-2019 is now underway.
Applications are being accepted for students to apply for those awards through Friday, January 12, 2019. The award winners will be announced in conjunction with the boys’ state basketball tournament in March. Two grants, each in the amount of a one-time scholarship of $2,000 payable to an institution of higher learning, will be awarded. The scholarship is not renewable and is not endowed for expansion. Minimum criteria is a 3.5 (converted to 4.0 scale) grade point average; involvement in varsity sports or sport-activities; involvement in other school activities, a record of community service/involvement and a member of the […]
In this football family, raising Cain means raising quarterbacks
BY MIKE FIELDS (Nov. 20, 2018)
Wiley Cain believes he was destined to be a quarterback, that it’s in his DNA to play the most demanding position in football (and maybe in all of sports), and to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father.
“I’ve had football in my veins since I was born,” he said, “and I’ve been a quarterback since I first picked up the ball.”
His granddad, John Wiley Cain, was a star high school quarterback for Cumberland in the early 1960s. His dad, John Wiley Cain II, was a star high school quarterback for Somerset in the late 1980s.
Wiley Robert Cain, a senior at Pulaski County, is a third-generation QB, but the football he plays is a whole ‘nother game.
When John Cain quarterbacked Cumberland almost 60 years ago, he didn’t pass much. “I don’t remember throwing it more than 10 times a game very often,” he said.
When […]
11/18/18- Update on Golf Alignment and Tournament Format Project
It is recommended that this information is shared with all those that are interested, including coaches while realizing that any official response from the member school should come from the Designated Representative per Bylaw 1.
For its last two meetings, and beginning with discussion during the 2017-18 school year, the Board of Control has been reviewing the golf program within the Association. Realignment is long overdue and the Board and staff have spent a great deal of time discussing the state golf tournament and the best way to qualify teams and individuals. The current system has been in place for many years, and certainly merits review.
Following this latest Board meeting, it is evident that the membership needs to be updated on the progress and processes going forward.
First and foremost, it is IMPERATIVE that the membership complete the survey that was submitted to the schools in early November. To complete the survey, go to […]
William Warfield puts positive PrepSpin on high school sports
BY MIKE FIELDS (Nov. 15, 2018)
It’s hard to believe there was a time when William Warfield didn’t know anything about computers, didn’t know about bytes or bandwidths, didn’t know the difference between algorithms and algae.
When he started working at RadioShack as a high school senior 22 years ago, Warfield remembers he was “afraid to sell a computer because I didn’t know anything about it. It was a foreign language to me.”
Today, Warfield has his own business and makes a nice living thanks to computers. And if you think he’s sequestered in a cubicle somewhere, pecking a keyboard and getting bleary-eyed, think again.
As the founder and operator of PrepSpin, Warfield occupies press boxes and press rows where, with his souped-up laptop, he live-streams more than 200 sporting events a year.
PrepSpin’s main focus is on high school sports.
“That’s my passion,” Warfield said. “I feel like my purpose is to help high school […]
11/14/18 – Board of Control Adjusts 2019 Fall Seasons, Sets State Championship Sites
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 14, 2018
During the course of its meeting at the KHSAA Offices on Wednesday, the Board of Control made adjustments to the 2019 fall sports seasons and finalized sites for this year’s State Baseball and Swimming & Diving Championships.
For the last several years prior to 2018, the soccer, volleyball and cross country seasons all culminated on the same weekend. With volleyball moving a week earlier in 2018 to avoid a conflict in Louisville with the Breeders’ Cup, the Association had the opportunity to reevaluate the structure of its seasons while also looking to alleviate concerns with competitions on ACT test dates.
With those factors in mind, the Board approved a recommendation to set the start of the 2019 Soccer regular season to begin in NFHS Week 6 (8/11-8/17) and end with the final regular season week in NFHS Week 13 (9/29-10/5). […]
11/09/18- Growing Up in the Digital Age (Op-Ed Column)
By Karissa Niehoff, Executive Director of the National Federation of State High School Associations and Julian Tackett, Commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
From the Greatest Generation to Baby Boomers, Generation X to Millennials, teenagers in every era have had challenges growing up.
In today’s digital world, high school students are being tested in unique and demanding ways. The Washington Post confirms that 73 percent of all American teenagers own their own smartphone and, on average, spend almost nine hours a day texting, chatting, gaming, blogging, streaming and visiting with friends online.
Although conclusive research showing a direct correlation between the mental health of teenagers and smartphone usage won’t be complete for years, it isn’t a great confidence builder for a student to discover online that everyone else seems to have more friends.
In addition, recent figures indicate that more than […]
GF110-Golf PostSeason Entry Survey
Loading…10/31/18 – Cross Country and Soccer State Champions Decided This Weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 31, 2018
Eight state championship trophies will be awarded this weekend in Lexington with the 2018 KHSAA Cross Country State Meet taking place at the Kentucky Horse Park and the culmination of the KHSAA State Soccer Tournament sponsored by the U.S. ARMY ROTC at Frederick Douglass HS. Advance tickets for each event can be purchased at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA
The 2018 KHSAA Cross Country Championships begin Saturday at 9:30 a.m. with the Class 1A Boys’ race, followed by the Class 1A Girls at 10:15 a.m. The Class 2A meet is scheduled to begin with the boys at 11:30 a.m., with the Class 3A meet slated to start at 1:30 p.m. A full state meet schedule is available at http://khsaa.org/cross_country/2018/statemeettimetable.pdf
The 2018 KHSAA State Soccer Tournament sponsored by the U.S. ARMY ROTC continues Wednesday evening with girls’ semifinal action at Frederick Douglass HS, as West Jessamine takes on Sacred Heart at 6 […]
Paul Hornung’s winning senior year at Flaget
BY MIKE FIELDS (Oct. 30, 2018)
Before he earned the nickname “Golden Boy,” before he won the Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame, before he was the first overall pick in the NFL draft, before he helped the Green Bay Packers win four NFL championships (including the first Super Bowl), before he was voted NFL MVP, before he was inducted into the college and pro football halls of fame, Paul Hornung was a multi-sport high school star in Louisville.
And to this day, Hornung is as proud of his days at Flaget as anything he accomplished in his remarkable sporting life.
“Absolutely. My memories of Flaget are still right up there,” the 82-year-old Hornung said in a recent telephone interview. “They rank as high in my mind as anything that ever happened to me.”
Hornung recalled his senior year of high school (1952-53) as being “really special.”
He quarterbacked Flaget’s football team to a 9-1-1 record, […]
10/15/18 – 2018 KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl Tickets Available Online
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 29, 2018 (UPDATED 11/5/18)
Tickets for the 2018 KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl are available for purchase online at KHSAA.org. Reserved sets (one seat for all six games) are available in the Woodford Reserve Club for $150 or the Field Level Club for $125.
Individual game tickets in the general admission areas are also available at this time for $15 in the general admission areas, $25 in the Field Level Club and $30 in the Woodford Reserve Club.
Advance ticket prices include parking, as there will be no additional parking charge at Kroger Field for those holding a pre-purchased ticket.
To place an order, visit: https://khsaa.org/2018-khsaa-state-football-tickets-availability/
The scheduled order of games for this year’s championship is:
Friday, November 30th
2 p.m. – 1A Championship
7 p.m. – 3A Championship
Saturday, December 1st
1 p.m. – 2A Championship
4:30 […]
10/26/18 – KHSAA State Soccer Championships sponsored by the U.S. ARMY ROTC Resume Saturday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2018
The 2018 KHSAA State Soccer Tournament sponsored by the U.S. ARMY ROTC continues Saturday morning with quarterfinal action at Paul Laurence Dunbar HS and Lafayette HS. Four matches will take place at each site, with the first games of the day starting at 1 p.m. and the last games at each site scheduled for 7 p.m. Advance tickets are available for purchase at KHSAA.org, including an online-only, discounted all-session pass at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA/Soccer.
STATE SOCCER QUARTERFINALS, SATURDAY, OCT. 27
at Paul Laurence Dunbar HS
1 p.m. (BOYS) – Henry Clay vs. Boyd County
3 p.m. (GIRLS) – Highlands vs. Greenwood
5 p.m. (BOYS) – Highlands vs. Daviess County
7 p.m. (GIRLS) – Bethlehem vs. Henderson County
at Lafayette HS
1 p.m. (GIRLS) – Sacred Heart vs. North Laurel
3 p.m. (BOYS) – St. Xavier vs. Corbin
5 […]
10/25/18 – Volleyball State Tournament Begins Friday at Valley HS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2018
The 2018 KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament returns to Valley High School this weekend (Oct. 26-28), with first round action beginning Friday morning when Corbin takes on McCracken County at 9:30 a.m. The opening round concludes Friday night with Paintsville vs. Southwestern at 8 p.m. The state tournament resumes Saturday morning with quarterfinal action starting at 10 a.m., followed by the semifinals beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday night. The championship match will be held Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Advanced tickets for the state tournament can be purchased at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA, including an online-only, discounted all-session pass.
The Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final of the 2018 KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament will be webcast live at KHSAA.tv through the NFHS Network, which is a subscription-based service. Subscription plans for the NFHS Network are available for $9.95 a month.
A monthly subscription, priced less than the cost of admission to a state championship […]
10/24/18- New Feature in School System to Create Academic All State Certificates
After receiving considerable positive feedback at this year’s regional meetings, the feature has been added to the school login system to create the Academic All-State Certificates at your school. This will allow member schools to print these awards at the school and not have to worry about maintaining stock in pre-printed certificates, etc.
The feature has been added to the menu on the school login page where the Athletic Director, Principal or Designated Representative maintains the overall Athletic roster for the school (not the sport specific roster maintenance occasionally assigned to coaches). Simply login to the school system at https://schools.khsaa.org/
On the school login page, third menu group from the top on the left, select Maintain/View/Print Rosters, then select Maintain Overall Athletic Roster, and in the top part of the screen, select Generate Academic All-State Certificates. You will then select the team, and designate whether the student is First Team (cumulative 3.75 or better on a 4.0 scale) […]
2018 KHSAA State Football Tickets Availability
Nov. 30 to Dec. 2
ALL Games
Click to purchase Woodford Reserve, Field Club Reserved for All 6 Games (includes parking)
Class 1A, 11/30, 2 pm ET
Beechwood vs. Pikeville
Click Here to Purchase Single Game Tickets for the Class 1A game (includes parking)
TBA vs. TBA
Class 3A, 11/30, 7 pm ET
Central vs. Corbin
Click Here to Purchase Single Game Tickets for the Class 3A game (includes parking)
TBA vs. TBA
10/19/18 – Field Hockey State Tournament Begins Saturday in Louisville
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2018
The fifth annual KHSAA State Field Hockey Tournament begins Saturday morning at Christian Academy-Louisville when Sacred Heart (22-1) takes on Ballard (14-5-1) at 10 a.m. Tickets to the 2018 KHSAA State Field Hockey Tournament can be purchased online, including a discounted all-session pass, at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA.
DuPont Manual (19-5-2) will face Male (16-9) in the second quarterfinal game at 12 p.m., followed by Kentucky Country Day (20-4-2) versus Christian Academy-Lou. (13-7-1) at 2 p.m. Assumption (18-6-2) will square off against Presentation (6-7) in the final quarterfinal match at 4 p.m. Live stats for each game will be available on the Field Hockey page at KHSAA.org, with box scores posted following the completion of each match.
The 2018 State Field Hockey Tournament resumes Monday, Oct. 22 with the Semifinals at 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Wednesday’s championship game is set for 6 p.m. The Semifinals and Final will be webcast live […]
10/15/18 – Sixty-Eight Member Schools Honored for Exemplary Sportsmanship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2018
Sixty-Eight (68) KHSAA member schools have been identified as having zero disqualified players or coaches during the 2017-18 school year following a final review of the available data. With 596 disqualifications reported last year in the sports of Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball and Wrestling; the level of sportsmanship displayed by the 68 member schools becomes all the more impressive. Many of these schools were recognized at the KHSAA Annual Meeting of the membership in September, with additional schools recognized following an audit of disqualification data in October.
“In this day when it is more and more difficult to recruit and retain officials and where conduct expectations in everyday conversation appear to be subpar, it is great that we can recognize these schools for modeling that sportsmanship and good behavior are important,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “Displaying good sportsmanship on the field or court, when […]
10/08/18- UK Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Seeks Nominations for Kentucky Comeback Athlete of the Year
UK Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, through its partnership with the KHSAA, seeks nominations for the Kentucky Comeback Athlete of the Year, meeting the following criteria:
- The nominee must have overcome illness or injury that affected their ability to participate in KHSAA sanctioned sports.
- The nominee must have returned to their sport(s) and demonstrated excellence and achievement beyond expectations.
- The nominee must consistently demonstrate good sportsmanship and ethical behavior on and off the playing field.
- The nominee must be in verified good academic standing with their school.
- The nominee must have participated and been a member of an athletic team during the 2017-2018 academic year.
- Nominations shall be submitted by December 30, 2018, to the KHSAA through the link at http://khsaa.org/ge36-uk-healthcare-comeback-athlete-of-the-year/.
Nominees will be automatically forwarded to UK HealthCare and the Sports Medicine Staff for review and selection.
- The selection committee, consisting of athletic trainers from each region across the state, will […]
10/08/18- 2018-2019 Basketball Rules Clinic Available Online for Officials and Coaches
The mandatory Online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport of Basketball is now available following a minimal delay for system maintenance. The clinic is required of all officials as well as all coaches, varsity, junior varsity and freshman, and whether or not the coach receives pay.
Because of the nature of this year’s rules changes and especially, points of emphasis, coaches you are potentially placing your team at a competitive disadvantage if you delay/put off/procrastinate the completion of this clinic. Officials, your failure to stay on top of these key changes will likely lead to administrative errors. It is an unusual year with minimal rules changes, but those that were made impact game administration.
For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
For officials, […]
10/08/18 – Fall Draw Show Set For This Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 8, 2018
The matchups for the 2018 KHSAA Volleyball, Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer, and Field Hockey State Tournaments will be revealed Wednesday, October 10th when the annual Fall Championship Draw Show is conducted at the KHSAA Offices at 2 p.m. The Draw Show will be broadcast live online by KHSAA.tv through the NFHS Network.
The 2018 KHSAA Field Hockey State Tournament gets underway Saturday, Oct. 20 with quarterfinal action, followed by the semifinals on Monday, Oct. 22 and the championship match on Wednesday, Oct. 24, with all games played at Christian Academy-Louisville. The KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament will be held at Valley High School in Louisville for the seventh-straight year and begins with first round matches on Friday, Oct. 26. Quarterfinal and semifinal action will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27, followed by the championship match on Sunday, Oct. 28.
The 2018 KHSAA State Soccer Tournament sponsored by the U.S. Army […]
Walker Buehler: the pride of Ecton Park and Henry Clay
BY MIKE FIELDS (Oct. 3, 2018)
Walker Buehler threw 6 2/3 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball, and along the way collected his first RBI in the majors, to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Monday and to their sixth consecutive National League West Division title.
The heartiest cheers for Buehler’s performance didn’t come from the sellout crowd at Chavez Ravine, though. They emanated from a home on Lakewood Drive right here in Lexington.
Karen Walker, Buehler’s mom, gathered in her living room with more than a dozen family members and friends to root for their favorite big leaguer as he keyed the Dodgers’ victory and drew rave reviews from the ESPN-TV commentators.
Karen Walker confessed she’s “typically incredibly nervous” when her son takes the mound, but she had a different feeling on Monday.
“Today I’ve got this weird, unusual peace about it,” she said during the early innings. “What has […]
10/02/18 – Girls’ Golf First Round Suspended Due to Darkness
First Round play of the 2018 Leachman Buick•GMC•Cadillac/KHSAA Girls’ Golf Championship was suspended tonight due to darkness with three groups still out on the course. The first round will resume at 7 a.m. (CT). There will be a short break to compile results, make the cut and assemble 2nd Round pairings. The 2nd Round will not start prior to 9:30 a.m. (CT).
– KHSAA –
About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 44 state championships in 13 sports and 5 sport-activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing […]
10/01/18 – Soccer District/Region Instructions
Instructions for the KHSAA Soccer District/Region Tournaments are now posted on the KHSAA website. You can view these instructions by clicking on the following link:
CLICK HERE TO READ DISTRICT/REGION INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
You can find additional information on the KHSAA website on the Soccer page under “District Tournament Instructions and Information” and “Region Tournament Instructions and Information” respectively.
– KHSAA –
The KHSAA staff routinely publishes blog posts to better communicate with its various constituencies and the public. For a list of those blogs, go to http://khsaa.org/news-stats-pubs/sports-blogs/
10/01/18 – Swimming & Diving Rules Clinic Now Online
The mandatory Online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport of Swimming & Diving is available beginning today, October 1. The clinic is required of all officials as well as all coaches, varsity, junior varsity and freshman, and whether or not the coach receives pay.
For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
For officials, login to the officials’ subdomain at https://officials.khsaa.org/.
COACHES
October 1 to December 31 (Coaches) – the Swimming & Diving Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
January 1 to January 20 (Coaches) – the Swimming & Diving Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
January 21 to February 3 […]
10/01/18 – Leachman/KHSAA State Golf Championships Begin Tuesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2018
The first state championship trophies of the 2018-19 season will be awarded this week at the Bowling Green Country Club with the 2018 Leachman Buick•GMC•Cadillac/KHSAA State Golf Championships. The girls’ tournament begins Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 7 a.m., followed by the second round on Wednesday, Oct. 3. The boys’ championship gets underway with first round action on Friday, Oct. 5, with the final 18 holes slated for Saturday, Oct. 6.
Tee times and pairings for each event can be found through the tournament homepage link below, which will also be the source for live scoring throughout the championships. Fans interested in following the event with their mobile devices, can also download the BlueGolf Junior Golf app for iOS or Android (http://bit.ly/2Oq2d95) or the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour app for live results.
Sacred Heart enters the 2018 tournament in search of its third-consecutive state title, after repeating as team […]
09/28/18 – National High School Activities Month to Spotlight Benefits of High School Activity Programs
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 28, 2018) — The annual celebration of National High School Activities Month begins next week for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and its 51 state high school associations. The month-long celebration in October offers the NFHS membership and the nation’s schools an opportunity to recognize the contributions and benefits young people experience by participation in sports and performing arts.
Each week of the October celebration places an emphasis on vital aspects of high school activity programs. Those areas include National Sportsmanship, Fan Appreciation and Public-Address Announcers Week (October 1-6), National Performing Arts Activities Week (October 7-13), National Coaches/Sponsors/Advisors/Officials Week (October 14-20) and National Community Service/Youth Awareness Week (October 21-27).
National High School Activities Month serves as a reminder to students, parents, coaches, officials and others in communities across the country about the values and benefits of high school activity programs. Additionally, the month-long celebration assists in addressing society’s […]
GE87-eSports Information Request
Loading…09/26/18 – Fall Sports Championship Media Credentials
The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for the Fall Sports Championships is now live, and can be accessed by going to credentials.khsaa.org.
Credentials to each KHSAA state championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media that regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system (credentials.khsaa.org).
Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of his/her organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. No credentials will be issued outside of the online credentialing system. The KHSAA reserves the right to limit the quantity of credentials issued to media outlets when space is at a premium.
Failure to adhere to the KHSAA policies and guidelines, as well as unauthorized use of the media […]
09/25/18 – Board of Control Addresses Future Championship Formats and Schedules in Several Sports
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 25, 2018
The Board of Control conducted its first meeting of the 2018-19 academic year on Thursday, September 20 at the Association offices. Much of the day’s agenda involved ongoing discussion of the future format of several KHSAA championships. Among the action taken, the Board gave tentative approval to transitioning the State Softball and Baseball Tournaments to 8-team single elimination events, with the key provision of re-establishing semi-state play, preferably at non-high school sites. This builds upon last year’s decision to move away from the double-elimination format in Softball, in the interest of player safety and gender participation experience equity.
The tentative plan would transition these championships to 8-team events with first round, semi-state games, rotated in geographic pods and played at a neutral site. The Commissioner and staff were directed to develop site criteria for semi-state games for review at October’s Board meeting, with the goal to […]
09/18/18 – 2018 Annual Meeting of Delegates This Wednesday At Lexington Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 18, 2018
The KHSAA Annual Meeting of Delegates will be held Wednesday, September 19th at the Lexington Center, starting at 8 a.m. with three information and continuous improvement sessions for athletic administrators. The day’s agenda begins with a workshop on The Changing Resources Available to Athletic Directors (NFHS Network, Huddle/Go Fan, Arbiter Sports), followed by a presentation on the Latest Information on NCAA Eligibility Requirements (Heather McAtee, University of Kentucky), and a segment on Preserving Interscholastic Athletics (Phil Rison, NIAAA).
The business meeting is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. in Bluegrass Ballroom 2, with four proposals up for consideration at this year’s meeting:
- Amend Bylaw 6 to remove the restriction on transfer in sports for which the student has no previous participation record.
- Amend Bylaw 6 to create an exception to the one-year period of ineligibility when evidence is submitted with the original request for eligibility that […]
09/13/18- Reminder about Annual Meeting
With the KHSAA Annual Meeting of schools next week, this reminder about designating the delegate for your school.
DELEGATE DESIGNATION AND OTHER DETAILS
If you haven’t already done so, please be sure and designate your school’s delegate. To submit the name of your delegate, go to https://khsaa.org/082818-2018-khsaa-annual-meeting-reminder/ gives complete instructions.
Please contact the Commissioner’s office if you need further instructions.
For a copy of the most up to date information, including the latest list of delegates and a copy of the proposals, visit the KHSAA website and select Annual Meeting from the Day to Day menu at the top of the page.
We look forward to seeing you there!
2018-19 KHSAA Board of Control Meeting Dates
2018-2019 APPROVED BOARD OF CONTROL MEETING SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 19 (KHSAA Annual Meeting)
Thursday, September 20 – Board of Control, Lexington
Wednesday, October 24 – Board of Control, Lexington
Wednesday, November 14- Board of Control, Lexington
Thursday, January 16 – Board of Control, Lexington
Tuesday, February 19 – Board of Control, Lexington
Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8 – Board of Control, Lexington
09/06/18 – “Protecting Students from Abuse” Online Course Available Through NFHS Learning Center
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 6, 2018) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), in collaboration with the U.S. Center for SafeSport (The Center), has developed an online education course titled “Protecting Students from Abuse,” which is available at no cost on the NFHS Learning Center at www.NFHSLearn.com.
In an effort to assist schools in creating an enjoyable and safe environment for students, the course presents definitions of several types of abusive behaviors and misconduct, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse, and the ways in which someone can report these behaviors. The course also includes some “DOs and DON’Ts” for making a report.
The “Protecting Students from Abuse” course was developed from the training offered by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, whose vision is “to make sure that athletes are safe, supported and strengthened through sports.” The organization addresses bullying, harassment, hazing, as well as physical, emotional and sexual abuse […]
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