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The Henderson County school board on Monday night voted not to elevate the Henderson County High School wrestling team to varsity status.

Superintendent Thomas Richey said there were several reasons for the decision. The primary reason is Title 9. The district is spending $19,000 more on male sports than it is on girls sports, he said.

Also, coaches are required to be paid. The head coach must receive $2,000 and the assistant coach must receive $1,500. Other issues include unknown transportation costs, wrestling supplies and uniforms, and the costs of renting a practice facility.

When that was added all together, it came to between $10,000 and $11,500, Richey said.

The wrestling team has operated as a club sport for the past four years without the financial backing of the school system. Parents and coaches organized fundraisers to pay for expenses.

The team was allowed to compete against other high school teams during the regular season and the postseason, including the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state tournament.

However, last February, the KHSAA advised Henderson County athletic administrator Jody White that "club sports do not exist in the eyes of the KHSAA," and that club teams are not eligible to compete in KHSAA-sanctioned events.

"I think they (the KHSAA) just now realized what we were doing," Richey told The Gleaner last month.

"I'm not bitter, just disappointed," said Dennis Daugherty, whose son Jackson was a senior on last year's team.

"The kids put in a lot of work. They're passionate about the sport."

The team has sent wrestlers to the state meet every year since 2005, including an all-time high seven last year. It is ranked 23rd in the state and has nine ranked wrestlers.

Timothy Hogan is a parent whose son, Timothy Scott Hogan, is ranked 11th in the state. The elder Hogan said his son has received a full ride to wrestle for four years at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y.

However, he said his son must complete his senior year of wrestling to keep the scholarship, and may have no option other than to transfer to another school.

"I think it's pretty wrong that they are going to take away wrestling when kids are getting scholarships," he said. "This is a shame. My heart's been ripped out, and my son's, too. This team has some great talent."

Hogan said a lot of kids didn't want to go to school if not for wrestling. He added that the club has been surviving on $3,000 each year, and that one year it cost $2,500 to operate.

Brandon Cole, one of the coaches, does not get paid for his services. He has been with the team for three years. He said he was 19 when he started volunteering as a coach and he has developed close friendships with the team members.

Sherry Higgins has a son, Alex Higgins, who is ranked 16th in the state. He made it to nationals in the eighth grade. His dream was to go to college and wrestle.

Christie Dukes'son, Corey Roberts, went to state in his first year of wrestling. He will be a freshman this year. She said he's already been looking at colleges to see if he can get a wrestling scholarship. She said wrestling has helped her son become more disciplined.

"It's just aggravating to us to see them (the school board) take this away from us," she said.

One parent said the wrestling club would appeal the board's decision. Richey said that under state law, there is an administrative procedure that says the club can ask for an appeal hearing within 30 days. That appeal would be heard by the local school board.

"I'm not opposed to wrestling," Richey said, "It's just a matter of budget cuts, and problems with Title 9 compliance, and facility needs. It started out as a club sport, and no one ever promised that this would be elevated to varsity status."

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I coached these boys for the past 3 or 4 seasons, and I must say it was hard to look into their dejected faces at the board meeting. But I was really proud of them. They didnt stay sullen very long. I have always tried to instill that wrestlers fight until the final whistle sounds no matter what the score and no matter who your wrestling. These kids have been told no, and they are still fighting.

Henderson County has a stomp team, yes a stomp team. A mulitude of cheer, dance, and every other sport the state offers. But for some reason providing funds for a wrestling team that is up and coming is out of the question. They are one of the biggest schools in KY, and myself along with a handful of guys have volunteered our time to coach these fine young men. We have never asked for any money, we havent even practiced in their facilities.

The school signed off on this team since it began to go to the state tournament. Its just kind of cold that they would turn their back on their own kids.

Thats all I have to say.

Coach Cole

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They could transfer if they want, the logical choice would obviously be Union Co. for both it's location and the caliber of the program. The few of our boys that could make their varsity team however haven't seemed very interested in transferring when I've talked to them, though they might come around. Hopefully the school board will change their mind, we have 30 days to appeal their decision.

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Coach Cole,

                Just thought I would show you what I sent to each board member as well as the Superintendent.

                                          Shame. Shame on all of you. Using Title 9 as one of reasons to kill your wrestling program. Wrestling is a unisex sport. Open to everyone, be they girl, boy, blind, deaf, or missing a limb. It is the only sport that exists that is based solely on whether or not you as an individual are better than your opponent. You claim it

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Many reasons he says like...

He'll have all AP classes and a lot of homework.

He wants to get into band....etc. etc.

The real reason I know is he doesn't like cutting wieght.

man that sucks he was a good wrestler

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Many reasons he says like...

He'll have all AP classes and a lot of homework.

He wants to get into band....etc. etc.

The real reason I know is he doesn't like cutting wieght.

thats really not an excuse...i took ap class last year and plan on taking several this year...

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Tell him to stick through it man I know what it's like to nothing at state. I went 0-2 my first three years but i was determined it payed off my senior year. Stick with it Merriweather.

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I tried everything to get him into staying.. He wasn't taking the bate at all....although it's seeming like neither 1 of us will have a choice not to wrestle now.

ya man that sucks that you all will not have a team im sorry to all the wrestlers and i hope they have a good future

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Coach Cole,

Naplesme is exactly right. Wrestling is a coed sport. There is no title 9 issue. Has no one pointed that out to the board? For them to use title 9 as an excuse is either extremely stupid or just cowardly.

Coach Cole,

                Just thought I would show you what I sent to each board member as well as the Superintendent.

                                          Shame. Shame on all of you. Using Title 9 as one of reasons to kill your wrestling program. Wrestling is a unisex sport. Open to everyone, be they girl, boy, blind, deaf, or missing a limb. It is the only sport that exists that is based solely on whether or not you as an individual are better than your opponent. You claim it

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Coach Cole,

Naplesme is exactly right. Wrestling is a coed sport. There is no title 9 issue. Has no one pointed that out to the board? For them to use title 9 as an excuse is either extremely stupid or just cowardly.

I really hope things work out for Henderson, their m.s. team was really on the rise.  Their coaches and kids were working very hard. 

However, I think this argument that wrestling is a coed sport may not hold much water here.  The reason is, even though women are not forbidden from competing in the sport, as I understand it, what matters is how much a sport in reality benefits boys & girls equally.  In other words, you can say wrestling is a coed sport, but if no girls come out...it can still put your program in a non-compliance state.  I am definitely not trying to pretend to be an expert on this subject, but I have tried to make this same point to a very knowledgeable AD in the past, and he disputed this point (wrestling is coed).  He brought up that schools have a worksheet they must complete and submit.  And here is the really sad example he used....he said that if you have 2 programs that are comparable....(let's say boys and girls basketball), and no girls even try out for the sport, your school/sports program may be declared non-compliant. 

I hope I'm completely wrong here, but as it was explained to me, wrestling being "technically" a coed sport does not clear it from title ix troubles.  Before I get blasted with PM's, I in no way agreeing that this is right...i'm just saying that's how it was explained to me.

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Coach Cole,

Naplesme is exactly right. Wrestling is a coed sport. There is no title 9 issue. Has no one pointed that out to the board? For them to use title 9 as an excuse is either extremely stupid or just cowardly.

I think cowardly is more accurate here.  The reason wrestling gets hit the hardest by title ix is the false perception that it's not a revenue generating sport.  It's simply about money.  Not what's best for the kids or anything noble like that. 

If a school works hard, this sport can generate as much money as an average football program.  I wouldn't dare say it could compare with a powerhouse football program like Trinity, that fills the stands each game.  But your average football program, yes a wrestling program can compete money wise (in my opinion).  Tournaments are all day events, if you run concessions all day, they will rival the football team's intake on concessions.  Run youth & m.s. dual meets, where all the parents pay admission to get in, and you will get as much money at the gate as a freshman football game.  You have to be a bit creative, but I think it can be done.  The problem Henderson will have is proving the finances to the board. 

I think in their appeal to the board, Henderson should really emphasize the financial potential of a wrestling program.  Don't try to beg and plead with them about how good it is for the kids, the board could care less about that....just focus them on the message that this program will be self sufficient in a very short time.

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My understanding of Title IX is the opportunity for both boys and girls to compete.  The actual numbers do not matter so long as girls have equal opportunity.  And there is no requirement of absolute equality.  Schools are either using title IX as an excuse, or they are misinformed.  The KWCA needs to take some action to educate Boards of Education across the state of the benefits of wrestling and the misperceptions involving title IX.

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oldgrappler:

    This may be the way we see things but it is entirely untrue.  It does matter how many girls participate.  You can offer every girls sport possible but if not enough girls participate your school will still not be in complliance with Title IX. 

    A few years ago a friend of mine was a coach for a girls team.  His school became non-compliant.  His athletic director went to a title IX conference (or something similar).  They were told that if they are not getting enough girls to participate they needed to fire all their head coaches that coached girls teams and hire new ones so that they can recruit more girls. 

    When they said that many girls wont compete because it conflicts with cheerleading (which is not included in title IX they were told this does not matter. 

    Someone please explain this one to me.

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I still maintain those are misperceptions.  Here is a summary of title IX compliance:

Title IX is not a quota system. Every institution has three options to demonstrate fairness in athletic opportunities. Schools can show that they comply with Title IX if they can demonstrate any one of the following:

1. Substantially proportionate athletic opportunities for male and female athletes;

2. A history and continuing practice of expanding opportunities for the under-represented sex;

3. Full and effective accommodation of the interests and abilities of the under-represented sex. Schools do not necessarily need to offer identical sports, yet they do need to provide an equal opportunity for females to play in sports of interest.

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I don't think if title 9 is an issue or not is even the issue.......I just think they don't want it and they will come up with something else even if we disprove the title 9 excuse.....this might be looking at the glass half empty but sometimes ya just can't beat the system. :|

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