Middle Schoolers banned from varsity for Jefferson Co Public Schools?

[Nathaniel Bryan 6]

According to a thread on KentuckyPreps, middle-school athletes have been banned from ALL varsity sports for Jefferson County PUBLIC schools (this does not include Trinity, St. Xavier, DeSales, etc). Someone else said this includes any team (such as JV and freshman) ran directly by the high school.

Apparently a lengthy e-mail is out stating such.

This would really appear to hurt sports such as wrestling (getting 103, 112 and 119 pound kids is tough enough), girls' cross country, girls' hoops.

Football and soccer would be affected as much as middle schoolers can't play varsity football and can only play JV soccer if a junior or senior is NOT present on the field.

Can any of our friends in Jefferson County confirm?

I'm from Hardin County, so I'm not as well attached.

[Jacketcoach 19]

I have heard my AD say something to that effect.  The only schools that could be exempt are those that are 6-12 or K- 12.  Those schools include Moore, Shawnee, and Brown.

[Pinned500 1]

Do they even have a reason for this? This is going to kill the lower wrestling weight classes.

[coffeesgood 19]

DeSales, St.X, and Trinity are already banned.

[CoachBrown 12]

DeSales, St.X, and Trinity are already banned.

Not true. The Catholic Schools don't do it, but they aren't "banned".

[coffeesgood 19]

I know, Coach B. But they might as well be "banned" because their middle schoolers on their teams aren't allowed to do it. So wouldn't that mean the kids are banned?  Thnx for the clarification though.

[CoachBrown 12]

touche, coffesgood. Agreed.

[Savage 5]

Does this mean they are not allowed to practice with varsity also, or just compete in varsity?

[Pinned500 1]

Are they allowed to wrestle jv if theres a varsity?

[eville dad 17]

Has anyone confirmed this yet?

If true what is the reason for the change?

[Nathaniel Bryan 6]

Has anyone confirmed this yet?

If true what is the reason for the change?

According to a post on KentuckyPreps' Football forum, this is for ALL sports on ALL levels (freshman, JV and varsity).

Don't know the reasoning, but some KYPreps posters have said it has to do with recruiting. Some also said the JCPS is going to put more emphasis on middle school sports.

I think if anything, this would open up the recruiting wars more b/c now, teams will be trying to entice kids who have NOT established where they are going yet.

This hurts wrestling bad. Girls' hoops and girls' cross country, too. A lot of soccer teams won't be able to field JV teams now (of course back in the 90s, middle schoolers weren't allowed and most every team had a full JV squad, so who knows).

[Pinned500 1]

This is terrible...hopefully they might realize what a bad decision this is and lift the rule.

[thomam 11]

I know they want to place more of an emphasis on middle school athletics in Jefferson County. There will soon be middle school tackle football which will hopefully fold these corrupt youth leagues in Jefferson County.

Robert Vinegar (former wrestler and also former wrestling coach of Western high school) is the JCPS middle school athletic coordinator or A.D.

He has even mentioned perhaps sanctioning and getting more middle school wrestling teams in JCPS. As of right now we are like the only one. Crosby has recently switched to club status and they draw their kids from everywhere. We only draw from Moore.

[Pinned500 1]

If you are in JCPS, would you be able to wrestle high school for a program from a different district, like south oldham? I know some people who may want to do that.

[Nathaniel Bryan 6]

If you are in JCPS, would you be able to wrestle high school for a program from a different district, like south oldham? I know some people who may want to do that.

1) In order to wrestle for South Oldham, you'd have to enroll/attend a S.O. feeder middle school (assuming there is more than one).

2) If an eighth-grader does that (wrestle varsity for South Oldham as a middle schooler living in Louisville) but for their freshman year enrolls at Moore, Fern Creek, Western, etc., and does NOT move, the kid would be ineligible to wrestle their freshman year.

No offense Pinned500, but that's a cheap - and NOT incredibly bright - way to circumvent the rule.

Wrestling folks aren't the only ones upset. Middle school girls are quite prevalent on high school cross country, soccer and basketball teams, too.

[Pinned500 1]

Okay thanks for the help

[Nathaniel Bryan 6]

Confirmed in today's Courier-Journal:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100401/SPORTS05/4010379/Middle-schoolers-can-t-compete-for-public-high-schools

Middle schoolers can't compete for public high schools

By Jason Frakes

[ridge44 0]

i think if middle schoolers are banned in jefferson county then they should be banned everywere else

thats just my thought on it tho.

[Nathaniel Bryan 6]

i think if middle schoolers are banned in jefferson county then they should be banned everywere else

thats just my thought on it tho.

Just because ONE school district makes the rule DOES NOT mean the rest of the state should follow suit.

Meade County went for years without allowing middle schoolers. First year they allowed them, the girls' cross country team went to state for the first time in a loooooooong while.

I can name a long list of high-caliber girls' basketball players who had major impacts as eighth-graders.

You can look at the state wrestling qualifiers at 103 and 112 and even 119 and know middle schoolers can play a big role.

Just because your JCPS decided to handcuff itself does not mean the rest of the state should have to abide by some warped JCPS decision, too. I don't care if you just happen to be the largest school district.

[dscicle 6]

there was a time when middle schoolers were banned in the state from wrestling. back in the mid-90s was when it started. Right after Joe Carr Jr. won the state title as an 8th grader. It was changed back to allow Middle Schoolers to wrestle in the early 2000s to help keep wrestling in KY from dying out, which at the time it was. By doing this (banning middle schoolers from wrestling), alot (and i mean alot) of teams in the state would begin to deteriorate. IDK what this will do to JCPS Wrestling teams, but i have a feeling it will only harm how competitive some of them are beginning to be.

[dscicle 6]

and someone needs to tell Mr. Frakes his information is incorrect. He states wrestling is one of the sports that does not allow middle schoolers to compete at the high school level, obviously they are or Brock Ervin wouldn't be a State Champ.  :-D

[grappler-of-old 44]

and someone needs to tell Mr. Frakes his information is incorrect. He states wrestling is one of the sports that does not allow middle schoolers to compete at the high school level, obviously they are or Brock Ervin wouldn't be a State Champ.  :-D

He said the KHSAA does not prohibit grade school and middle schoolers to participate in high school sports except in football, soccer and wrestling.

He is partically correct in that the KHSAA does not allow 6th grade and lower to compete in varsity events for wrestling.  Regardless he got his point across. 

this may be one place where Title IX may help wrestling.  Since girl sports will be affected most there may be a push from the Title IX people.

[D1 Fan 9]

This doesn't make sense for a couple reasons.  If an athlete is talented enough to compete at the high school level they should not be denied the opportunity.  This will help them continue to develop their skills.  If they are held back and only allowed to compete at the middle school level it hurts them, they could become bored or complacient, but more importantly it may keep another athlete from having the opportunity to compete since the individual held back is filling a starting spot on the middle school starting team.  I honestly don't see how this rule helps wrestling.  If other kids see how skilled wrestlers are given opportunities to wrestle at a higher level, wouldn't that encourage them to work harder and develop their skills so they can compete at that high school level? 

[grappler-of-old 44]

I wonder if JCPS have any students that have been moved up in grade some time in their elementary school years. 

It is hard for me to believe that JCPS does not have a few dozen students who are not of age for an average high school student.  meaning that they will graduate between the ages of 15-17.  When the average age is to graduate at 18.

If this is so then are not these students also being subjected to (and I quote from Mr. Vinegar) "Seventh-grade girls and boys are having different conversations than high school girls and boys"

I also pull this quote from the article. (Robert Vinegar is Wyman's assistant and coordinates athletics on the middle school level. He said social interaction is a main reason for keeping middle school athletes from competing on the high school level.)

If both of these quotes are true then why would they allow students in high school who are younger than average age Freshman?

Why? Because these students have shown an ability to do higher level work in the classroom.  Much like the 7th and 8th grade athletes have done in their respective sports.  (Double standard)

Also those kids who have academically moved up, are probably allowed to participate in high school sports, even though they should be 7th or 8th grade students.

Once again just the opinion of GOO

GOO out.

[Pinned500 1]

I totally agree with you grappler