Kentucky adds bass fishing as official high school sport

[artcarney_agr]

Okay, let's think about this like a kid does:
4. If I do poorly, I have to stay after school for tutoring, which means more fishing.
5. If after all the extra tutoring fishing time, if I flunk outright, I have to take the class over next year, and get to fish during school time again. If I pass, its over.
6. Ergo, take it, and fish poorly to get to fish more this year and next.
7. Repeat as necessary to avoid gym class.

I would say the team's coach would bench a kid with poor academics, or should anyways.

Besides, getting to the college level as fast as possible would be the kid's goal, as it's a heck of a lot more fun than high school.

[twise7]

Okay, let's think about this like a kid does:
1. I like to fish.
2. I take the class.
3. If I do well, I pass, and don't fish anymore during school time.
4. If I do poorly, I have to stay after school for tutoring, which means more fishing.
5. If after all the extra tutoring fishing time, if I flunk outright, I have to take the class over next year, and get to fish during school time again. If I pass, its over.
6. Ergo, take it, and fish poorly to get to fish more this year and next.
7. Repeat as necessary to avoid gym class.

Of course, I always was an over-thinking under achiever!

[FONT=Calibri]Just to be sure we’re on the same page here…just because “bass fishing” is being added as a sport does not mean it will be taught as a class during the school day. It will be an after school activity.[/FONT]

[FONT=Calibri]KHSAA has strict guidelines in regards to student-athletes called Minimum Academic Requirements (Bylaw 5 - [/FONT][FONT=Calibri][COLOR=#800080]http://www.khsaa.org/handbook/bylaws/bylaw5.pdf[/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Calibri]). The vast majority of schools in our Commonwealth have adopted even stricter academic requirements in which students have to achieve and maintain in order to participate in athletics. [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri]In regards to insurance for the students – all students are offered what’s called Scholastic Insurance at a minimal price – I want to say it’s $8.00 for the entire school year but don’t quote me on that. The challenge will be the boat issue. [/FONT]

[Astrobass]

I'm sure a lot of the questions you guys ask will be answered by the KHSAA, they'll have their guidelines set for it. I would think it would be more like a sport than an actual class. Off the water classes would be just like practices and skill drills in basketball, and on the water classes would be like scrimmages. Then tournaments set up would be like for say Green River Lake would host a tournament for all surrounding counties with a team. It's gonna take some work, but I am excited to see if finally taking a foot hold in our High Schools. I would have loved to have the opportunity to have been on a fishing team in High School.

[Tim_T]

Okay, I am learning a little more about this and Kentucky is the second state to add it, Illinois was first. FLW and the Federation had a hand in it. It is an actual team sport, just like football or basketball and falls under their jurisdiction.

There will be an official KHSAA State Championship in late April at LBL.

[ThreeLions]

Okay, I am learning a little more about this and Kentucky is the second state to add it, Illinois was first. FLW and the Federation had a hand in it. It is an actual team sport, just like football or basketball and falls under their jurisdiction.

There will be an official KHSAA State Championship in late April at LBL.

Third, Tim, Tennessee also does it from what I have found doing my research for my WFN blog.

DAVE

[bplgocards]

We had a Bass Fishing club when I was in high school, but this would have been fun. It will be interesting to see what format this takes, I don't see the schools providing boats or gear.

[ThreeLions]

We had a Bass Fishing club when I was in high school, but this would have been fun. It will be interesting to see what format this takes, I don't see the schools providing boats or gear.

I guess it depends on whether the school will have a booster club (like many football teams) and how good they are at raising money. Remember, you don't need a Nitro or a Phoenix ... a jonboat would also work for this level of fishing, and they can be had comparatively inexpensively.

My sport is soccer and I would have no problem providing shin guards and boots, just like I understand providing my own rod, reel and lures but I'd be a tad ticked if I represented my school and got nothing to help with my sport.

DAVE

[Tim_T]

Third, Tim, Tennessee also does it from what I have found doing my research for my WFN blog.

DAVE

Actually Dave, Tennessee has not added it as a sanctioned sport so as of right now it is just Kentucky and Illinois. Tennessee will be adding it as officially sanctioned soon. As of now, they run it like a club sport, which is what Kentucky ws doing before yesterday.

[ThreeLions]

"Kentucky becomes the third state nationally to offer bass fishing as a varsity sport, following Illinois and Tennessee." ~ taken from the official press release posted on ihigh.com.

Someone's wrong somewhere, it seems. I wasn't at the press conference so I'm taking what has been released as accurate. It's possible that ihigh.com added the info believing it to be accurate or maybe even KHSAA have it incorrect. Either which way, the fact that Kentucky has added the sport can only be good for schools.

DAVE

[jcb]

Somewhere at some small high school in Kentucky, a dad is now requesting that his kid repeat 6th grade until he learns how to correctly rig a drop shot...

[Tim_T]

Somewhere at some small high school in Kentucky, a dad is now requesting that his kid repeat 6th grade until he learns how to correctly rig a drop shot...

LOL and Trinity and St. X are scouring the middle school fishing ranks looking for the best middle school anglers and offering tuition assistance if they will come to their school!

[Tim_T]

"Kentucky becomes the third state nationally to offer bass fishing as a varsity sport, following Illinois and Tennessee." ~ taken from the official press release posted on ihigh.com.

Someone's wrong somewhere, it seems. I wasn't at the press conference so I'm taking what has been released as accurate. It's possible that ihigh.com added the info believing it to be accurate or maybe even KHSAA have it incorrect. Either which way, the fact that Kentucky has added the sport can only be good for schools.

DAVE

My guess is that the ihigh story jumped the gun a little bit. From talking to people involved today, including the operations manager at FLW who is helping these states get the program off the ground, Tennessee is adding it, but hasn't made it official yet. Of course, it really doesn't matter as long as we are recruiting young people into the sport, that is what is important.