CoachMack219

He for sure has 3 accounts on there (based on all of the evidence/ posts). I think two of the accounts are in the current "hot topic" on that forum and even invited the 3rd (main account) to the party. After reading here and reading there, I think he's having a grand ole time "stirring up the boards." Lol

This can't be happening. 😂 Lol I defend the Govs almost everywhere I go. No way I can defend naming them a top 10 team in 5A. Gotta earn that first and while the Govs have the ability, and schedule, to EARN making it into the top 10, they're gonna HAVE TO prove it (like we all do).

Cannot confirm, however I am in the same 99% group as yourself. I believe all of the above is true. But like you, I'm also SLIGHTLY unsure. If anyone knows better, happy to hear!

It would've died at 2 if not for me. This is on me. lol

Haven't been here long. But there's no way it isn't top 3, and not 3. Lol unless I've missed some doozies over the years?

Pete Koulianos was hired/ approved as the New Head Football Coach of Lake Central HS at last night's school board meeting.

Since 2018, I haven't heard a negative word about the Hanover Central coaching staff. I've met a few folks who aren't "best buds" with BoBref's nephew by any means (sorry if I'm aiding in rule breaking here, just using what was given to me lol). But I haven't heard, or seen myself, a thing done that would suggest the Hanover coaching staff engages in behavior that would cause Southern Lake County animosity to be a thing. However, I won't tell you (@scarab527) what you've heard, seen, experienced, or otherwise. Just expressing that in the last 6 seasons, I haven't heard anything negative about the Hanover Central coaching staffs behavior on Friday Nights.

The Brownsburg and Ben Davis game of 2023 (if there already wasn't a better example) SHOULD have been the eye opener. Unless you're living under a rock (which apparently some of the powers that be are doing). Bob's a great guy and I'm glad I (along with all of you) have the reading ability to know what Bob really means/ wants to say here. Lol

Unfortunate news. Would've really liked to see this come to fruition. Nothing quite like staying stuck in the mud, I suppose?

The Penn faithful sound about as grim as myself discussing the disaster that is the Chicago Bears organization. Lol seriously though, I hope coach Riordan and staff can put the Penn faithful's minds at ease and have a successful career as Penn's next head coach. Best of luck to coach and the Kingsmen!

30's and 40's?!?! My Morton Governors were mythical state champions in the year 1965 here in Indiana. 😂 Inaugural IHSAA state tourney/ playoff was in 1973.

1. There are quality players walking the halls of LC and there are quality players on the current roster. Also, the tri-town community LOVES them some baseball. Do with that what you will. 2. My definition of a good program isn't winning state titles but you do need to be competitive on a state scale, and do so as consistently as possible (Indy schools figure this out but we can't? LOL). There aren't too many programs at LC (or anywhere in the 219) that fit that description which is why being good is considered to be difficult and more often than not, the REALLY GOOD teams aren't from the 219. Sure, the baseball and softball programs at LC are consistent winners compared to other region programs but good is not always good enough. Especially not when the schools you need to "catch" to be competitive on a state scale are doing elite things, athletically speaking and continue to try and improve upon those practices. 3. Absolute shame. When I was young they were the top pop warner program in the area by a mile. 4. You would think, but one could rightfully assume that number 5 plays a role in how adequate the athletes are that leave either of those "feeders" and actually attend LC. Guys like Drayk Bowen (and probably some of his friends by default) for example who have left the LC middle schools for other High Schools would positively impact the LC football talent pool but those kids never walk through LCHS's doors. 5. Yes. Also, in reference to your sentence(s) after number 6, I've heard the same.

Most of your first sentence is false which makes the answer to your question very simple. For starters, LC does have large enrollment but it is not necessarily a "growing community" if we're going by enrollment numbers. At this point in 2019, LC's enrollment according to IDOE (for 2019-2021 reclassification) was 3316, fast forward 5 years and according to the new numbers LC is now at 2961, a 355 student decline, and I'm not so sure it will turn the other direction anytime soon because I believe, as Boiler mentioned, most of the southern developments are Hanover's district. Next on the list is "good in all other boys and girls sports," while this is true by Da Region standards, on a State scale the Indians have not won a state championship in any sport since 2012 and the only semi-state wins have come in girls basketball this season, softball in 2015, 2018, and 2021, and boys basketball in 2014 (correct me if I missed any). Next, the well established youth program hasn't been so well established for quite some time. This is not your father's (or son's) Tri-Town Raiders (now the LC Buccaneers) and they have become less established over the years, sad but true. I'm 99.9% sure of the top Pop Warner programs around here the Tri-Town/ LC one doesn't crack the current top 5. The middle school situation is more complicated with Clark/Grimmer playing together and Kahler on their own. I'm not too sure on the whole dynamic there but it obviously isn't developing any athletes like our southern counter parts (CYO or Public). So while it appears things are in place to be successful, there's a lot of work that needs to be done to right the ship for the Blue Indians and not all of them fall on the former, or future head coach(s). I think the above will make the answer to your question rather simple, and if it doesn't then maybe you know something I don't. Yes. Have always and will always.

That's a great question. I'm in agreement with you as far as "I don't think you can put a price tag on the development of young people," is concerned. Which is why whether coach Gilbert (or others like him) is compensated via an ever flowing athletic revenue stream or a community-wide tax "burden" (we both agree on the definition of burden here), I don't believe it matters. I believe he is fairly compensated for the work he's done/ doing and that if more places around the state (and dare I say country) followed suit, they would in turn see similar success and therefore enhance the culture of their schools and communities.

That's what/ who I found and although I've never met or watched him work, his work speaks for itself. Maybe coach Gilbert is just an EXTREMELY GOOD math teacher on top of how awesome he is at coaching football, warranting him the salary.

This would make me think that maybe Coach Gilbert was possibly the teacher in the weight room and the other fella (Strength Coach) the aide. Would make sense that a school THAT GOOD would spend $200,000 on their strength program and student-athlete growth/ development. Almost like that stuff matters.

You would think that much pay would almost certainly mean some form of admin role but the gateway website that @FridayNightLights used to report his earnings will list administrators roles (including Deans) in the "Job Titles/ Duties" section of the compensation spreadsheet. That leads me to believe that Coach Gilbert had a teacher's schedule and/ or contract as opposed to an administrative schedule/ contract. I have NO CLUE, maybe @temptation has the answer for us or someone else does because upon a quick search through Google, Westfield's Strength Coach is listed as a "HS aide" and he makes more than most (probably 80%) contracted teachers in the state of Indiana. Upon further review, I think Temp MIGHT have sold 'em short by not saying "top 3 job. 😂

If this is a legitimate concern, we could just utilize our brain power (decision makers) and write a clause or bylaw into the classification rules that would allow 1A to be corrected/ adjusted to always have 32 teams, given extreme circumstances such as "teams in 1A drop football or close all together in a 2 year cycle, (list other reasons), or otherwise." I was even kind enough to begin drafting the clause for 'em! Lol I'll be honest, one of my primary reasons for supporting 1A having 32 teams as opposed to 5A is the health and safety of the 1A players. Do we truthfully believe that it's "more grueling" for 5A schools with rosters of anywhere from 50-100 guys to go through their season than it is for 15-35 guys on 1A rosters, most of whom are playing all 3 ways? Let's give those 1A guys the extra week to get healthy before the postseason. Valpo, Merrillville, Whiteland, Decatur Central, and the like will manage just fine without a Bye, in my opinion. My initial thought/ question. I just decided to play along and attempt a solution for HoopsCoach's proposed problem.

Agreed (as I mentioned prior to my lengthy proposal post) that this is the simplest of solutions given our current structure. I wouldn't mind this at all with either of the sectional seeding styles you mentioned and the neutral site semi-states.

Illinois has about 200 more schools playing football than we do and you are correct on Ohio (about twice as many). As many people have said on here a few different times, the simplest of solutions to eliminate dilution, in general, is probably to go to a true playoff format of some sort (which we all know the IHSAA doesn't want). That's kind of why I just settled for some "dilution" by going to 8 classes in order to compromise/ maintain the IHSAA's equitable/ all-inclusive postseason system.

My eyes went crossed eyed typing it, similar to @oldtimeqb while reading. Lol I'll correct it here now... 3A would be... 64 Teams. Largest School = Knox 520, Smallest School = Churubusco 378, Enrollment % Difference = 1.38%

I'll admit, it's not easy to figure out and wasn't easy to attempt to figure out/ type out. Lol but I think I saw somehow/ somewhere throughout this thread that we have 312 football playing schools? In all honesty, I wanted a much simpler solution than the one I provided but all of the other options I attempted resulted in a lot of the same problems we have currently (or a numbers issue due to fitting everyone into the playoffs). Whereas the class breakdowns of my insanely confusing idea (probably its new title lol) are more equitable for almost the entire state, short of the bottom half of 8A (impossible to fix enrollment differential if Carmel is the top of the class). That is why I added this extra confusing Open Division to try and eliminate some of the "heavy hitters" from 8A each year to make it more "equitable" for those other 8A teams that have never had a chance and probably still don't/ won't until the necessary changes are made in either their schools, communities, households, or all of those to compete under the current format or any like it.

CoachMack's Crazy Idea includes 8 Classes and an Open/ Elite Division. The breakdown is below and includes how the playoff schedule would work. Open/Elite Division: Best 16 Teams in the State. Almost all will come from 6A-8A (FW Dwenger and Indianapolis Roncalli are only below 5A Top 16 "threats," based on my "model," and their own historical success). A first round loss in "The Open" does not eliminate you from postseason play, you will be allowed to rejoin the postseason in the appropriate class from 6A-8A dependent upon your enrollment. Prep bowl allows this with any open slots left, despite the prep bowl not being an IHSA "Playoff." 8A: 16 Teams. Based on this year, there would have been 11 teams in 8A, and 5 open spots for Open Division 1st round losers, with the 5 largest enrollments (most, if not all would come from 8A anyways). Largest School = Carmel 5200, Smallest School = Indy Arsenal Tech 2500, Enrollment % Difference = 2.08% 7A: 32 Teams. Based on this year, there would have been 30 teams in 7A and 2 open spots for Open Division 1st round losers, with the 2nd and 3rd smallest enrollments. Largest School = Homestead 2408, Smallest School = Terre Haute South 1609, Enrollment % Difference = 1.5% 6A: 32 Teams. Based on this year, there would have been 31 teams in 6A and 1 open spot for Open Division 1st round losers with the smallest enrollment. Largest School = Franklin Community 1590, Smallest School = Columbia City 1162, Enrollment % Difference = 1.37% 5A: 32 Teams. Largest School = Indianapolis Shortridge 1159, Smallest School = Culver Academies 832, Enrollment % Difference = 1.39% 4A: 64 Teams. Largest School = Brebeuf Jesuit 829, Smallest School = Evansville Mater Dei 520 (success factored up), Enrollment % Difference = 1.59% 3A: 64 Teams. Largest School = Eastern Hancock 377, Smallest School = Indianapolis Lutheran 267 (success factored up), Enrollment % Difference = 1.38% 2A: 32 Teams. Largest School = Eastern Hancock 377, Smallest School = Indianapolis Lutheran 267 (success factored up), Enrollment % Difference = 1.41% 1A: 32 Teams. Largest School = Cloverdale 283, Smallest School = Attica 160, Enrollment % Difference = 1.77% Playoff Schedules Open/ Elite Division: IHSAA Playoffs Week 1, BYE for Week 1 winners, Sectional Champ Weekend, Regional Weekend, and Semi-State Weekend (Saturday Showcase) 8A: IHSAA Playoffs Week 2, Sectional Champ Weekend, Regional Weekend, and State Weekend. Semi-States on Saturday during Regional Weekend at Purdue, ND, or IU. 7A-5A, 2A, 1A: Current IHSAA 32-team playoff schedule 3A-4A: IHSAA Playoffs Week 1 - State Championship 1A-7A Semi-States on Friday so the Open Final is a HUGE Event. CoachMack's Favorite Aspects 1. More Football (for our BEST 16, and in general) 2. More State Champions (3 more per season) 3. More consistent enrollment % differential across all classes (1.56% average in my model vs 1.83% in our current format), but specifically the improved differential for our smallest 128 schools.

I like all of this and think it's a simple solution given the current format. I came up with a much crazier/ complicated idea that combines a lot of different concepts/ formats (IHSAA postseason, IHSA playoffs, Arizona's Open Division, and Chicago Prep Bowl "relegation") into one. I think it's pretty sweet. Some of you may like it. Some may hate it, but that's the way of the world, right? Lol I'll include it in the subsequent post and will be willing to answer any questions you fine folks may have.

In the 219 I know we have.... Lake Central at Providence Catholic (IL) Week 2 (3rd meeting, 16-14 Final in 2022 and 28-21 in 2022, Deep mid-class playoff runs for the Celtics in IL the last 2 seasons) Arizona College Prep at Crown Point Week 2 (1st Meeting, Seem to be a good team by Arizona standards? We shall see!) Hammond Central at TF South Week 2 (Hammond Central Won 33-6 Last Season) Byron Central (Michigan) at Hammond Morton Week 4 (1st Meeting, BC finished tied for 1st in the Ottawa-Kent Conference - White Division, a tough conference in Michigan) Hammond Central at Andrews (IL) Week 6 (1st Meeting, 3-6 season last year for the Thunderbolts)