Hello in Iowa. This is coming to you by dog sled.. Things must be slow in the drab, dull frozen north---the corn and beans should be in and snow is covering the fields--and you have the time to get involved in a local discussion.
Lots of your points I can rebut.
1). Did not demean Coach Johnson or his wrestlers. To me he lost his cool and raised an issue---but that seems to be how a lot of this community reacts.
2). Lansing has never suffer the transient student population nearly as much as Leavenworth. Why. We do not have as many active duty military families, nor do any of our high school students live on the military post. The Lansing population is more of a military retiree, Dept of the Army Civialian community. I have no figures to cite, but I hhave lived in Lansing for the last 19 years and I think I know the community. This is after Living in Leavenworth City for 10 years--my son played football at Leavenworth in 83, 84, and 85 (they were bad then and they haven't got better since. Could not block, pass, tackle, all synched, and do what a football TEAM needs to do. Why could they not do it---because the kids were together for maybe 2, at most 3, very rarely for 3, even less rarely for 4 years of practice and games). I did not make this up, this has been the Leavenworth mantra, alibi, excuse for the 29/30 years I have been here). As for Immac and PR, good programs--doubt they have a transient student problem as large as Leavenworth--know both have some success.
3). The Kaw Valley League is not the same league as it was when you were here. It is now a conference with 5A and big 4A schools. Immac would not now be competitive with a full schedule in this league. Immac is now a ?A school, in the DVL, and thats where they should be, playing schools their size--and they are not dominating.
4). It is not just enrollment that affects Leavenworth sports, it is the 1). the transient student population and 2) they are playing Johnson County kids who all play off season highly competitive club sports. Football fields at Heritage Park in south Johnson County are full playing off season 7 on 7 (doubt there are few if any Leavenworth kids playing. Same goes for soccer--15 years ago there were three competitive Leavenworth/Lansing/Immac competitive soccer teams playing in Johnson VCounty. Think the LVN Soccer Association now has one boys and one girls HS level competitive club team. See in the paper that some middle school age and younger teams have some success in softball. Do not know of any local club VB teams but think a few girls play on KC teams. Know there is a succesful KIDS Wrestling Club local--not sure how many high schoolers wrestle in the off season. kingStudent athletes today are specialist---if a kid does not play competitive off season sports---he is behind the power curve.
5). Leavenworth is a 5A school this year--except for football (because of the 2 year lockin). A recently completed Leavenworth School District population study projects district enrollment will drop in the near future, and remain low for the next 20 years. Conversely, Lansing continues to grow and has a bond issue on the November ballot to build a new 1200 student high school, expandable to 1600 students Basehor continues to grow and could be a 5A in a few years. Mill Valley is now a big 5A.
Give the Leavenworth student athletes, their parents and supporters, and the coaches a break--let them feel the joy of success (winning)-or at least not loosing by some ridiculous high scores. The only consistent winner at leavenworth HS is Coach Hogan and his BB program--and he is consistent in the Sunflower.
One poster said Leavenworth won the state wrestling tournament in 1972. Absolutely great!!! Not sure Leavenworth was in the Sunflower then--may have been in the Centennial League with Topeka school. Don't think half of the Sunflower schools had been built by 1972. SM East, S, N, and NW were probably there. SM West may have been built after 1972. Lawrence Free State did not arrive till the 1990s. Think Olathe N may have been the only Olathe HS in 72---East, South, and NW have been built since I got here. Stillwell Blue Valley, and maybe Blue Valley North, were the only BV HSs. Lots of changes.
Closing, IMO the best thing for Leavenworth HS is to drop out of the Sunflower and join in a new 5A conference with 5A Lansing, Turner, Mill Valley, perhaps 5A St James Academy, and either some big 4A schools, Bonner Springs and Basehor, or the three 5A KC, Kansas high schools (Washington, Schlagle, and Harmon). But, I bet, Leavenworth will never agree to being in a league with those slugo inner city KC, Ks schools.
Pardon any speling and gramer erors. I type faster than I think---or do I think faster than I type
