What about the Players?

Last week Grant talked about consolidation of schools. You know the 2A-1A football brackets being cut down.... Well Grant and I have a lot in common when it comes to covering small schools. I, like him, see the small populations and wonder how in the world these schools make sports teams work at all.

I got intrigued to do a story about it in fact. (A story you will see on the Catch it Kansas show in the coming weeks... Just a small tease.) So I went to Minneola to talk to the baseball coach there and to my surprise he filled me in on how teams consolidate just the same as schools.

Some of you may know this but I was clueless until just last Friday. He said that if a school doesn't have enough boys or girls out for a specific team KSHSAA rule is that 2-1A teams can consolidate without the students actually consolidating schools.

Minneola has a kid from Fowler playing on their baseball team. He attends Fowler school and all his friends and family live in Fowler but he plays baseball as a Wildcat instead of a Goldbug.

I was also told by some of the Minneola players that they had to steal golfers from the golf team to have enough guys to even form a team. Two golfers gave up their number one sport so the baseball guys would be able to play. That's loyalty.

So do the math for the Wildcats. They currently have 12 players. 9 players on a baseball field.... you would have to have at least 11 to even consider fielding the team.... Take away the two golfers now they have 10. Take away the Fowler kid... Only 9.... What about courtesy runners? What about relievers? What about the players? But what can you do?