Published: August 18, 2008 10:33 pm      

Royals' numbers too low for Ross

ASHLAND — The numbers just didn’t add up for Bill Tom Ross, whose experience as Rose Hill Christian’s head football coach was short-lived.

“I was excited about it, to get the chance to coach again,” Ross said. “We made a good effort but still can’t come up with enough.”

Ross, who was hired in June to take over the program, said he was concerned for the safety of players with so few coming out for football. He said at a meeting last Thursday there were only 14 prospective players in attendance and then 10 the next day.

“That’s not enough to have a good practice session, let alone a team,” he said. “You put yourself in situations where kids will be forced to play. In these hot games, people could get hurt.”

Ross was planning on telling school officials Monday afternoon he was resigning. However, high school principal Jerry Foster said he hadn’t received any word from Ross late in the afternoon. Foster said if Ross has resigned, the school would look at the situation before making any decision.

Ross, however, said he doesn’t need a crystal ball to look into the future.

“It’s just not feasible to have a team with those kind of numbers,” he said. “I hate it, I really do. I was looking forward to coaching again.”

Rose Hill had already petitioned the Kentucky High School Athletic Association to include it as a varsity football program starting in the 2009 season.

“They need to notify the KHSAA,” Ross said. “A lot of teams already have Rose Hill on their (2009) schedule.”

Rose Hill’s basketball success has been well-chronicled, including a 16th Region championship in 2003. The Royals bowed out in the semifinals of last year’s regional tournament to eventual champion Elliott County.

In football, the middle school program had been highly successful the past two years. However, Ross said several players from those teams did not return to school.

Ross said he wanted at least 17 players committed to continue the program, which had planned to play freshmen and junior varsity schedules this fall.

“Even at that, it would be a heck of a stretch,” Ross said of the 17 players. “I felt like we gave it a good honest effort. The first game is supposed to be in three weeks.”

Rose Hill asked Ross to lead the program because of his 23 seasons as a high school varsity head coach. He had a record of 146-107 and is the winningest coach in Raceland history with a record of 112-48.

Ross, who has been in poor health since having a stroke in 2002, said that wasn’t an issue. “I had a golf cart I could use and a Hover Round to help me get around,” he said. “I did that for two years at Johnson Central. (But) You need somebody to coach.”

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.