(As these are in todays Coalfield and there are some really nice pictures, I would recommend anybody who can, get the paper and see what they have)
General summation is as follows:
There are strong feelings in Wise County both for and against consolidation of public high schools. Our stories about Letcher County Central neither endorse nor oppose consolidation.
These stories explain why and how Letcher County consolidated its high schools. Thursday's edition will explore the academic and social results of that process.
New facilities, new uniforms and all the latest equipment.
That's what student-athletes at Letcher County Central High School have had over the last two years.
What they haven't had has been the familiar surroundings of their small schools in their small communities in Eastern Kentucky's Letcher County.
That's why their coaches, like boys' basketball coach Raymond Justice, have attempted to instill a new attitude in them.
"It's no longer beating each other up for a county championship,"? Justice said Friday standing outside of the new school's gymnasium with seating capacity for 3,200. "We're in this thing together fighting against some other folks."?
Justice, like more than half of the head coaches at Letcher County Central, was hired from outside the county school system when the school board closed Whitesburg, Fleming-Neon and Letcher high schools in 2005 and opened the consolidated school of Letcher County Central.
Justice, who coached at Pikeville College for six years before coming to Letcher County Central, said his team hasn't struggled with the rivalry issues of three Letcher County teams joining together as one team.
Instead of rivalries developing, Justice said the players have bonded together.
"The kids have been overwhelmingly supportive,"? he said. "They're excited about the facilities and about the program and about where we're going with it."?
What has been a challenge, Justice said, is developing a mental attitude of his players that prepares them for tougher competition.
"Before, they played in a district that was Whitesburg, Fleming-Neon, Letcher and Jenkins,"? he said. "Now, in my opinion, we're in one of the toughest districts in the state with Knott County, June Buchanan, Cordia and Jenkins.
"Winning the county championship should be a big deal when you're in the eighth grade, but I want them to focus on bigger goals now. You have to go from a single-A thought to a triple-A thought."?
Letcher Central didn't make the regional tournament this year, but that's a goal the team has set for next year.
This past season, Justice had over 30 kids participate in the boys' basketball program with a varsity team, junior varsity team and a freshman team.
"Our young kids are really coming along and I think they will help with our varsity program as they improve their skills,"? he said.
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