Activities still slow, but we’ve passed that magic date

Things are still in that “dog days” of summer stretch that keeps sports activities at a slowdown on the local scene, especially where high school action is concerned.

However, with the arrival of Tuesday’s July 15 date, things begin to get busy on several levels in high school sports as that’s the date that teams can officially begin the first day of practice.

Locally, football, golf, soccer and volleyball hit the ground running with the arrival of that date – for the most part with conditioning, but still, it’s a start.

Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame

I followed with interest last week, both in the Herald-Leader and listening to the Joe B. (Hall) and Denny (Crum) radio show about the induction of the third class into the KHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame.

Inductees in this year’s class included some names that would have been very familiar, even to younger fans, including Mason County star Chris Lofton and Sacred Heart star Crystal Kelley, both who were named Mr. and Miss Basketball in Kentucky, respectively, “way back” in 2004.

Although still young, both were deserved candidates.

This particular class included 16 basketball figures, who have joined inductees from the past two years. A brainchild of the Kentucky Basketball Coaches Association, the Hall now has an official home in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Plans are to be finished with the remodeling of a theatre building there by 2018 which will serve as the headquarters for the Hall of Fame and also will coincide with the 100th anniversary of high school basketball in Kentucky.

By that 2018 class, the group plans on inducting it’s 100th members, and from that point, as I understand it, the number of inductees will be reduced to a small number with following classes.

With this latest class, the member list is nearly at the halfway point of that 100 goal and some very impressive – and recognizable – names have joined the ranks in these first three years.

When completed, the Hall of Fame should be a trip just up the road for every high school basketball fan’s bucket list.

They already have a very impressive website that not only gives an abundance of information about the organization and the Hall of Fame, but a fun collection of facts about high school basketball in Kentucky.

Check it out – and make plans to visit the Hall when it’s completed in a few years. I know I plan on making the trip.

http://www.khsbhf.com