Grant County, WHS tackle Title IX issues

The 2007-08 school year has been a banner one for Grant County High School athletics.

Athletics Director Scott Shipp briefed the Grant County Board of Education members on April 10 on Grant County's status in regards to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's annual verification of Title IX procedures.

The highlight of the summary was that while GCHS lost its varsity girls' slow pitch softball team, it added a freshman fast pitch softball team, a freshman girls' volleyball team and a freshman boys baseball team. In addition, beginning during the 2008-09 academic year, the school will add a junior varsity girls and boys golf team.

"We won't add any coaches, but we, hopefully, will be able to start a feeder program with middle school kids," Shipp said, adding that Lance Robinson will coach the boys and Marcus Camacho will coach the girls.

Three new coaches were also added for the 2007-08 year in volleyball, fast pitch softball and baseball.

Currently, Grant County High School offers 14 total female sports (eight varsity, five junior varsity and one freshman), which are comprised of 194 student-athletes.

For boys' sports, there are a total of 15 teams (seven varsity, five junior varsity and three freshman). A total of 252 males competed for the Braves.

"All numbers have been the same, but we did have a positive growth for the girls sports. We hope that we can continue to get more female athletes involved," Shipp said.

WHS has no plans of adding sports

While Grant County will be adding two junior varsity teams this fall, Williamstown athletic director Todd Dupin said he has no intention of adding sports.

"There are no plans right now, but that doesn't mean we won't explore. We have had some minor interest," Dupin said.

Williamstown competed in 11 total female sports (five varsity, four junior varsity and two freshman), which are comprised of 93 student-athletes.

On the boys' side, the Demons competed in nine sports (four varsity, three junior varsity and two freshman), with 120 total student-athletes participating.

In his report, Dupin said there is no sufficient interest to form a viable interscholastic team based on recent surveys.