How Ballard’s Winning Ways Created One of Kentucky’s Toughest Schedules

Winning has its price — Ballard coach Matt Kuehn explains how the Bruins’ reputation as a powerhouse has made scheduling nearly impossible, forcing them into a gauntlet of top-ranked opponents from Kentucky to Missouri.

Ballard High School receiver Malachi Allen leaps for a ball Tuesday, Oct. 21, at a Bruin practice. Ballard just might have the most challenging regular-season schedule in the state. / Chris Adams

Past successes often lead to current challenges and unintended consequences.

Case in point: Kentucky's Ballard High School.

A Winning Reputation Comes With a Cost

“Because of our past success, no one wanted to play us,” commented Ballard coach Matt Kuehn. “And so you're kind of pigeonholed into who you can play because then it's got to work. Home and away have got to work for the contract, and week-availability has got to work.”

Ballard is currently No. 23 in the latest High School Sports on SI Kentucky High School Football Top 25 Rankings.

So arduous schedules aren’t always intentional, just the so-called fallout from having some winning streaks and developing a reputation as a tough out.

Kuehn couldn’t find a week-three Kentucky opponent, so he had to schedule a game out of state. And it wasn’t just any game. It was against Jackson High School (8-0), which had a national ranking at one point this year, and is one of the top teams in Missouri.

No Easy Weeks for the Bruins

“We took a trip to Jackson, Missouri, because I couldn't find anybody in week three, and our AD knew their AD,” Kuehn said. “They might win the state championship in Missouri. That's the only game I could get. I always like a tough schedule, but you would like a little bit more diversity.”

The Bruins opened with Lexington Catholic (6-2), followed by No. 15 Male and then Jackson. Their next stretch included Bryan Station (No. 24), Boyle County (No. 5) and Trinity (No. 1). Ballard faces No. 9 Woodford County in its final regular-season contest.

Kuehn describes diversity as that balance between practice, intense battles and some breathing room in the schedule.

The Toll of Tough Competition

“Not only are you playing tough teams, but your kids, those are physical games,” Kuehn said. “When you're playing good and physical teams, you got to really worry about your health. I think the biggest struggle is just trying to stay healthy. And then that balance of practice and about to get into another battle. There's really not that week where you're playing that you can kind of take a break.”

However, many coaches prefer difficult regular-season slates. Some do like to schedule a bit more softly, though the consensus is that the obstacles faced in the regular season produce fruit in the postseason. Kuehn said easy schedules tend to create a false sense of security.

Iron Sharpens Iron: The Case for a Hard Schedule

“Obviously, you want to test your guys,” Kuehn said. “The fact that you get your weaknesses exposed pretty early, and then you have time to kind of work and figure it out. Because if it's going to work against some of the teams you play early that are really good, it's going to work just about against anybody.”

The Ballard coach said that 20 years ago, he might have worried about a noticeable winning record, but now it’s about being prepared for the postseason.

“Last year, we finished 6-7, and we were better than a 6-7 team,” Kuehn said. “But, I mean, you got to test yourself. We were in a position in round three to beat Trinity. You've got to prep when you walk in to play the top teams. There's nobody that we're going to play that we're going to be scared of anyway. We've played the best in a lot of different classifications. I mean nothing surprises.”

With all that said, Kuehn feels bad that his players probably won’t post big numbers throughout the season. Bruin quarterback Larry “Pee-Wee” Irvin said he is willing to sacrifice an epic box score for a victory.

“I just look at it as another game,” Irvin said. “For real. So I can't get too high. I can't get too low about another team. I just got to come out and play every week. Winning is everything. So winning over stats.”

Stats vs. Substance: What Really Matters

Do numbers possess a manufactured and inflated value in today’s sports world?

“We are a stat-driven society,” Kuehn commented. “Larry could go play somewhere else and have unbelievable numbers. So they are sacrificing individual stats because he's not going to throw for 350 yards against the defenses that we've been going against. It's just not going to happen. And so that is one of those things on my end that I feel bad about because I want them to have that. But we don't play the schedule that warrants that.”

Always Ready for the Next Battle

Ballard ends their season with games against Eastern and Woodford, and then another season begins.

“Yeah, got another,” Kuehn said.

They’ll most likely be prepared.