Interest growing for high school bass fishing in Kentucky

Schools consider fielding fishing teams
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Nearly a quarter of Kentucky public high schools have expressed interest in fielding teams for bass fishing competitions.

The interest comes after the Kentucky High School Athletic Association announced last month that it will sanction it as a varsity sport beginning in the fall, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported (http://bit.ly/wO534E ).

KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett says the addition will allow many students who don’t currently play a sport to represent their school in competition. He says the organization also sanctioned bowling this year and will add archery next year.

About 60 of Kentucky’s 220 public high schools have expressed an interest in forming fishing teams, according to KHSAA.

That includes Wayne County Public Schools which are located near Lake Cumberland.

“We have a lot of retired people who live and fish on the lake, and I think a couple of them have come in to talk with our superintendent and are interested in helping if we decided to go ahead,” athletic director Rodney Woods said.

Mark Gintert, national youth director for The Bass Federation, said fishing is a sport that many students could participate in.

“Fishing is the greatest equal opportunity sport there is,” he said. “That fish has no idea if you’re a girl or a boy, if your six feet-four or four-foot-six. A girl can stand right in there beside a boy in the front of a boat and be catching fish. It makes no difference whatsoever.”

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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com