WWS Athletics ‘diminished but healing’

Running a sports program is comparable to riding a roller coaster because things can move up slowly and go down quickly, according to Lincoln Middle/High School Athletic Director Rodney Klein.

Despite declines in enrollment and athletic participation in recent years, Klein remains positive about LMHS’ potential to provide great experiences for students through a fiscally sound program.

Klein says students’ athletic interests and talent go in waves, and as one of the smallest schools within Indiana’s smallest school enrollment category (1A), Lincoln faces challenges in creating teams for several sports.

Football and softball have had some of those ups and downs in recent years. It wasn’t ideal to cancel several football games, including Hagerstown’s homecoming football game, because of LMHS’ lack of players. Illness and injuries compound the issue as players have had to stay on the field throughout games to play both offense and defense.

And despite earning a sectional softball championship last year, LMHS didn’t have enough players available for the regional softball game, or to field a team this spring. However, Klein told WWN that a softball team will definitely play next season.

Klein said LMHS’ athletic department is financially solid with successful fundraising, and the school will continue offering teams that benefit students throughout those ups and downs.

Lincoln is currently offering basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, track and field, and volleyball for girls and hopes to resume softball next year. Boys sports currently offered are baseball, basketball, cross country, track and field, football, golf, tennis and wrestling.

Coaches and athletes WWN spoke with for this series say there’s hope for growing the programs through keeping more students in Western Wayne Schools. They emphasize the impact of feeder programs, continuing to develop positive relationships with kids, growing students’ self-motivation and reducing negativity from area residents.

By the numbers

Wayne County’s declining birthrates are compounded by students transferring out of WWS to nearby districts. Lower enrollments make it even more difficult to be competitive in some sports and thus can affect future recruitment, reinforcing the cycle.

Lincoln currently has 181 students — 84 boys and 97 girls — in grades 9-12, according to Indiana Department of Education.

To field fall boys teams for football, cross country and tennis with what might be a minimum number of players, LMHS might need about half of its currently enrolled boys to participate in one fall sport.

Klein complimented recent LMHS football teams, saying they’re among the grittiest athletes in the county because they never quit and still had fun playing the game they love while facing stiff competition.

One positive of WWS athletics is that every student gets the opportunity to play the sport(s) they enjoy, Klein said, which they might not get at a bigger school.

According to Indiana High School Athletic Association, Lincoln has the 314th lowest enrollment of Indiana’s 316 schools offering football, only ahead of Tindley (Indianapolis) and Attica.

When considering IHSAA member schools in four-class sports, such as basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball, Lincoln’s enrollment ranks 365th of 407.

Klein said he wants athletes to have fun, memorable experiences and learn valuable life lessons.

While WWS aims to grow its enrollment for future years, especially at the elementary level, higher numbers aren’t expected soon at LMHS unless many students suddenly return to their home district.

Next year’s freshman class could be smaller than the senior class it replaces. This year, Lincoln Middle School has 14 boys and 17 girls as eighth graders. However, future classes could be larger, if the current 50 sixth graders stay.

Compared to boys fall sports, Lincoln needs fewer girls to commit to cross country, volleyball and golf to have complete teams. But recruiting enough athletes remains a challenge.

Until last season, the IHSAA did not allow transfers for athletic reasons. Those who transferred generally had to sit out for 365 days. The legislature now mandates that students may attend any school of their choice, and IHSAA updated their policies accordingly.

Fortunately, WWS has volunteers serving in roles for tickets, scorekeeping and concessions that some districts have to pay people for. Student athletes earn a lot of money working each year at Indiana State Fair’s Dairy Bar for the department and represent their school well. Klein said coaches also do great fundraising if their teams want extras.

Coaches’ perspective

Greg Seidner, who coached LMHS volleyball for 30-plus years until 2023, said the current state of WWS’ athletics is concerning because of the free movement of athletes from school to school.

Transfers make it difficult to maintain a good team culture and continuity within the program, he said.

“The coaches today can spend a lot of their time developing athletes only to see them transfer to another school later on,” Seidner said. “This creates a void that is difficult to overcome.”

Seidner coached 566 wins during his tenure, with team honors including state rankings, nine county titles, four sectional championships (the most recent in 2022) and many runners-up, four Tri-Eastern Conference titles, and four players on Indiana’s All-Star team.

Seidner is retiring this month after teaching science there since 1988.

He said the greatest need moving forward with LHS sports is trying to figure out a way to keep athletes in WWS so that they can be developed, which will improve a good team culture.

“We need to somehow instill school pride back into our school and our athletic programs,” Seidner said.

Klein, who also coaches boys basketball, said many of WWS’ coaches are teachers or school employees, which is a positive, and the school offers early opportunities such as dirt road basketball and club volleyball.

While LMHS’ football and wrestling coach just announced his departure, Klein said turnover is common today among Indiana programs as athletic director and coaching position job boards are filled. Some coaches remain invested in their communities or want to return to their hometowns, while others move frequently to seek new challenges or higher pay.

Klein confirmed to WWN that football coach Jeremy Bane recently resigned and the school is searching for the right person to lead the program.

Athlete’s perspective

Senior Ben Bates has played four sports at LHS (baseball for four years, basketball for four, tennis for three and football for one). 

Some motivation began early. He joined Cambridge City Youth League at the youngest age possible and played elementary basketball.

Other reasons surfaced later. He started tennis to stay in shape for baseball and played football his junior year because most of his friends were graduating and they needed another lineman.

“The current state of LMHS athletics is very diminished but healing,” Bates said. “We have a lot of involvement from our younger classes and very little in my class and the one below.” Bates said teams’ performances have significantly diminished because of their numbers coming from lower classes. 

When he entered LHS, teams were filled with seniors and juniors, and now they primarily include freshmen and sophomores.

“Many see Lincoln sports and our records and automatically think we are a bad school to play sports at, but we are simply young,” Bates said.

He believes the biggest need is starting athlete development early. Bates said he hit puberty late and now that his body is developed, he doesn’t have the skills he wants to compete well. 

If LMHS starts working with students at younger ages, he believes the Golden Eagles will become much more competitive, and that success will draw more participants. 

“The school will become a sports attraction with simply developing students early,” Bates said.

There could be many reasons WWS students don’t join teams, such as other extracurricular and cocurricular involvement, jobs, academic pressures with more courses offering college credit, preferences for sports LMHS doesn’t offer, or lack of transportation for practices and games.

However, Bates said he believes student laziness is a primary factor, because when he’s tried to recruit players, they say they don’t want to put in that much effort.

He described himself as a lazy middle schooler who frequently asked his parents to let him quit a sport.

“They made me stick it out and it was the best decision they could have made,” Bates said. “Once I was in sports it was the best part of my day every day.”

He said many friends he recruited to a practice stick with the sport and enjoy it.

Early reports are that Lincoln will have at least 20 roster players to start the football season. The Eagles are on an 18-game losing streak, but with community support, the players persevere for the love of the game.

Bates said being involved in other activities doesn’t mean students can’t play sports, because he balances them with Business Professionals of America, Student Government, National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a job, and a social life. He’s also graduating as salutatorian.

Bates said he believes LMHS’ struggle to recruit players also stems from negative talk about teams.

“Whether it is the teachers, students, community members or coaches, there is always talk about how we will be bad at whatever sport is the current topic,” Bates said. “However, even with little numbers we still have success.”  

He reports hearing comments encouraging someone not to play for a particular coach, or “That team’s terrible. Why would you want to lose?”

“If only kids would come out and learn the sport, they would likely grow to like it,” Bates said. “Our teams are losing because we simply do not have the numbers. There is a lot of talent in the school, but those kids can not win on their own.”

Community perspective

From behind her camera, Alisha Lilley sees a great deal of heart from current athletes, coaches, families and the community, and high enthusiasm from LHS underclassmen. She’s optimistic about future student involvement.

Lilley, owner of Lilley Photography, takes photos at many LHS sports contests, including as a paid contractor for some Western Wayne News reporting. She enjoys a nostalgic feeling at those events. One recent example was current high school baseball players exchanging high fives with youth, sharing a love of sports and hometown pride.

She brings experience to her work as a former athlete, coach, athlete mom and now grandmother to a prospective athlete.

To 5-year-old James, LHS athletes are superheroes. When asked who his favorite superhero is, James will reply, “Lincoln Athletics.”

When attending games, Lilley sees the community rallying around students, and any disagreements stop at the gate while supporting LHS athletes.

She said LHS lost a large senior class in 2025, many of whom were athletes or attended games to support their friends. However, she’s pleased to see this year’s freshman class rekindling that interest in sports.

Lilley said she believes sports participation has lagged for a few years after the pandemic when current high schoolers spent more time at home and weren’t as active as previous students.

Now, the pendulum is swinging the other direction, she said.

Lilley has seen a high number of freshmen on this year’s baseball team who are very passionate about the game. More signs of growth include many players on the sidelines at a middle school football game, and coaches making efforts to connect with students at Western Wayne Elementary School.

LMHS coaches don’t just clock in and out, Lilley said. They consider their athletes as part of their family, and try to be role models on and off the field. Some coaches even check in on them, making quick visits to the cafeteria throughout the year.

Lilley said today’s LMHS athletes have hope, and that hope encourages her as well.

“We’re on the peak of something changing,” she said.

Klein agrees. He is bullish on the Western Wayne School Corporation and Lincoln High School. “This is a great place to be. We provide opportunities here for all of our students, including our student-athletes,” Klein said.

“I am a very competitive person; no one likes to win more than I do and winning is important. But, the results on the scoreboard may not always be the best measure of that. We are building people who will be good adults, good parents and good community members. Our coaches are all striving for that and I think they are achieving it.”