John Hines has over 200-wins, four consecutive trips to the title game, and a championship
John Hines wears a very distinctive cowboy hat which makes him immediately recognizable in the KHSAA football world. You might say it is his brand and a recognizable one at that. Hines won the “Associated Press” Coach of the Year in 2014 and won the “Courier-Journal’s” Coach of the Year in 2009, ’13, ’14, and ’16. Hines has won six (6) regions, has made four (4) consecutive trips to the title game in (2013, ’14, ’15, ’16), one of only 10-KHSAA football programs in history to have done that, winning his lone title in 2014. Hines is the winningest coach in Pulaski County High School history, led the Maroons to a 52-8 mark over a four year stretch (2013-2016), and left the Maroon sideline with 192-wins in 25-years at the school. Hines coached four years at Barren County and was the first coach there to win a playoff game. Hines is one of only two coaches, all-time, to post a winning mark at South Laurel in his first year at the helm. Without question, John Hines is one of the best to ever do it in KHSAA history. Hines hits too many of the core characteristics to not be so adulated.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
London, KY: Do you know what a homophone is? No, it isn’t bad and you shouldn’t raise your hands disgustedly at its mere mention.
According to the online dictionary we accessed, a homophone is when two or more words have the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spellings. “New” and “knew” would be an example of two words which are homophones.
There are plenty other examples. “Steel” and “steal” are homophones. Pair and pear, flour and flower, sea and see, all fine examples of homophones.
We believe “Heinz” and “Hines” qualify. Perhaps not completely, as pronouncing the “Z” and the “S” similarly may be considered phonetically lazy, but you get the drift. Even if you don’t, we feel you will understand more as we continue down this particular path.
Heinz is a famous ketchup. When Heinz first went into business, in 1869, H.J. Heinz (its principal founder) sold horseradish. From there, H.J. Heinz went into selling what was then known as “catsup.”
Catsup would become Ketchup. H.J. Heinz would eventually represent that his company carried 57 varieties of what we now refer to as “ketchup.”
That is from where the Heinz 57 comes. H.J. Heinz chose the slogan “57 varieties” because he thought 57 was a memorable number.
It was never meant to represent an accurate product count. Heinz has never marketed or sold 57 distinct, different products or even 57 different kinds of one core product; but, alas, who cares?
Heinz 57 was among the first national brands to certify as being “kosher” by the Orthodox Union. H.J. Heinz and John Hines do have something in common. Both are known for a commitment to quality.
Matter of fact, H.J. Heinz was also committed to product purity and coined the term “quality control department.” We bet you didn’t know that!
Every tomato used in Heinz Ketchup is grown from Heinz seeds. Quality in, quality out as people often say. That motto seems similar to running a high school football program.
John Hines may not share a drop of blood with H. J. Heinz but there are some similarities between the two men. Some of these similarities extend well past the surnames sounding alike.
For one thing, both men are huge “winners.” For another, each stands as an outstanding representative of professionalism, achievement, and success in his chosen field.
Quality in, quality out…
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Coach Hines spent 25 or so years turning Pulaski County football into a formidable program and consistent winner. Under Hines’s guidance, the Maroons became accustomed to successful regular season campaigns and often making deep playoff runs.
Hines took the Maroons to four consecutive title game appearances, winning the title in 2014. In so doing, Hines became the coach of one of only 10 programs, all-time, to make four consecutive appearances in a title game.
Hines 2014 bunch will always be special. Pulaski County’s “fearsome foursome” linebackers (also called “The Band of Brothers”) helped orchestrate the program’s consecutive 5A title game runs and were instrumental in 2014’s 14-7 triumph over a very good Graves County team.
In addition to his four consecutive title game appearances and one title, Hines’ teams won six (6) regions and helped him amass a 192-113 record over his 25 years at the Maroon helm. Hines has won games at a 63% clip and, factoring in his four (4) years at Barren County (where he took that program to its first ever postseason victory) and the 6-4 posted at South Laurel in ’24, Hines has eclipsed the 200-win threshold we have identified, in these articles, as being a significant, professional milestone.
Over the course of his four-year title game run, the Maroons posted a 52-8 record. How many coaches have ever posted a 52-8 mark over any four year period? We suggest the number could be counted on one’s fingers, perhaps on one hand.
From 2013-2016, the Maroons went 52-8 with four trips to the title game and the 2014 title
KHSAA Statistical Website
For his efforts, Hines has been highly decorated with various Coach of the Year awards through his many years of service. Hines was the 2014, Associated Press Kentucky Coach of the Year. Hines was awarded Coach of the Year by Louisville’s Courier-Journal four (4) times (2009, ’13, ’14, & ’16).
also a published author
We have talked a lot about the “great ones” being the first to do something at a particular school or being the only one to do something at a particular school. There are characteristics common among all the coaches we consider elite.
I have no idea how many of you watched the TV show, “Dragnet,” in the day. If you didn’t this analysis may be lost on you. Hoping, perhaps, you did; allow us to “Joe Friday” you some “…just the facts, Ma’am,” KHSAA edition.
Fact: John Hines put Pulaski County High School football on the map taking that program to heights it had never before known. Fact: John Hines won the first football title in the county’s history, much less the school’s, among the three in-county institutions that field football teams.
Fact: John Hines was the first football coach in Barren County High history to win a playoff game. Fact: John Hines was the first head football coach since Jack Eicher (Laurel County, South Laurel) to have a winning record in his first season at South Laurel. Fact: John Hines led South Laurel to its first six (6) win season since Jason Chappell in 2007.
Fact: Hines’s offense at South Laurel scored the most points in a season (249) at South since the 2018 season. Fact: Hines’s defense gave up the fewest points (213) since Eicher’s 1995 Cardinal squad, which allowed 163-points.
Sports fans those are a ton of firsts, a cornucopia of “facts.” That is a lot of “only team in school history to…”
That is the sign of greatness. That is a distinguishing mark common to many of the other all-timers we have been featuring in our Slow Motion Series.
If we aren’t careful, you guys are going to learn to spot these guys by their common traits and characteristics and no longer even need us. Then what will we do?
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball and KPI Newspaper Group, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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