The value of HS football-Leatherneck

Leatherneck had this in another thread. Hope he is ok with me doing this. Outstanding post.

 

 

 

Football, because of the number of boys you can get involved, has the ability to do more positive things for young males than any other sport in my opinion.

 

You can build a great basketball program, but because of roster limits, you are still only going to be able to reach and teach the values of high school athletics to so many kids. Build a great football program and you can reach and teach as many kids that want to be on the football team.

 

If I was a principal in any high school and sat back and analyzed what sport could do more for my high school and the kids, football would have to be at the top. I read and hear all the time about the values of participating in high school athletics (team work, discipline, etc.). I read and hear all time about a majority of kids doing better in the classroom while they are participating in a sport than when they aren't. Unless all that stuff is a crock of manure (and if it is a crock, why are tax dollars being spent on high school athletics?), any principal worth the title of principal should sit back and ask him/herself how can he or she get the most kids participating in high school athletics. I think that answer is football, if for no other reason than the number of kids that can participate.

 

I can assure you of this: if I was the principal of a high school with a lot of discipline issues, drop outs and/or poor academic performance, building a successful football program would be at the top of my list.

Thanks for sharring ChiefSmoke and Leatherneck well spoken. JD

No problem ChiefSmoke and thanks John.:thumb:

Anything from LN is a grade A post, Chiefsmoke as well for that matter. I totally agree here and I think it all starts in the feeder program. Wanting the kids to join the high school team freshman year.

I can attest to the value of participation. It reinforced what I was taught at home. Be accountable. No excuses. Respect authority. Be unselfish.

Nice post LN. I agree it builds unity and community values.

Well said!

Having a team is great, but the key is to get kids to join and believe in the team.

:thumb:

I agree completely. I have said for a long time, "there is a place for everyone on a football team". That is not true in other sports, but if football there is room for the bigger/slower kids, the smaller/faster kids, the more athletic and the less athletic. Not everyone can start or be seen on Friday nights, but there is room for everyone: short, tall, heavy, skinny, rounder, sticks, and everyone in between. And, there is room for 100 of them, not just 15 or 20.

 

And, football had tangents that affect many others. Not only does it allow 100 football players to learn and grow, it also allows for 20 or 30 cheerleaders, 100 band members, dance teams, student sections, pep clubs, and others. When you start counting how many students at a given school are involved in football, you could easily reach 300 or 400 students with one sport.

I agree completely. I have said for a long time, "there is a place for everyone on a football team". That is not true in other sports, but if football there is room for the bigger/slower kids, the smaller/faster kids, the more athletic and the less athletic. Not everyone can start or be seen on Friday nights, but there is room for everyone: short, tall, heavy, skinny, rounder, sticks, and everyone in between. And, there is room for 100 of them, not just 15 or 20..

 

And, football had tangents that affect many others. Not only does it allow 100 football players to learn and grow, it also allows for 20 or 30 cheerleaders, 100 band members, dance teams, student sections, pep clubs, and others. When you start counting how many students at a given school are involved in football, you could easily reach 300 or 400 students with one sport.

I would argue that this statement rings louder and more true with wrestling. Also, no sport teaches you more about becoming a man than wrestling. You are accountable to your team, but unlike with football when you are out there on the mat there is nobody to blame but yourself and no excuses can be made for what results others' actions might have caused.

I would argue that this statement rings louder and more true with wrestling. Also, no sport teaches you more about becoming a man than wrestling. You are accountable to your team, but unlike with football when you are out there on the mat there is nobody to blame but yourself and no excuses can be made for what results others' actions might have caused.

I can see that, and to be honest, when I was in high school I always wanted us to have a wrestling team, but the sport was not that big then and I never got it.

 

But, the shear number of players a football team can have is overwhelming, and can be of benefit to so many.