I don't know of any youth football league that DOESN'T have some sort of weight restriction for skill positions. Also, in the 5 years I've been around middle school football, I haven't seen many cases where a kid was forced to play out of position because they were too heavy, although I'm sure it has happened. As far as defense, how many defenses do you need to run?? There is so much blitzing going on in the youth leagues, that linebackers get to middle school and can't read keys, don't scrape well, can't play the pass, etc. the restrictive rules for defense, in my opinion do make better football players. Plus, you can still mix things up a little defensively, even though you are only allowed to play one defense.

 

Youth league and MS ball is not the same. There is not a need for a weight limit in MS ball IMO. Its not that you need to run a bunch of defenses, its a matter of you can not play the situation in a game. Example, if we run a 3-5 def, we have to run it every down (but 4th and short and goal line) However if for say, its 2nd and 1 at the 40, we still have to run a 3-5, when its probably better to run a 4-4 or 5-2/3 at that point. I was not refering to blitzing and the like, that can still happen in one defense.

Youth league and MS ball is not the same. There is not a need for a weight limit in MS ball IMO. Its not that you need to run a bunch of defenses, its a matter of you can not play the situation in a game. Example, if we run a 3-5 def, we have to run it every down (but 4th and short and goal line) However if for say, its 2nd and 1 at the 40, we still have to run a 3-5, when its probably better to run a 4-4 or 5-2/3 at that point. I was not refering to blitzing and the like, that can still happen in one defense.

 

Agreed one the defenses. But also, as long as you're not going crazy with changes, you can run different variations of your base defense. I should have made my point clearer. As far as weight limits, Even the senior divisions of the NKYFL, and Boone County leagues have weight restrictions for skill players. And I haven't seen a kid negatively affected by the restrictions, although m sure it has happened.

Every league has their pros & cons. What MS teams that I have seen seem to have a ton of players, and many schools have to have a A team, a B team a 7th grade team & 8th grade team. The best I can tell they play a 7 or 8 game schedule, and a lot of the kids are not going to see much playing time I've hardly ever seen a coach put his second team in down 6-7 going into the 4 th qtr., but the kids that don't get to play much have at least gotten 4 good months of exercise and got to be part of a team. Highlands has almost 100 kids on their roster 10th 11th and 12th grade, and maybe they will all get in tonight. Pendelton Co. players will not have to worry about getting playing time. We are fortunate in No. Ky. to have a lot of choices for our kids to play at different conditions, and great players have come from each. My personel choice right now is NKYFL. my son is in his first year there as a second year junior. Imo he has improved there much more than he could have anywhere else. The group he is playing with there with is one of those special groups where everyone plays and contributes. There is 17 that may be moving up to seniors (if they all stay). The senior team (Red Devils) has only 13 players and all but 4 move on. This could be an exciting team to watch the next 2 years. But as raiderbird pointed out that division is down this year. I look for it to rebound for a lot of reasons, and there's still a lot of competive games.

Every league has their pros & cons. What MS teams that I have seen seem to have a ton of players, and many schools have to have a A team, a B team a 7th grade team & 8th grade team. The best I can tell they play a 7 or 8 game schedule, and a lot of the kids are not going to see much playing time I've hardly ever seen a coach put his second team in down 6-7 going into the 4 th qtr., but the kids that don't get to play much have at least gotten 4 good months of exercise and got to be part of a team. Highlands has almost 100 kids on their roster 10th 11th and 12th grade, and maybe they will all get in tonight. Pendelton Co. players will not have to worry about getting playing time. We are fortunate in No. Ky. to have a lot of choices for our kids to play at different conditions, and great players have come from each. My personel choice right now is NKYFL. my son is in his first year there as a second year junior. Imo he has improved there much more than he could have anywhere else. The group he is playing with there with is one of those special groups where everyone plays and contributes. There is 17 that may be moving up to seniors (if they all stay). The senior team (Red Devils) has only 13 players and all but 4 move on. This could be an exciting team to watch the next 2 years. But as raiderbird pointed out that division is down this year. I look for it to rebound for a lot of reasons, and there's still a lot of competive games.

 

Of the 19 or so middle school teams in NKY, only 3 have multiple varsity teams--Cov Cath (7 and 8), Campbell County (7 and 8) and Turkeyfoot (7-8), in addition to JV teams. The rest of the large schools (Woodland, Twenhofel, and Summit view) all have JV teams that play a full 7-8 game schedule. So really the correct term is not many, its a few of the schools having tons of kids. The varsity games all play a 5th quarter, and most of the teams aren't playing a ton of kids both ways (although some kids do play both ways). Couple that with the JV games, and really most every kid is getting some playing time. The small and medium schools have small rosters, anywhere from 15-25 kids. Sure there are a few first year kids that don't play much, mostly 6th graders, and really those kids would be better served playing in the NKYFL. I'm not sure how you can state "a lot" of kids won't see any playing time at the middle school level. It's simply inaccurate and not close to being true.

The statement was "not much" not "not any"

Edited October 6, 201213 yr by Tig70

Every league has their pros & cons. What MS teams that I have seen seem to have a ton of players, and many schools have to have a A team, a B team a 7th grade team & 8th grade team. The best I can tell they play a 7 or 8 game schedule, and a lot of the kids are not going to see much playing time I've hardly ever seen a coach put his second team in down 6-7 going into the 4 th qtr., but the kids that don't get to play much have at least gotten 4 good months of exercise and got to be part of a team. Highlands has almost 100 kids on their roster 10th 11th and 12th grade, and maybe they will all get in tonight. Pendelton Co. players will not have to worry about getting playing time. We are fortunate in No. Ky. to have a lot of choices for our kids to play at different conditions, and great players have come from each. My personel choice right now is NKYFL. my son is in his first year there as a second year junior. Imo he has improved there much more than he could have anywhere else. The group he is playing with there with is one of those special groups where everyone plays and contributes. There is 17 that may be moving up to seniors (if they all stay). The senior team (Red Devils) has only 13 players and all but 4 move on. This could be an exciting team to watch the next 2 years. But as raiderbird pointed out that division is down this year. I look for it to rebound for a lot of reasons, and there's still a lot of competive games.

 

 

It could get even more exciting if we decide to make a move.

Rules where in forced finally every kid played a half all is well now. Now Starter Bowl time! The Starter Bowl takes place Tuesday and Thursday at Lloyd. South Kenton plays Erlanger Lions Tuesday at 7pm. I heard they have been practicing with a Boone County Peewee team.

Funny story about my experiences with Daddy Ball. My son who is now a Sr in High School played for a team in 6th grade in the FTJRFL and the 4 coaches all had their sons in the skilled positions on the 1st team. They played QB and all 3 RB spots, how ironic huh. Well, my son was probably the most athletic kid on the team and fast but they put him and another very good athlete on the 2nd team. He was the RB and the other kid was the QB and they had a blast. While the first team couldnt get past the 50 yrd line most games and went 3 and out a lot, his 2nd team was having fun sustaining drives and enjoying the game. The kids who were starting were good kids, dont get me wrong but they were clearly out of position and not the best choice. The coaches for the other teams were complaining after every game how the coaches shouldnt have them playing on the 2nd team, etc.

 

Well, in the long run my son had a pretty fun year but it kind of turned him off to football and the politics behind it. He stopped playing and focused on hoops. He is now 6'2 190lbs and benches over 240lbs. He tells me all the time he wishes he stayed with it sometimes just to be out there on Friday nights playing DB. The other young man is a starting Defensive Back on the State Champion Bluebirds now as a Sr.

 

Only 1 of the 4 kids who got those starting positions that year on the 1st team even play football and one only gets minimal minutes in Varsity games on special teams for Highlands. One plays golf, the other is a soccer player and the last one plays Golf for Summit Country Day. All great kids I want to add as well but it just goes to show you that sometimes Daddy Ball can be obvious and detrimental to the growth of the program. But I do get it, you have to have volunteers coach and most likely in the younger years it is the Dads who step up.

 

BTW, I currently coach my Stepson and I try to remain as fair as possible with the kids and never give him preferential treatment. In fact I get some looks from him in practice like he wants to put a lick on me. LOL

 

What position does he play? QB! I bet you even call the plays too. That would be daddy ball if true.

It could get even more exciting if we decide to make a move.

 

Why would you get into a dying league? Try to get an affilitation w/ Highlands and get in the JR. High league if you are going in that direction.

I am the head coach for my youngest sons's Midget team in the NKYFL. He probably wishes I wasn't because I definately am harder on him than I am on the rest of the kids. I try to have my assistants deal with him as much as possible..No special treatment from this coach...lol

 

My sons didn't play this year and stuck with select soccer. To be honest, I was glad. I coached the past two years, but I had gotten so tough on them for even the smallest mistake. I would have never acted like that towards another player. They want to play next year, and I think that the year away was good. It has allowed me to rethink my approach to coaching them. If I'm going to treat them like just normal players, I need to treat them like normal players.

 

I've never understood how some Dads can be so blind to their kids inabilities. I guess I learned from my Dad when he coached me in baseball and batted me last, if I got to start at all. Play the best players, but keep absolutely everyone involved. Running off a small 6th grader only makes him a turned off 6'4 12th grader.

Not allowing a parent to coach his own child is the only way to avoid any complaining from parents regarding playing time. However, coaches should be open and honest with mom and dad when their son isn't playing and provide good feedback. In many cases, the parents aren't at practice and don't see what their child is/isn't doing to get better each week.

It could get even more exciting if we decide to make a move.

 

 

One of the most surprising comments I have read on this board. Wow that experience with the older son most really stick in your crawl.

 

 

If the success of the Highlands program and the number of players in the program doesn't convince you which league gets in right - then good luck with the move.

 

 

Before anyone comes up with how many kids at HHS played NKYFL Sr Division let me give you the correct numbers. (current varsity members getting reps =2 or 3 out of 30)

I think there is absolutely no reason to leave the FTJFL next year to go to the Senior Divison of the NKYFL. Like I said earlier the Senior Divison is down. I do believe the NKYFL is better at the younger divisons if your son wants to play at a more competitive level. It all has to do with what you want out of football..If you want a more noncompetitve league the FTJFL is the best around. There are some very good coaches and everyone gets to play..:thumb:

One of the biggest problems in youth sports is kids losing interest due to lack of playing time compared to others as well as Daddy Ball where the coaching fathers play their kids at the most popular positions.

 

The kids need to find a league that doesn't emphasize winning as much as it does player development.

 

Funny story about my experiences with Daddy Ball. My son who is now a Sr in High School played for a team in 6th grade in the FTJRFL and the 4 coaches all had their sons in the skilled positions on the 1st team. They played QB and all 3 RB spots, how ironic huh. Well, my son was probably the most athletic kid on the team and fast but they put him and another very good athlete on the 2nd team. He was the RB and the other kid was the QB and they had a blast. While the first team couldnt get past the 50 yrd line most games and went 3 and out a lot, his 2nd team was having fun sustaining drives and enjoying the game. The kids who were starting were good kids, dont get me wrong but they were clearly out of position and not the best choice. The coaches for the other teams were complaining after every game how the coaches shouldnt have them playing on the 2nd team, etc.

 

Well, in the long run my son had a pretty fun year but it kind of turned him off to football and the politics behind it. He stopped playing and focused on hoops. He is now 6'2 190lbs and benches over 240lbs. He tells me all the time he wishes he stayed with it sometimes just to be out there on Friday nights playing DB. The other young man is a starting Defensive Back on the State Champion Bluebirds now as a Sr.

 

Only 1 of the 4 kids who got those starting positions that year on the 1st team even play football and one only gets minimal minutes in Varsity games on special teams for Highlands. One plays golf, the other is a soccer player and the last one plays Golf for Summit Country Day. All great kids I want to add as well but it just goes to show you that sometimes Daddy Ball can be obvious and detrimental to the growth of the program. But I do get it, you have to have volunteers coach and most likely in the younger years it is the Dads who step up.

 

BTW, I currently coach my Stepson and I try to remain as fair as possible with the kids and never give him preferential treatment. In fact I get some looks from him in practice like he wants to put a lick on me. LOL

 

How would you rate the Sr Division? Possibly thinking about moving some kids to the NKYFL next year.

 

It could get even more exciting if we decide to make a move.

 

I would suggest making the move. From reading all your post, looks like it's a no win situation for you. If you are not happy with the your current league, it will definitely benefit you making the move. A change of scenery with teams and other parents will probably be best for you. Good luck with your decision.

 

Oh yeah, we look forward to watching your stepson when he is a freshman!

One of the most surprising comments I have read on this board. Wow that experience with the older son most really stick in your crawl.

 

 

If the success of the Highlands program and the number of players in the program doesn't convince you which league gets in right - then good luck with the move.

 

 

Before anyone comes up with how many kids at HHS played NKYFL Sr Division let me give you the correct numbers. (current varsity members getting reps =2 or 3 out of 30)

 

Beings part of the topic here is playing time, and only 30 players out of 100 get any reps in varsity games, why are those other 70 players there?? Is that something they learned in the FTJFL??

Are you sure about that only 3 players that played in NKYFL get any reps., and are you implying that ALL the rest played 7th &8th FTJFL??