Youth Football #'s going to affect HS Football

[plantmanky]

Was in a meeting this morning with HS and MS coaches and #'s was the discussion as seasons just started this week.

 

MS Team A stated they had 40 kids for 6-7-8 grade team

MS Team B stated they had 25 kids for 6-7-8 grade team

MS Team C stated they had 35 kids for 6-7-8 grade team.

 

Also one person said that one of the youth league senior teams (primarily 7-8 Grade kids) had 18 kids.

 

 

#'s be down? How will this hurt the HS programs in the coming years.

 

 

Post your youth/MS #'s here just for reference.

[Ram]

Raceland has around 40 7th and 8th graders, that up about 10 kids from the norm. Varsity has 60+, that is also up around 5 kids from the norm.

[plantmanky]

Raceland has around 40 7th and 8th graders, that up about 10 kids from the norm. Varsity has 60+, that is also up around 5 kids from the norm.

 

 

Ram couple questions.

 

1. Perhaps you can get some more numbers from teams in your area, curious to see if this a regional thing

 

2. Does the lack of "other activities" in your area contribute to larger #'s.

[Bluedad]

Was in a meeting this morning with HS and MS coaches and #'s was the discussion as seasons just started this week.

 

MS Team A stated they had 40 kids for 6-7-8 grade team

MS Team B stated they had 25 kids for 6-7-8 grade team

MS Team C stated they had 35 kids for 6-7-8 grade team.

 

Also one person said that one of the youth league senior teams (primarily 7-8 Grade kids) had 18 kids.

 

 

#'s be down? How will this hurt the HS programs in the coming years.

 

 

Post your youth/MS #'s here just for reference.

 

I think overall numbers in N Ky May be a little down

 

But

 

I also think there are more programs than ever to choose from and the wealth is being spread around- which isn't a bad thing

[rjs4470]

We are down about 15 kids, although we'll likely have a few new ones showing up over the next two weeks.

[Ram]

Ram couple questions.

 

1. Perhaps you can get some more numbers from teams in your area, curious to see if this a regional thing

 

2. Does the lack of "other activities" in your area contribute to larger #'s.

Numbers in our area seem to be about the same for all Jr High teams regardless of school size on a yearly basis. We have 1A, 3A and 4A schools, most of all those school normally have around 40-50 kids on their Jr High team.

 

High school team are very similar with the exception of Ashland normally having about 80 players, the rest stay around 50 or so regardless of class size.

 

The 1A schools in the area do not have soccer, the bigger schools and Russell (2A) do have soccer. Football is king in the area basketball doesn't hurt it. Baseball is a non-factor with the possible exception of Boyd County.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

We are at 73 7/8th grade players in Ft Thomas. That's actually up about 5 or so from 2013. We will once again split/draft the teams up between 3 squads and play one another 3 times and then fill the voided games that another NKY school left by moving to a different league. At least this year we won't be playing each other 4 times. That gets a little tiresome to say the least.....

[NKY Bandit]

I'm hearing that numbers are down across the NKYFL youth teams but don't have the numbers from last year to prove it. Several levels continue to struggle with numbers and may not field teams once again.

[Content1]

An established and well coached youth football league will never do a hs program a dis-service. There's a reason why you are beginning to see other programs utilize a fort thomas junior football approach. It's not a very difficult template to follow.

 

HS coaches need to recognize the value in building a pipeline of talent, create consensus, buy in and meet with the youth leagues coaches to map realistic expectations on learning fundamentals of football and responsibilities moving into middle school ball. And the youth league directors need to make a few calls to the HCs to id what that looks like! :thumb:

[Harry Doyle]

Plantman,

 

Can you give some more info on the schools you listed in terms of community size/demographic make up, Independent/"County", if those schools have soccer, etc?

 

Personally, I think there are several factors that go into these...more than just the status quo, pc acceptable reasons.

[plantmanky]

Plantman,

 

Can you give some more info on the schools you listed in terms of community size/demographic make up, Independent/"County", if those schools have soccer, etc?

 

Personally, I think there are several factors that go into these...more than just the status quo, pc acceptable reasons.

 

I can try,

 

These were all NKY Middle School and youth team #'s. Dynamics about the same. None of the School teams have Middle School soccer at them. However youth soccer is as thick as gravy at breakfast up here. All of the teams listed feed into 5a and 6a high school teams.

 

Does that help.

[Harry Doyle]

Ram couple questions.

 

1. Perhaps you can get some more numbers from teams in your area, curious to see if this a regional thing

 

2. Does the lack of "other activities" in your area contribute to larger #'s.

 

#2.....I'll say it, soccer.

 

Depends on the school IMO.

 

If your school is one that draws kids from a spread out county, and gets most (if not all) of its football players from an area just a few miles around the high school as is...your number of "available bodies" is already thin as is. Then, you throw soccer into the mix...and, you start having a an issue.

 

Lawrence County up in that area comes to mind, and there are a few things I know about Lawrence County.

 

1) Doesn't have soccer.

2) The "county" school district could shut down tomorrow; go back to Louisa HS being the football playing school...stay 3A, and their #'s along with their success wouldn't change in either way.

 

I don't know much about soccer, but what I do know is that it TAKES KIDS WHO CAN RUN...good soccer teams are no different than good football teams....one FOR SURE thing in common, they good speed.

 

Now, take soccer and let it start up at Lawrence County. Let another sport, that requires good numbers, one that requires kids who can run as a MUST....dip into that small pool of available bodies just for football as is (transportation reasons) & watch what happens.

 

Transportation issues at many of these rural county schools is more of an issue when it comes to numbers than most will ever want to admit (especially those who don't or have never lived there).

 

Throw soccer into those areas, it hurts even more.

 

Throw a strong agricultural area into the mix and that's even more fuel to the fire.

 

....and, last but not least..lets say 3A or smaller, yet you have all three of the above going AGAINST you? Good luck.

 

Places like this that are 3 for 3 + a generally low population (concentrated or not), are going to struggle.

 

In South Central KY, a few schools like the above come to mind as far as what I would consider the most successful in those parts:

 

Wayne County*

Green County

Monroe County

Edmonson County

 

...none of them have soccer. Wayne County started it last year ONLY because they absorbed Monticello who as most know was a very small 1A school, that didn't play football..but, had soccer. So, Wayne County started it merely for those kids. Year one, it was Monticello Soccer @ Wayne County HS. It will be interesting to see what impact the sport plays at Wayne over the years. But, they might be big enough now to withstand it.

[Harry Doyle]

I can try,

 

These were all NKY Middle School and youth team #'s. Dynamics about the same. None of the School teams have Middle School soccer at them. However youth soccer is as thick as gravy at breakfast up here. All of the teams listed feed into 5a and 6a high school teams.

 

Does that help.

 

Yep. Sure does.

 

So, a range of roughly 15 kids between these 3 schools. A & C are a wash for me...give it a couple weeks when summer is over and school starts, and I bet both of those are sitting around the same number of kids.

 

As for B..size of the school? Same size as A & C? I know you said they feed into either a 5A or 6A school, but I just wonder if it's one of 2-3 Middle Schools that feed into said HS (ie: Henderson County with North and South Middle; GRC and its two middle schools, etc).

[Sun Tzu]

I know you said they feed into either a 5A or 6A school, but I just wonder if it's one of 2-3 Middle Schools that feed into said HS (ie: Henderson County with North and South Middle; GRC and its two middle schools, etc).

 

Clark County has combined both middle schools beginning with the 2014-2015 school year into Campbell Junior High School.

 

Campbell Junior High School gets input from community - The Winchester Sun: Local

[Harry Doyle]

Look at 1A even,

 

Raceland

Fairview

Russellville

Mayfield*

Beechwood

 

...none have soccer, except Mayfield. Granted, they are of a 2A enrollment for the new go 'round, have been the biggest 1A school as is and having a larger African American population help offset.

 

 

For those rolling their eyes at that...below.

 

"So, you are saying that young African American males don't play soccer over football? (vast majority speaking)"

 

"Yep."