I think I agree with Gridiron Gang. I think the number of quality coaches is declining. Don't think I realized this until recently but the amount of time, low pay and other obstacles seem to be thinning the ranks more than I realized.

Isn't Beechwood a 1A school and they usually have a big Freshman team? Coaches need to get out and talk to kids so they have more kids on their roster. Perfect example. Dixie has struggled getting kids to play Fresham football. I seen a flyer on a middle school website for Dixie Freshman football. Probably only a few kids seen it. Show up at their lunch during school and talk to kids. You have to talk to the kids.

 

Beechwood is an exception although even their roster is not as large as it once was. I believe among the NKY small schools it is down to them and NCC having Frosh teams. So they can continue and play large schools for almost all of their games as the number of schools with Frosh teams dwindle.

Perhaps the more pertinent question is, Is all football dying?

Never!

Perhaps the more pertinent question is, Is all football dying?

 

I don't think it is dying, but I do think we have to be proactive to make the game as safe as possible. We need to be aggressive in promoting the many positives of the game. I don't take for granted that most schools will offer football in 30 years.

How many 13-14 year olds do you think are exactly excited about giving up literally 1/2 of their summer to go out and be a dummy holder and run sprints for 8 weeks before their first game?

 

**I know, I know....practice those guys like you do the rest of the team. That's all great in idea. Bigger schools with larger & adequate staffing can do that. I even know "Smaller" schools (3A below) who have been able to two platoon their staffs where all kids are actually PRACTICING...and, THAT is nothing short of a thing of beauty; however, not the case at most places**

 

If people don't think the start of school beginning basically August 1 at most places; coupled with starting practice July 10th (giving up dang near literally half of their summers) doesn't have anything to do with declining numbers then they are flat out living in denial.

 

With that said (and, again...just PART of my theory as to why we see low numbers in that age group), I don't see any reason for incoming freshmen (UNLESS they are going to be seeing a pivotal role(s) and/or unless they just want to come out) to start practice until that last week of July or hell; not even until that Monday closest to /or on August 1st.

 

.....but, that's just me.

I think I agree with Gridiron Gang. I think the number of quality coaches is declining. Don't think I realized this until recently but the amount of time, low pay and other obstacles seem to be thinning the ranks more than I realized.

 

I guarantee you more are getting out than there are getting in. The thinning of the ranks is real....don't think for one minute that it isn't.

Perhaps the more pertinent question is, Is all football dying?

No. At worse, participation has just flattened.

Football remains #1 HS sport in America I think high school coaching will become extinct long before the death of playing.

Isn't Beechwood a 1A school and they usually have a big Freshman team? Coaches need to get out and talk to kids so they have more kids on their roster. Perfect example. Dixie has struggled getting kids to play Fresham football. I seen a flyer on a middle school website for Dixie Freshman football. Probably only a few kids seen it. Show up at their lunch during school and talk to kids. You have to talk to the kids.

 

The only problem with that is a lot of schools are getting so ridiculous that they will not allow teachers to leave during the school day, even on their planning. I do think, however, you can hold a meeting after school one day or if you are fortunate enough to have a boss that will let you go around to the other schools and talk to them then that is a definite advantage. The population of kids wanting to play football is rapidly decreasing in itself because of parents and the "risks" of the sport.

No. At worse, participation has just flattened.

Football remains #1 HS sport in America I think high school coaching will become extinct long before the death of playing.

 

I think it's in a much more dangerous spot than you might be giving credit to. I'm not going to say it's dying, but nothing like that happens quickly. If the old guard is too slow to step out and let the game evolve, then numbers will suffer. That's not my opinion, that's a mathematical certainty.

 

Something will come along that breeds the same positive qualities as football, with a perceived improved safety situation, that isn't as physically grueling, and it's a huge time suck for teenagers. If the game doesn't adapt, the game will die. That's how everything in the world works, and football isn't in some magical vacuum to protect it from this.

 

 

 

Edit: I also feel the numbers aren't necessarily important when compared with other sports, because quite simply there are more people on a football team. A varsity basketball roster is, what, 12 or 13 kids? Is there even a limit to the amount of spots on a football roster, other than limiting what numbers are physically able to be worn? Football is the most played sport because football allows and requires the most bodies. It will always be the most participated in sport because when it's not, it literally can't function.

There was no better time for me in high school than those 2-3 weeks of football before school started. I absolutely loved it.

The sky is falling!

A. Coaches are getting out and not being replaced at the same speed.

B. The game is evolving at a greater pace than ever and in KY Julian should get some credit for that.

At many schools, anecdotally yes numbers are down.

BUT

C. Last season more kids played football in the state of Kentucky than ever in the history of the game.

In the next 15 years....the entire landscape of high school athletics will change dramatically IMO. I think you're going to see a drastic reduction of sports that are offered. Regarding football....not only is freshman ball dying (practically dead now)....but JV will also go by the wayside. However....football is not the only sport that will experience the downsizing. Don't be surprised to see sports that have mulit-layered teams ( football, basketball, baseball, maybe soccer) be drastically reduced....and at some point....may be eliminated all together. The overall cost is becoming too great (liability insurance, transportation, equipment,etc, etc)....along with other social issues that are working their way into our school systems. In 20 years....IMO....from what I'm hearing......high school athletics could be a thing of the past.

In 20 years....IMO....from what I'm hearing......high school athletics could be a thing of the past.

 

No chance.

To the OP. Yes Freshman football is very hard to pull off in the middle of 5a and down. There are random teams here and there. Out of lets say 192 football schools about 45 can field a freshman team every year. The answer below that is froshmore games where no juniors are allowed to play. Bowling Green had 109 kids on the roster last season but had to play 2 froshmore games because thats what the opponent had to do. It doesn't matter if you adamantly insist in playing a full freshman schedule. You have to have opponents too. Opponents close enough for a freshman weeknight travel. The 45 schools I spoke of are concentrated in a couple of areas not spread evenly in the state.