9 minutes ago, 1959 said:

Unfortunately it wasn’t only mine. I just don’t want something so unnecessary to become detrimental to the team long term. There are a lot of good football players walking the halls of Highlands looking for another sport to play, or that are playing, at NCC. 
 

And I am very happy for the current freshmen, and their success. 

Imagine Elder's situation last night with 70+ players? It's a tough Business. I'm hearing Playoff time this year would be of been a Circus at Highlands if all of those 50 kids would of stuck around. Or at any school. Playoff rosters are still locked down at 80. Now what? Who's fault is it now? Run to another school or Sport? That's the solution. 

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15 minutes ago, BirdDaddy said:

Imagine Elder's situation last night with 70+ players? It's a tough Business. I'm hearing Playoff time this year would be of been a Circus at Highlands if all of those 50 kids would of stuck around. Or at any school. Playoff rosters are still locked down at 80. Now what? Who's fault is it now? Run to another school or Sport? That's the solution. 

.

 

That rule has to go. 

19 hours ago, BrosefStalin said:

Beechwood (3-0) 44 Cooper 19 - FINAL 

From the game:

Ryle #1

CovCath #2

Beechwood #3

Highlands #4

7 hours ago, 1959 said:

Couldn’t agree more. I know there is drop off going into sophomore year, but they went from 50 freshmen to what, 27-28 sophomores. There were a lot of kids getting very few reps last year as freshmen, and the ones who played the bulk of the snaps, also played JV. So did those back end Frosh see the writing on the wall, and know that their JV reps would be given to the incoming freshmen? It doesn’t make sense to me at all.
 

Imagine being a freshman, who’s lucky to even get in the game because they leave the starters in til the 4th quarter regardless of the score. You play 1 quarter if you’re lucky and then see the kids in front of you playing 6-8 quarters a week and dress varsity. Doesn’t instill a lot of confidence or the feeling that they want you to stick around. 

Imagine being Michael Jordan and getting cut from the basketball team when you are a sophomore. Why would he ever go back to playing basketball - and trying out again at the same school?! Crazy isn't it?

25 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Imagine being Michael Jordan and getting cut from the basketball team when you are a sophomore. Why would he ever go back to playing basketball - and trying out again at the same school?! Crazy isn't it?

Meh. We’re talking about freshman and JV football. If the kids are going to put in all that work in the off-season, get up at 5:30 to lift before school,  and cough up the expected contributions via liftathon, athletic fees, fund raisers, etc., I think coaches can find a way to get kids some game reps. I totally understand that varsity is a different animal. But there were kids who didn’t even even get into preseason freshman scrimmages last year. That’s ridiculous. 

4 minutes ago, 1959 said:

Meh. We’re talking about freshman and JV football. If the kids are going to put in all that work in the off-season, get up ant 5:30 to lift before school,  and cough up the expected contributions via liftathon, athletic fees, fund raisers, etc., I think coaches can find a way to get kids some game reps. I totally understand that varsity is a different animal. But there were kids who didn’t even even get into preseason freshman scrimmages last year. That’s ridiculous. 

The salt is heavy with this one. Somebody BIG mad. 

23 minutes ago, BrosefStalin said:

The salt is heavy with this one. Somebody BIG mad. 

Just calling it like I, and many others, see it. I want nothing but the best for the boys. All of them, not a select few favorites. I could write a book about the ineptitude I witnessed last season.

Conner 16 Campbell County 6

Players not getting in at all in a preseason game? That is wild if true. 

55 minutes ago, Breds82 said:

Players not getting in at all in a preseason game? That is wild if true. 

Sad but true. It was both preseason games. Then most of the back end players sat for the first two regular season games as well. Even in a blowout loss to Cooper, I’m not sure the starters ever came out. Took 5 games to get a live rep for some kids. Maybe I’m being naive, or was at the time, but that should never happen in freshman football. And so that’s where where most of my current frustration lies. Not so much in coach Sphire himself, but with the decision making of some of the folks he delegates those responsibilities to. Hopefully it was addressed, but I’m hesitant to believe that when I see them playing 13 and 14 year olds for 8 straight quarters in a 4 hour span. Hopefully I’m wrong, everyone is seeing the field this year, and they all come back as sophomores. 

16 minutes ago, 1959 said:

Sad but true. It was both preseason games. Then most of the back end players sat for the first two regular season games as well. Even in a blowout loss to Cooper, I’m not sure the starters ever came out. Took 5 games to get a live rep for some kids. Maybe I’m being naive, or was at the time, but that should never happen in freshman football. And so that’s where where most of my current frustration lies. Not so much in coach Sphire himself, but with the decision making of some of the folks he delegates those responsibilities to. Hopefully it was addressed, but I’m hesitant to believe that when I see them playing 13 and 14 year olds for 8 straight quarters in a 4 hour span. Hopefully I’m wrong, everyone is seeing the field this year, and they all come back as sophomores. 

I am with you on this point. Get those back up players some reps. Kids change a lot from freshman year to senior year. That kid who is a backup can grow a lot and be a key starter in the next couple years. It bothers me when it gets to the fourth quarter, the game is decided and the starters are still playing. I see no purpose in it.

20 hours ago, 1959 said:

Meh. We’re talking about freshman and JV football. If the kids are going to put in all that work in the off-season, get up at 5:30 to lift before school,  and cough up the expected contributions via liftathon, athletic fees, fund raisers, etc., I think coaches can find a way to get kids some game reps. I totally understand that varsity is a different animal. But there were kids who didn’t even even get into preseason freshman scrimmages last year. That’s ridiculous. 

20 hours ago, BrosefStalin said:

The salt is heavy with this one. Somebody BIG mad. 

To be fair, at the freshman level, I would say that is pretty ridiculous for kids not to get into scrimmage games. Football is a lot different from basketball where kids have had eyes on them for 2 and 3 years already in AAU ball. Sure, there are gonna be some kids coming in that the coaches have seen plenty of already, but there are also still going to be kids who put on a helmet and shoulder pads for the first time in June between the 8th grade and freshman year. And the dynamics around 11 kids on each side of the ball is SO much different than it is on the basketball court or the baseball field. I'd say it's a disservice to the kids by the coaches not to at least try putting them in and seeing how it goes when it comes to scrimmages. Heck, there are freshman teams that are experimenting with spots in their lineup during the regular season.

20 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

To be fair, at the freshman level, I would say that is pretty ridiculous for kids not to get into scrimmage games. Football is a lot different from basketball where kids have had eyes on them for 2 and 3 years already in AAU ball. Sure, there are gonna be some kids coming in that the coaches have seen plenty of already, but there are also still going to be kids who put on a helmet and shoulder pads for the first time in June between the 8th grade and freshman year. And the dynamics around 11 kids on each side of the ball is SO much different than it is on the basketball court or the baseball field. I'd say it's a disservice to the kids by the coaches not to at least try putting them in and seeing how it goes when it comes to scrimmages. Heck, there are freshman teams that are experimenting with spots in their lineup during the regular season.

I have seen a lot of players like this who played their first football freshman year and were starters at varsity. I know players who never played till freshman year and became team captain. I often tell the story of a player who never played football till his senior year. He became the starting safety, all conference player on an undefeated state championship team. I have talked with men who played college and pro football who say it isn't necessary to play football before high school. I could go on and on. 

The point being, freshman football is more about getting experience and learning and none of us know who will turn into what by their senior year. Get as many kids as possible on the field for game action.

19 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

I have seen a lot of players like this who played their first football freshman year and were starters at varsity. I know players who never played till freshman year and became team captain. I often tell the story of a player who never played football till his senior year. He became the starting safety, all conference player on an undefeated state championship team. I have talked with men who played college and pro football who say it isn't necessary to play football before high school. I could go on and on. 

The point being, freshman football is more about getting experience and learning and none of us know who will turn into what by their senior year. Get as many kids as possible on the field for game action.

If I could sum up my philosophy on youth football, freshman football, and to some degree, JV football, this would be it ☝️. Their bodies are just starting to develop, and most have just started a serious weight training regimen.  You’ll never know what they can become if you cut them off at the knees and crush their spirit before they even have armpit hair.