I realize there is some fudging going on in re the listed weights and heights of players mentioned in the previews, but WOW. Heck Christian County has a FULLBACK at 5'8" and 270 pounds!:eek: And I saw several linemen at 280 plus. I know I come from a program that emphasizes small, quick, athletic and in shape O and D linemen thus its a given that I am going to be a little shocked, but WOW! Is anyone else amazed at the size of these kids and worried about health concerns these kids may encounter carrying so much weight? I'll skip the debate about whether they can be effective football players at that size, and just leave it to concerns about their health. Didn't ESPN do a feature a couple of years addressing the health concerns of high school football players weighing so much?

We also had a thread on this subject a year or two ago if someone wants to do some fishing.

That 280 can balloon up to 320 once they hang up the pads and stop exercising every day. The major concern is when they stop playing...

The overall size of the players has changed. Not to long ago 6'2 was a good sized lineman, but now many QB's are 6'2 or taller and it is not uncommon to see 6'5 linemen. Even in college football a few years ago 6'5 was an average lineman, now there are quite a few 6'7 linemen in college. Of course a 6'5 lineman is going to be around 300 lbs, and can still look athletic.

 

Used to if you were 6'5 you were a basketball player, but not anymore, there are a lot of 6'5 and bigger players that are not playing basketball, but are playing football.

 

I spoke to a pediatrician about this, and she told me that kids are better nourished right now then they have been since the 1940's. Not a joke, no need for the obesity comments. But, after her explanation, I understood what she was saying. She said it took several generations after World War II for the kids to get back to where they were prior to WW II. She said that is why there are so many 6'4 and above teenagers now.

 

Now, for a 5'10 player to be 300 lbs, that is a different story.

 

But, we have to consider as well, the players now have excess to many things that were not available, say 20 years ago. Weight equipment is readily available, not only at the school, but many of the players also have weight equipment at home and belong to local gyms. There is more access to weight lifting knowledge, such as school weight training coaches, the Internet, and personal trainers. There is also more access to, legal, supplements, such as protein powders and drinks. There is just more knowledge available about weight training.

 

So, what I am saying is that we are building better athletes as a whole now then we build ten years ago, twenty, or thirty years ago. The players are more focused on being better and more focused on playing college football then they used to be.

Well said, Ram. :thumb:

Well said, Ram. :thumb:

Thank you, sir.

 

Also, we have to take heredity into account. If a child's parents or grandparents are bigger people, then there is a better chance that the child or grandchild will be a bigger person. I am 6'0 and 220 lbs, not a huge person by stature. But, my father-in-law was 6'2 and over 300 lbs. I have family members who were well over 6'0. My son, if you have not seen him is a huge 12 year old. He is 12, 5'9 and 220 lbs with a huge barrel chest. He does not get this from me. He gets most of it from my father-in-law. He is built exactly like him and is projected by his pediatrician to be around 6'4 or 6'5.

 

People ask me why my son is so big, when I am average height. The answer is: his grandfather. We have had him on diets and work out programs since he was eight, because my father-in-law was diabetic and had multiple cardiac problems, and I don't want my son to have the same problems. But, guess what; I can only make so much of a difference in his size. He has slimmed down and grown taller, but his build is still the same. I can not change heredity. I can only modify it. My son is going to be a big man, and I can't change it.

 

My son has became very food conscious, he tries to choose better food and less of it, but he is still going to be a big person. His pediatrician has confirmed this.

 

So, many of those kids are just going to be big, and after their playing days, many of them will have weight problems throughout life. But, as we adults know, it takes more of an effort as adults to maintain a health weight.

Let me say this though.

I graduated in 1999, I played offensive line in probably the toughest district in Louisville (St X Male Fern Creek) as a senior I was 6-2 240lbs and I was bigger than most people I played against. Now I'm reading about 3A teams that have multiple 250+ that is really eye opening to me. The difference is big but the amount of years is not.

Exactly, you see a lot more 6'4 + and 280 + then you did just ten years ago. It used to be a rarity, but not any more.

 

Let me say this though.

I graduated in 1999, I played offensive line in probably the toughest district in Louisville (St X Male Fern Creek) as a senior I was 6-2 240lbs and I was bigger than most people I played against. Now I'm reading about 3A teams that have multiple 250+ that is really eye opening to me. The difference is big but the amount of years is not.

I was thinking the same thing when I was writing/editing the team previews. Remember when six-foot tall was a tall quarterback? Not anymore. Remember when 200 pounds was a stout fullback? Not anymore. Remember when you didn't see 6-3, 220 pound guys catching footballs? They are tight ends now. It's really amazing

I was thinking the same thing when I was writing/editing the team previews. Remember when six-foot tall was a tall quarterback? Not anymore. Remember when 200 pounds was a stout fullback? Not anymore. Remember when you didn't see 6-3, 220 pound guys catching footballs? They are tight ends now. It's really amazing

 

Of course Highlands had Jared Lorenzen at QB in '98, 99. He was the classic lineman size. Actually maybe he was even bigger than the "classic Highlands" lineman.

Lorenzen was from Highlands! I did not know that. Very cool.

Lorenzen was from Highlands! I did not know that. Very cool.

 

Wow! where you been?

Thank you, sir.

 

Also, we have to take heredity into account. If a child's parents or grandparents are bigger people, then there is a better chance that the child or grandchild will be a bigger person. I am 6'0 and 220 lbs, not a huge person by stature. But, my father-in-law was 6'2 and over 300 lbs. I have family members who were well over 6'0. My son, if you have not seen him is a huge 12 year old. He is 12, 5'9 and 220 lbs with a huge barrel chest. He does not get this from me. He gets most of it from my father-in-law. He is built exactly like him and is projected by his pediatrician to be around 6'4 or 6'5.

 

People ask me why my son is so big, when I am average height. The answer is: his grandfather. We have had him on diets and work out programs since he was eight, because my father-in-law was diabetic and had multiple cardiac problems, and I don't want my son to have the same problems. But, guess what; I can only make so much of a difference in his size. He has slimmed down and grown taller, but his build is still the same. I can not change heredity. I can only modify it. My son is going to be a big man, and I can't change it.

 

My son has became very food conscious, he tries to choose better food and less of it, but he is still going to be a big person. His pediatrician has confirmed this.

 

So, many of those kids are just going to be big, and after their playing days, many of them will have weight problems throughout life. But, as we adults know, it takes more of an effort as adults to maintain a health weight.

 

That is extremely smart of you and him to already be so conscious of possible health problems. Kudos. And maybe that's the norm, but based on what I've observed, there are a lot of very obviously overweight linemen playing the game that aren't so aware of the health issues. I wish more parents, kids and coaches would take the steps you and your son are taking. To put on or maintain a lot of weight to win high school football games is just crazy and in my opinion, very short sighted.

The overall size of the players has changed. Not to long ago 6'2 was a good sized lineman, but now many QB's are 6'2 or taller and it is not uncommon to see 6'5 linemen. Even in college football a few years ago 6'5 was an average lineman, now there are quite a few 6'7 linemen in college. Of course a 6'5 lineman is going to be around 300 lbs, and can still look athletic.

 

Used to if you were 6'5 you were a basketball player, but not anymore, there are a lot of 6'5 and bigger players that are not playing basketball, but are playing football.

 

I spoke to a pediatrician about this, and she told me that kids are better nourished right now then they have been since the 1940's. Not a joke, no need for the obesity comments. But, after her explanation, I understood what she was saying. She said it took several generations after World War II for the kids to get back to where they were prior to WW II. She said that is why there are so many 6'4 and above teenagers now.

 

Now, for a 5'10 player to be 300 lbs, that is a different story.

 

But, we have to consider as well, the players now have excess to many things that were not available, say 20 years ago. Weight equipment is readily available, not only at the school, but many of the players also have weight equipment at home and belong to local gyms. There is more access to weight lifting knowledge, such as school weight training coaches, the Internet, and personal trainers. There is also more access to, legal, supplements, such as protein powders and drinks. There is just more knowledge available about weight training.

 

So, what I am saying is that we are building better athletes as a whole now then we build ten years ago, twenty, or thirty years ago. The players are more focused on being better and more focused on playing college football then they used to be.

 

Some of this post I agree with, although I don't agree with the bolded part. And really I'm not so much at issue with kids being 6'4 or so weighing 250. That seems proportional. The ones that concern me are the 6'0" players weighing 270. In most cases I would think that's not healthy at all. Maybe I'm overreacting. But when I saw some of the sizes of kids in the preview, it reminded me of the ESPN piece that focused on the unhealthiness of these huge kids playing high school football. If I recall properly, the came into Cinti and focused at some of the St. X players. Here's one article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2313479. Here's another article to consider: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2313476. And another one: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79174

That is extremely smart of you and him to already be so conscious of possible health problems. Kudos. And maybe that's the norm, but based on what I've observed, there are a lot of very obviously overweight linemen playing the game that aren't so aware of the health issues. I wish more parents, kids and coaches would take the steps you and your son are taking. To put on or maintain a lot of weight to win high school football games is just crazy and in my opinion, very short sighted.

 

I agree, and not only high school. I see these 6'5 players weighing 300 lbs and think there life expectancy can't be more than age 55. I can't imagine having to lose 50 lbs after their playing days are over. I have a tough time losing 10.