just want to see what every thinks about this article i saw

[Guest coachhooker]

Whitehouse's Randy McFarlin Blames Baseball All-Star System For Players Absence

Whitehouse Coach Not Happy With Little League

By SHANE STARK

Staff Writer

Earlier this week, the Whitehouse football team began defending last season's district championship. And earlier this week, the Tyler East Senior League All-Stars continued stamping toward a world baseball title.

Call it The Gridiron versus The Diamond.

Tyler East's success forced four Whitehouse players to make a decision. Would they forego the first week of preseason football workouts and resume their summer baseball season at the Little League Senior World Series? Or would they drop what might be a dream of a lifetime and get fitted for a football helmet Monday morning?

All four chose the former. And Whitehouse head coach Randy McFarlin said that violates team principle.

"God is first, family is second, your education is third and then it's football," he said. "School has to take precedent over non-school."

But McFarlin blames the Little League system, not the players, for the absence of junior quarterback Brady Attaway, junior wide receiver/linebacker Seth Cashion, junior receiver Ryan Bell and junior receiver Heath Mayo. He said non-school leagues should not allow their seasons to overlap with school sports.

"All four of the kids have worked hard during the season to prepare themselves for football season," McFarlin said. "It's not their fault. It's the Little League organization's fault to have a tournament this late in the year."

McFarlin penciled all four into the starting lineup in his preseason depth chart, but soon pulled out the eraser. He said they've been given unexcused absences, meaning they will have to earn their spots back and complete extra running drills.

"When a kid has something with a church function, we work with that. A death in the family: we excuse that. If it's class work, we have to do that," he said. "But fourth is football ... I talked to the kids and the parents and told them it would be unexcused. They understood. So there's no problem."

Attaway is a reigning District 12-4A and All-East Texas Newcomer of the Year, and many expect the 6-1, 170-pounder to only improve this season. He passed for more than 2,000 yards while guiding the Wildcats to the third round of the postseason. In his absence, reserve Braden McDaniel has been working with the first team and will start in the first scrimmage next Friday against Carthage.

"I just don't believe in missing a school-sponsored activity," McFarlin said.

Nonetheless, McFarlin said the first week of practice has been productive. He said every day has been intense. He added that finding leadership has been a key assessment for his coaching staff.

The loss of running back/linebacker Luke Shivers, cornerback Chad Emmons, defensive lineman Evan Beaton, defensive lineman Bradley Wallace, offensive lineman Jeff Sanders and running back Jimmy Kennedy to graduation cost the team leadership.

Stepping in and filling the void have been senior linebacker Cody Brown, senior offensive lineman Nathan Brown, senior receiver Leslie Perdue, senior linebacker Taylor Sulser and senior running back Matt Ponce.

"They've got to set the example both in work habit and making good choices - and expect to win. That's a winning attitude," McFarlin said. "They've been first on the field, they've stepped up in their drill work and they've done things right."

McFarlin said 81 players currently fill the varsity roster. He expects quarterback, receiver, defense and depth to be team strengths.

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comments????????

[retiredoldcoach]

This is nothing new to this area. 

It happens every year right here in Southeast Texas in a town called Nederland.  The Babe Ruth World Series has conflicted with the start of football for many many years.

This incident includes a starting quarterback and some other players vital to success.

They won't miss one down of football after the scrimmages end.  You can bet on that.

[Guest Orangeboy]

If the sports like baseball and basketball have to wait on kids to finish previous sports why is it so horrible if football is put on hold. The kids are just doing what they love to do and having fun.  These guys are only young once and should take in all these kind of experiences as they can.

[3amagic]

Coach McFarlin said "non-school leagues should not allow their seasons to overlap with school sports."

Football coaches are so hypocritical. 

I will be willing to bet that Whitehouse football participates in 7 on 7 football during track and baseball season.

[td]

I will be willing to bet that Whitehouse football participates in 7 on 7 football during track and baseball season.

Not to mention the 7 on 7 that goes on during the summer when he "wants or thinks" these kids should be playing other sports!

[EAGLE07]

I totally agree w/ ORANGEBOY. You may not get too many chances to experience events such as this. I say go play in the SR League World Series. Must say, reading the article brought back some memories. This same group of Tyler East kids beat us ( Barbers Hill ) @ the Jr. League state tournament to advance to Colorado.

[TXBaseball]

I believe that any coach or school admin that would punish/penalize a child for participating in any national event such as LLWS, BRWS, CRWS etc. needs to find themselves another profession other than kids.  There was such an incident just a few years ago when the Nederland Babe Ruth boys went to the World Series and one of the local HS football coaches penalized two of the varsity starters for missing a week or so of two a days.  They made those two boys play JV football for two or three games.  Kids were penalized, their team mates didn't like it, fans didn't like it and what did the coach prove?  That he has the right to do it just because

[bkatdog]

  Coach, are we talking about practice? jk

[elhector1]

I have coached in the Junior and Senior League system, as well as being a league official with Little League.  The reason that the tournaments start late is that many leagues are waiting for high school sports to finish, so they don't conflict with that.  I think the kids made a great decision, and I think the football coach will regret his.

[tgreen]

sounds like this football coach is selfish. i think that if i were one of these players that i would get together with the other three guys and make a stand toward this coach that if they get punished, then thats fine... we just won't play!!!! sounds like these players are pretty good for this team and it sure would be a shame for the coach not to have these great players. these players may be the difference between winning and losing a football season. its probably not practical for the players to boycott the coach, but it sure would prove a point!!

[Guest Orangeboy]

sounds like this football coach is selfish. i think that if i were one of these players that i would get together with the other three guys and make a stand toward this coach that if they get punished, then thats fine... we just won't play!!!! sounds like these players are pretty good for this team and it sure would be a shame for the coach not to have these great players. these players may be the difference between winning and losing a football season. its probably not practical for the players to boycott the coach, but it sure would prove a point!!

I really don't think quitting would be a great option for these kids. They should just take the little bit of conditioning. I'm sure they will have to do and have fun doing something else they love to do. I just think once you quit something in life it only makes it that much easier to quit something else in life when the going gets tuff.

[westend1]

Sounds like a constitutional violation to me.  Church functions--ok?  Believers, do what you want, everyone else, it's football first.      The guy should be fired.   

[JohnnyT60]

That's the attitude that get's so mamy kids to quit football these days. Whether HS coaches like it or not non-school sports are getting bigger and bigger every year. They impact whether a kid will get a scolarship much more than school sports in every sport except football. This coach sounds like a tool. Rather than being happy for these kids accomplishments he punishes them? They missed one week of practice? Oh man there goes the season. :