No Freshman teams...what gives?

[Rake1]

I can't think of any other time when it seems so many schools don't have 9th grade football teams!! It seems like every time you turn around schools are scrambling to find teams to play due to the lack of sub varsity teams. I have spoken to other folks from several schools in the triangle who are running into the same problem, what in the world is the story??? It looks like any team with more than 30 players is huge!! I know bigger schools like PNG/NED/etc have big numbers but it appears they are the minority in this case. The smaller 4A schools and especially the 3A schools seem to be way down as far as football participation is concerned. Is it just me or has anybody else noticed this???

[#60 dad]

my son plays varsity for deweyville....we have around 19 kids on varsity and 20 on JV....we only have a enrollment of around 212 kids in high school....the junior high has both a 7th and 8th grade team....deweyville is the smallest school in our 8-d2A....I only attribute our good turn out in football to our Junior Football League programs....there is always a great turnout from flag to seniors ever year....not sure why the bigger schools cant man frosh teams....i can remember when the 3 and 4 A teams in the area would have an A and B team for 9th grade, a soph team, a JV team and  varsty....

[atb63]

Rake1,

I think in the beginning most teams have a freshman team.  However, especially in your smaller enrollment schools, the following happens, and coaches decide to not have a freshman team:

1. No pass, no play - I think this is the number 1 reason.
2. Injuries on the Varsity and JV teams
3. Due to numbers that come out, most freshmen move up to JV or Varsity.

I have seen that happen on the 4A level many times, due to the no pass, no play rule.

[#60 dad]

[quote name="atb63" post="859245" timestamp="1285618981"]
Rake1,

I think in the beginning most teams have a freshman team.  However, especially in your smaller enrollment schools, the following happens, and coaches decide to not have a freshman team:

1. No pass, no play - I think this is the number 1 reason.
2. Injuries on the Varsity and JV teams
3. Due to numbers that come out, most freshmen move up to JV or Varsity.

I have seen that happen on the 4A level many times, due to the no pass, no play rule.
[/quote]still in week 4....no report cards yet...no pass, no play has been in effect since mi-80's....here is my thought and i have seen it in our school....more and more kids in school do not particpate in any extra-curr. activites....for example our school band went from over 100 plus to less then 20....

[Guest bleed orange]

Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. ;D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!

[#60 dad]

[quote name="bleed orange" post="859414" timestamp="1285628658"]
Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. ;D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]i agree with you on both counts....i see good ath. only playing Basketball or just Baseball for the same reason you talked about....in our small school like ours you need kids to play multiply sports to be comp....only a small% of high school ath. make it to the next level....seen alot of good ath. caught up om this year around Select Baseball hype that would make great football or basketball players.... then they end up burnout on baseball!!!

[Guest bleed orange]

[quote name="#60 dad" post="859498" timestamp="1285634779"]
[quote author=bleed orange link=topic=73576.msg859414#msg859414 date=1285628658]
Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. ;D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]i agree with you on both counts....i see good ath. only playing Basketball or just Baseball for the same reason you talked about....in our small school like ours you need kids to play multiply sports to be comp....only a small% of high school ath. make it to the next level....seen alot of good ath. caught up om this year around Select Baseball hype that would make great football or basketball players.... then they end up burnout on baseball!!!
[/quote]

You are correct "#60". See it all the time. Good post.

[Guest diehardbaseballmom]

Nothing wrong with wanting to concentrate on one sport. I think kids are realizing that to make it at the next level (IF that's what they want to do) then they will have to focus more on whatever sport they choose. As far as "select" teams go...I know SOME of those organizations do more for the boys than the high school coaches do as far as scholarships and getting them seen. Another reason for them to play outside your hometown little league. Times are changing and it's not the way it was when most of us were in school. Sad but true!

[SKINS]

[quote name="bleed orange" post="859414" timestamp="1285628658"]
Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. ;D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
Nothing wrong with a little xbox. I get home from practice and go straight to it, and I know most of my friends do the same thing so I don't think its that big of an issue.

[Mike_Honcho]

most good athletes play multiple sports.

[EastTexasBall]

Here in Tatum(420 kids of so) we have the following.....

7th A
7th B
8th A
8th B
9th
JV A
JV B
Varisty

[swampdude]

anothere factor is the number of coaches schools have.  I have seen when an opposing school calls and says they don't have enough for a 9th grade team or an 8th grade "B" team and then show up with 35 kids on a JV or 8th "A" team.  They sometimes don't want to spread the coaching staff and other times they are not wanting to play but one game.  It usually reflects the commitment to football of that school or community.

[mfd814]

IMO and based on articles I have read:  Some kids go to one sport, but usually it's after your freshman yaer. Some kids stop playing football, because their friends dont play, or they play another sport. Some kids know they played limited amounts in middle school, and just don't want to ride the pine in high school. Some are focued on academics and quit sports all together.  I think it depends more on erollment then amount of coaches, if you have the number of boys you need to fill the team, you will have the coaches. 

There are a few select coaches that are in it for themselves. The majority that I know, are all about the kids and tell them being a multisport athlete is better for you. Other sports enhance you and help you for the next, keeps you in shape, etc.  Mine plays select basketball, but is a multisport player.

[Guest bleed orange]

[quote name="diehardbaseballmom" post="860144" timestamp="1285699729"]
Nothing wrong with wanting to concentrate on one sport. I think kids are realizing that to make it at the next level (IF that's what they want to do) then they will have to focus more on whatever sport they choose. As far as "select" teams go...I know SOME of those organizations do more for the boys than the high school coaches do as far as scholarships and getting them seen. Another reason for them to play outside your hometown little league. Times are changing and it's not the way it was when most of us were in school. Sad but true!
[/quote]

The problem is most kids will not make it to the next level. Very few do. At a 3A school and down your athletes need to play every sport they can. If they specialize in one then the program as awhole is doomed. Parents are unrealistic when it comes to their kids. Not all but most because most of these kids will never see the next level. Rose colored glasses. Your right it is sad because some of these kids who are specializing in one sport will have regrets someday. They could have been part of so much more. High school years are the best memories, some they will miss out on. Again this is about 3A schools and down.

[Guest bleed orange]

[quote name="SKINS" post="860149" timestamp="1285700005"]
[quote author=bleed orange link=topic=73576.msg859414#msg859414 date=1285628658]
Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. ;D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
Nothing wrong with a little xbox. I get home from practice and go straight to it, and I know most of my friends do the same thing so I don't think its that big of an issue.
[/quote]

Pretty much sums up your generation. We pretty much had chores to do when we got home. LOL!!!!!!!! Not to mention we had jobs in high school so we could pay for our dates. ;D ;D

[Guest bleed orange]

[quote name="Mike_Honcho" post="860150" timestamp="1285700090"]
most good athletes play multiple sports.
[/quote]

Good post, Yes they do.

[snafu]

[quote name="bleed orange" post="859414" timestamp="1285628658"]
Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  [b]On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. [/b];D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
I am just glad that the twins never wanted to do the select thing :-D they were ask a few times but they just wanted to do the league play... cheaper on ole dad that is for sure :-D

[snafu]

[quote name="bleed orange" post="860444" timestamp="1285726917"]
[quote author=Mike_Honcho link=topic=73576.msg860150#msg860150 date=1285700090]
most good athletes play multiple sports.
[/quote]

Good post, Yes they do.
[/quote]
defiantly use a wider muscle range than concentrating on just one sport...

[1KatKiller]

I am a High School Coach & I don't buy the no pass no play angle. Unless you have a wrestling program at your school, IMO, football is the most physically demanding sport you have and it is getting harder & harder to find LARGE numbers of kids that want to go through that. Yes, you may lose a few to the select teams, but I really believe that kids would rather play sports that are less physically demanding...not to mention that we are seeing less & less parent involvement these days, so they PROBABLY aren't being encouraged to participate. Just my two cents.

[#60 dad]

again....nothing wrong with focusing your efforts in that "one' sport....if your a BLUE CHIPPER....but i would strongly suggest doing research on the % of high ath. that make it to the next level....and remember you go through high school once....another little fun fact that I witnessed personally....while my son was coming up through youth football, into junior high and then into high school, the numbers tappered off....here is the kicker....those who didnt football, stop playing any sport....as i mentioned before i have seen a total drop of kids that do anything in school i.e..band, AG, FFA,etc....

[Guest bleed orange]

[quote name="1KatKiller" post="860699" timestamp="1285775359"]
I am a High School Coach & I don't buy the no pass no play angle. Unless you have a wrestling program at your school, IMO, football is the most physically demanding sport you have and it is getting harder & harder to find LARGE numbers of kids that want to go through that. Yes, you may lose a few to the select teams, but I really believe that kids would rather play sports that are less physically demanding...not to mention that we are seeing less & less parent involvement these days, so they PROBABLY aren't being encouraged to participate. Just my two cents.
[/quote]

I think the same way you do. Good post and right on target.

[SteelerCzy]

[quote name="Coach Comeaux" post="860486" timestamp="1285731681"]

[quote author=bleed orange link=topic=73576.msg859414#msg859414 date=1285628658]
Kids would rather sit in the ac and play x-box or playstation while they are eating their chocolate ding dongs, twinkies while drinking a coke.  [b]On a serious side, there is more for kids to do these days and more of them or opting to concentrate on one sport because select team coaches are filling the heads of the parents and kids with unrealistic hopes of them playing at the next level while sucking them dry of money. [/b];D ;D JMO!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
I am just glad that the twins never wanted to do the select thing :-D they were ask a few times but they just wanted to do the league play... cheaper on ole dad that is for sure :-D
[/quote]
Chris are you kidding, with all that money you make and your complaining about paying for something. lol.  ;D ;D