Marshall & others Dropping 7th Grade Football

[PURPLE 4EVER]

http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/marshall-drops-th-grade-football/article_ae77bc7d-bb62-50e1-b987-0fda75b35f5b.html

 

What do you guys think...

 

Back in the day (when I was in JH) there was no 7th grade athletics.

Will this become a state wide trend?

[Peppermint Patty]

http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/marshall-drops-th-grade-football/article_ae77bc7d-bb62-50e1-b987-0fda75b35f5b.html

 

What do you guys think...

 

Back in the day (when I was in JH) there was no 7th grade athletics.

Will this become a state wide trend?

 

I think this is a 'case by case" basis. Alot of kids no longer play football. GCCISD will add Soccer to the Jr Highs next year.

 

I think you have to look at athletics from a business standpoint: You need to offer what the consumer demands.

 

In most towns, football is still king.

[no-look]

Bob Wills is king in Texas.

[dustoff03]

from the article:

A new program is planned to help seventh-grade students prepare for eighth-grade football and beyond.

“The program will focus more on the player’s individual physical and skill development without the added pressure of having to immediately compete in competitive, full-contact football,” said David Weaver, Marshall ISD’s director of communication.

this is actually being discussed in a lot of places due to the effects of concusions. 

[Eagleborn]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

It's taking some backlash around the area though.

[AledoBearcatsCO2014]

Why would you drop 7th grade football... How do you expect the high school teams to be any good if they don't play together through middle school?

[Octfeb]

I agree with Aledo... 

[AthleticSupporter - Jock]

I'm what you'd call a football fanatic and I don't have a problem with this.  7th Grade football is fun but I don't see it as necessary.  Many boys, especially the 'late bloomers', could use a year of running, agilities, light weight training and skill-specific drills.  One less year of knocking heads might not be a bad thing.  Think of all the successful football players you've known that didn't play football until high school and some only a year or two in high school.  

[Eagleborn]

Why would you drop 7th grade football... How do you expect the high school teams to be any good if they don't play together through middle school?

They will still be playing together.

Just doing it a different way.

[BLUEDOVE3]

I'm what you'd call a football fanatic and I don't have a problem with this.  7th Grade football is fun but I don't see it as necessary.  Many boys, especially the 'late bloomers', could use a year of running, agilities, light weight training and skill-specific drills.  One less year of knocking heads might not be a bad thing.  Think of all the successful football players you've known that didn't play football until high school and some only a year or two in high school.  

Football is a sport where you can wait until high school to play. Hit, run & dodge.  :)

[AthleticSupporter - Jock]

Football is a sport where you can wait until high school to play. Hit, run & dodge.  :)

 

See Dove and I occasionally do agree on something.  :)

[oldschool2]

Kids are still going to be involved in youth football programs.. I'm assuming.

I honestly don't care either way..but. However many years of little league football, then take seventh grade off because they need to develope, then start back up in 8th grade..?

Sounds good to me. Haha

[BlackShirts5]

They can still play football in an outside league if they drop 7th grade football.  Lets face it. Here in Baytown the 7th grade coaches are only history, computer and other teachers that have never played football before. But in some schools where the middle school coaches are actually good coaches it is a shame to take away 7th grade football.

[BLUEDOVE3]

They can still play football in an outside league if they drop 7th grade football.  Lets face it. Here in Baytown the 7th grade coaches are only history, computer and other teachers that have never played football before. But in some schools where the middle school coaches are actually good coaches it is a shame to take away 7th grade football.

:rolleyes: Whats there to learn? (a)Wrap your arms around a guy and bring him to the ground (b) see guy trying to tackle you, all you you do is move out of the way (c) and blocking? man, just step in his way. All you need is a brief second for detainment. Football, you guys kill me!! Ain't that technical.  :lol:

[workbootz]

Back when I was in 7th grade we use to compete against each other...purple vs white

[BlackShirts5]

:rolleyes: Whats there to learn? (a)Wrap your arms around a guy and bring him to the ground ( B) see guy trying to tackle you, all you you do is move out of the way (c) and blocking? man, just step in his way. All you need is a brief second for detainment. Football, you guys kill me!! Ain't that technical.  :lol:

lol imagine that.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

I don't see anything wrong with this.

[fwoodfan]

I dont have a problem with schools replacing 7th grade football with skills, conditioning, and flag football.  As the article explains most 7th grade teams are made up of 100 or more boys with only 3 or 4 coaches to coach them.  Most dont learn proper technique or much of anything.  They do have fun, but for what they learn compared to one more possible year of head injuries I'm not sure its worth it.  I think school districts should make this decision based on the wishes of their communities.  I doubt it will have a tremendous impact on the competitiveness of high school varsity teams.

[kicker]

In Deweyville, most if not all the 7th graders play pee wee football (called Senior League in Deweyville) and school ball. It seems to me that they play school ball just to keep in shape and have something to play in that part of the school year. The Senior league is where they put all the effort to in my opinion. Might not be that way across the state but over there it is. Deweyville's pee wee football coaches really teach those kids. The whole pee wee organization is top notch in my opinion and why they have had success in Highschool the past few years.

[Bigdog]

I dont have a problem with schools replacing 7th grade football with skills, conditioning, and flag football.  As the article explains most 7th grade teams are made up of 100 or more boys with only 3 or 4 coaches to coach them.  Most dont learn proper technique or much of anything.  They do have fun, but for what they learn compared to one more possible year of head injuries I'm not sure its worth it.  I think school districts should make this decision based on the wishes of their communities.  I doubt it will have a tremendous impact on the competitiveness of high school varsity teams.

 

I like that idea focus on the fundamentals,conditioning, and techniques without the risk of injuries. It will give them a leg up when they start playing in 8th grade.

[Bigcam2903]

:rolleyes: Whats there to learn? (a)Wrap your arms around a guy and bring him to the ground (b) see guy trying to tackle you, all you you do is move out of the way (c) and blocking? man, just step in his way. All you need is a brief second for detainment. Football, you guys kill me!! Ain't that technical. :lol:

I totally agree. You must be able to walk & chew gum to play Basketball Lol
Heck you don't even have to play College football to get drafted to the NFL, Football players can't just walk into the NBA. Good post Dove

[jv_coach]

If you have 60 8th graders coach them up and at the same time the seventh graders who in our society today who are rather round and soft go through a year long conditioning program then that will help them in the long run. In reality you may actually have more kids stay in the program this way.  

Also the kids are not getting concussions (imo) but rather after spending their whole life being rather sedentary they for the first time do something and they do not know how to handle the adversity.   

[87JAG]

I don't have a problem with them nixing 7th grade football. It's a joke here. Tell the truth though. Its for the budget not for player safety. Some of those kids have been playing tackle since they were 7. Flag football will not teach kids the basics.

[Guest]

I don't have a problem with them nixing 7th grade football. It's a joke here. Tell the truth though. Its for the budget not for player safety. Some of those kids have been playing tackle since they were 7. Flag football will not teach kids the basics.

I don't mind 7th grade football as long as someone else is coaching them.

[badndn]

If you tell 100 7th grade boys that your gonna spend a year just conditioning and training with no real competition, 50 will tell you to shove it! Meaning they will wait till 8th grade to take the Athletics period. So it's a waste. If its really about teaching proper technique and conditioning, why not start that in sixth grade. At least then the sixth graders will feel like they are a part of the program.