Chester Football...*Eric Holton New HC*

[Rebel Yeller]

I salute Coach Holton for making a stand (a very difficult stand) especially when he is just arriving on the scene right out of the gate. I just wonder whu this could not have been done sooner? What has changed? What made anyone know that this was not going to be what Chester had coming up at the start of this school year.

I know Coach Franklin and I am sure that he told the board and anyone else that would listen that 12 or 13 guys were coming out for football and that they could not play out an entire season with that number of players. They had more players to start the season last year than they had coming out this coming year!

It has been mentioned before that every school in 14A D2 will have no more than 9 games. That means that the 20 to 30 players on every roster from Burkeville, Sabine Pass, High Island and Evadale will get one less game than they should have been able to play. For a couple of schools (Evadale for one) this will be the second year that the season will have a hole in it. Last year I fully understand and commend Coach Franklin and Chester for putting safety above a game, but this year it is a little more difficult to accept as this is not a new thing, this is a continuation of last season and 80 or more boys from four different schools will be dealing with a situation that could have been avoided.

I wish Chester great success in six man. It is a great and exciting game that will energize the entire community as they have a chance to compete on a more equal footing. To the other district schools I can only hope that in some way you all might be able to find even a larger school JV to play as a fill in game. Who knows we might all get to see some stadiums that we might never get to see with out this situation!

[Guest ECBucFan]

[quote name="BIGMO44" post="794294" timestamp="1272082495"]
This is WAY off the subject, but if Spurger, Zavalla, Big Sandy, Leggett, Goodrich and Chester played 6-man along with Apple Springs, that would be a nice district.  
[/quote]

Thats an excellent thought, and it's "right on" the subject, BigMo. This is one of the best ideas ever voiced on this board. It would allow more athletic opportunities to more of the kids in these communities. Great idea.

[little d]

Well Rebbel Yeller I hope the schools in 14-1a are able to locate a game to replace the one lost to Chester.I must say that I don't know if coach Franklin talked to anyone or not.I didn't hear anything. Maybe he just decided to stay out of it since he wasn't planning on being here this year.Maybe he didn't want to step on the new coaches toes.Chester had no predistrict games on there schedule until a week to 10 days ago , so it looks like he decided to let the new coach handle it all himself.Actuality if the community was going to have a say which we should because it's our kids playing the meeting needed to be with the new coach.The school board had to wait to see how the community voted before moving on.As I said I hate it for the teams in 14-1a but I have seen Chester only have 8 or 9 games in years past I'm sure the teams in 14-1a will persevere.

[Rebel Yeller]

[quote name="little d" post="814954" timestamp="1277699521"]
Well Rebbel Yeller I hope the schools in 14-1a are able to locate a game to replace the one lost to Chester.I must say that I don't know if coach Franklin talked to anyone or not.I didn't hear anything. Maybe he just decided to stay out of it since he wasn't planning on being here this year.Maybe he didn't want to step on the new coaches toes.Chester had no predistrict games on there schedule until a week to 10 days ago , so it looks like he decided to let the new coach handle it all himself.Actuality if the community was going to have a say which we should because it's our kids playing the meeting needed to be with the new coach.The school board had to wait to see how the community voted before moving on.As I said I hate it for the teams in 14-1a but I have seen Chester only have 8 or 9 games in years past I'm sure the teams in 14-1a will persevere.

[/quote]

Little d, please don't think I am mad at anyone in Chester. I have spent some great times watching our schools compete against one another. My only point was I know that the number of players is something that has been known since the end of last season had to be cancelled. This was a topic that is not new to SETX Sports so I am sure it is not a new subject to the folks in Chester. I do truly wish Chester much success in 6 man and yes the other schools in 14A will be fine. It was just an observation and the disapointment of a dad with a senior boy who will have one less opportunity to see his son play on his home field in his senior year.

[Guest Dwight]

I wish chester the best of luck with 6 man. I am going to have to come watch a game on one of our bye weeks. 6 man seems like it would be alot of fun to watch

[WOSgrad]

[quote name="Dwight" post="815021" timestamp="1277745016"]
I wish chester the best of luck with 6 man. I am going to have to come watch a game on one of our bye weeks. 6 man seems like it would be alot of fun to watch
[/quote]

I agree.  COOP, we talked about this last year.  Now that we have a team in the area, we gotta go catch one of their games!!!

[JCfan]

Wow, really never thought I would see this happen. Happy and sad at the same time.

Two good things. 1) People used sense instead of emotion
                        2) Decided to let kids play football instead of being like many small schools with nothing.


Several others could start six man like Big Sandy, Brookeland, Leggett, just to name a few. Cudos to Chester for not just dropping football all together, which I did not expect the people to do.


The sad part is remembering the 80's and 90's when we were good in football, but then timber industry started getting less and more people moved out, very few moved in and so on.

This is the right and honorable decision.

[little d]

Rebbel Yeller I'm not mad.Just trying to explain that this was more of a forced move than something that was planned.This year was more of 6-man or no ball at all.Everyone in Chester had hoped more boys would go out for ball but it didn't work out that way.Everyone here loves playing 11-man and hopes to go back to it someday.I understand what your saying about Chester should have seen this coming,but when you don't like the option you tend to look the other way.Six man has aways been a touchy subject here.

[Rebel Yeller]

[quote name="little d" post="815031" timestamp="1277747961"]
Rebbel Yeller I'm not mad.Just trying to explain that this was more of a forced move than something that was planned.This year was more of 6-man or no ball at all.Everyone in Chester had hoped more boys would go out for ball but it didn't work out that way.Everyone here loves playing 11-man and hopes to go back to it someday.I understand what your saying about Chester should have seen this coming,but when you don't like the option you tend to look the other way.Six man has aways been a touchy subject here.
[/quote]

I totally understand little d and I say again I wish Chester great success and by the sounds of it you might end up with some great crowds because it sounds like plenty of people will want to come and see this new brand of football. Better stock up in the concession stand you just might need the extra groceries!

[little d]

Thanks Rebbel Yeller and good luck to Evadale they have always been one of my favorite teams after the Yellowjackets of course.

[WOSgrad]

little d, as soon as you can get a schedule, let us know so that we can make plans to get out there.

[little d]

We'll do