Spring Football Coming to NC 2015
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It is not Spring Football. It is a LIMIT on how much skill development can be done. You no longer can do anything football related until 10 days at the end of school year. No working with players (up to 21 at a time) until 10 days at the end of the school year. So we went from having roughly 3 months of working with players to 10 days. Granted the 10 days are with as many kids as you want to bring in but it is still just SKILL DEVELOPMENT.
No full gear, no contact, no Spring Game, no 7 on 7's. Just Skill Development.
This post was edited on 12/4 2:37 PM by DKJ
No full gear, no contact, no Spring Game, no 7 on 7's. Just Skill Development.
This post was edited on 12/4 2:37 PM by DKJ
They also mentioned an agreement with Time Warner to televise 12 Thursday Night football games. So I guess that means if you don't have Time Warner service, then you don't see the games. Not sure who profits from that deal, but it ain't me.
If an area does not have Time Warner another entity can do Thursday night live television. Western NC was an example used.
TV schedule will be known by time the season starts. If the two schools do NOT (edited to add "not") agree to the Thursday night TV game they will play on Friday with no tv as scheduled. If a Thursday game cannot be played due to weather or some other type issue the game can be played on the makeup day (presumably Friday) with live tv.
It is time for a school to push for a Saturday national game on live tv. This pushes the door open a little further.
This post was edited on 12/5 10:45 AM by btango
TV schedule will be known by time the season starts. If the two schools do NOT (edited to add "not") agree to the Thursday night TV game they will play on Friday with no tv as scheduled. If a Thursday game cannot be played due to weather or some other type issue the game can be played on the makeup day (presumably Friday) with live tv.
It is time for a school to push for a Saturday national game on live tv. This pushes the door open a little further.
This post was edited on 12/5 10:45 AM by btango
I have observed over the years that the NCHSAA is a strange group to deal with. In order to get to the next level (full contact) you have to go through the hoops which in this case getting a spring practice approved. Then the coaches will work on the full contact phase. Plus the fact the coaches will have all of their kids. That is a big step up from the skills development format they have had.
No line play, no use whatsover.
They can block a person as long as he is holding a bag, dummy or shield as well as blocking a sled so there is benefit.
They can block a person as long as he is holding a bag, dummy or shield as well as blocking a sled so there is benefit.
10 days of that does not lead to skill development. There's still no bodyweight vs. bodyweight contact allowed, or handfighting, which are the two most important things to develop in line play. The sled is about as good as it gets here, and I love it for leg drive and conditioning, but hitting a sled does not simulate blocking a man who can move around whatsoever.
Board drills are my favorite tool in the box.
This is a huge step backward for football in NC. This decision is designed to protect baseball and track, not to promote development of football. If an athlete is playing a spring sport, he cannot do skill development (practice) for another sport. If a football player wanted to be part of a full football spring practice, he would have to give up all other spring sports. By targeting the last 10 days of the year, baseball and track are over allowing the athlete to play all sports.
This a not a "step" toward a full spring practice as some are suggesting. Check out this quote from the NCHSAA Commish:
"It's not spring football practice because we're not going to suit up in full pads and we're not going to hit," said NCHSAA Commissioner Davis Whitfield. "With concussions at the rate that they are, I don't know why we would hit more in the spring or any other time."
Read more at http://www.highschoolot.com/nchsaa-makes-changes-to-football-development-live-television/14245501/#6BPetZV8hJbdeSwH.99
"I'll go on record and say I will never be in favor of spring football practice in North Carolina," he said. "This is skill development. There will be no body-to-body contact."
Read more at http://www.highschoolot.com/nchsaa-makes-changes-to-football-development-live-television/14245501/#6BPetZV8hJbdeSwH.99
This a not a "step" toward a full spring practice as some are suggesting. Check out this quote from the NCHSAA Commish:
"It's not spring football practice because we're not going to suit up in full pads and we're not going to hit," said NCHSAA Commissioner Davis Whitfield. "With concussions at the rate that they are, I don't know why we would hit more in the spring or any other time."
Read more at http://www.highschoolot.com/nchsaa-makes-changes-to-football-development-live-television/14245501/#6BPetZV8hJbdeSwH.99
"I'll go on record and say I will never be in favor of spring football practice in North Carolina," he said. "This is skill development. There will be no body-to-body contact."
Read more at http://www.highschoolot.com/nchsaa-makes-changes-to-football-development-live-television/14245501/#6BPetZV8hJbdeSwH.99
They Just opened up all of the skill kids to go play for 7on 7 All Star Teams which further erodes the team aspect of Coaches with there players in the spring. Kids will practice with there 7 on 7 team in the spring now travel on the weekend to play games and you bring the AAU element into football for NC kids. They are so uneducated about the football space and the national issues that are part of HS Footballootbal today.......would someone do some research and take the local blinders off?????
All I have heard on here for a long time is that until NC has spring FB practice they will never be able to compete with the states that do. Now all I see is the opposite view. Please make up your mind. The NCHSAA and this Whitfield guy talk out of both sides of their mouth. They say that they are there to listen to the wishes of the coaches and develop rules based on what the coaches want. then he turns around and makes this statement. The easy thing would be to get rid of him but it seems as if the people in power at the NCHSAA stay in those positions until they either retire or die. They are the ones holding FB back in NC.
It's not Spring Football. They reduced it from 20 days to 10 days of the same thing they had and moved it to May.
Proposed
Late May early June
10 days skills training
No contact
No spring game
Real Spring Football
May
20 days
Full contact (can be regulated to 2 days per week)
Spring game
Proposed
Late May early June
10 days skills training
No contact
No spring game
Real Spring Football
May
20 days
Full contact (can be regulated to 2 days per week)
Spring game
Congratulations to the the NC Football Coaches Association. This is what they voted on at their meeting last February and with a few tweeks they got what they wanted.
The coaches meeting was held Friday at 10pm. May be 50-70 coaches attended. They were debating something they could get through the Board of Directors.
The coaches are fragmented bunch that have very little power because they do not work together. Get everyone at the meeting and voting, communicate, determine what is best by research and discussion, vote, and regardless of your vote every coach supports the decision and presents it to your AD who in turn present it to their Board rep.
The NCHSAA sent a questionnaire out to all HC's on this topic. 289 responded. 189 voted the 10 day rule. 92 of the coaches were from 3A, 67 4A, 66 2A, and 62 1A. Almost every 3A and 1A HC responded.
Do not settle by presenting less. Push for more! They should have did this ten day deal and left the 21's alone. Worse scenario give the school the choice between the two.
I about fell over at the meeting in February when I heard what they were planning. If you are going to need to break in a new QB I would think you would want to work with him as much as possible.
I am ok with no spring contact but I think they need to look deeply at this. I think it hurts financially strained players, takes away opportunities to players, and takes away influence from coaches.
Football does currently have AAU, travel, and showcase to worry about so football is the sport that has less strength to get more flexibility in what they can do.
Coaches need to seriously look at their association and how things are ran.
The coaches meeting was held Friday at 10pm. May be 50-70 coaches attended. They were debating something they could get through the Board of Directors.
The coaches are fragmented bunch that have very little power because they do not work together. Get everyone at the meeting and voting, communicate, determine what is best by research and discussion, vote, and regardless of your vote every coach supports the decision and presents it to your AD who in turn present it to their Board rep.
The NCHSAA sent a questionnaire out to all HC's on this topic. 289 responded. 189 voted the 10 day rule. 92 of the coaches were from 3A, 67 4A, 66 2A, and 62 1A. Almost every 3A and 1A HC responded.
Do not settle by presenting less. Push for more! They should have did this ten day deal and left the 21's alone. Worse scenario give the school the choice between the two.
I about fell over at the meeting in February when I heard what they were planning. If you are going to need to break in a new QB I would think you would want to work with him as much as possible.
I am ok with no spring contact but I think they need to look deeply at this. I think it hurts financially strained players, takes away opportunities to players, and takes away influence from coaches.
Football does currently have AAU, travel, and showcase to worry about so football is the sport that has less strength to get more flexibility in what they can do.
Coaches need to seriously look at their association and how things are ran.
Correct btango, and I agree with much of what you said. I also was shocked when I heard about this proposal and I did what I could to fight it as presented. I spoke about it in the Head Coach's meeting in Greensboro this summer and also wrote a letter to Que and Davis in opposition. I even lobbied every head coach I could find in February at the clinic.
The clincher to this whole situation is that I nor anyone else I talked to in February or since then, knew that this was going to be proposed, discussed or that it even was a consideration. Maybe some knew, but I and the many coaches I talked to did not.
I don't think a lot of coaches thought this through carefully. The obvious goal in play is to use it as a stepping stone to real Spring Football. That is not going to happen. I do not blame the NCHSAA at all. They have never been ambiguous about their opposition to Spring Football.
I just hate the fact that apparently some coaches did not give them enough credit for being able to see through the charade. Read Davis Whitield's comments. They are not going to be talked in to spring football any time soon. So in essence we just asked for permission to have LESS time for skill development and they granted our proposal. Don't see any other sports taking this avenue of less time with their players. But we surely did. I bet the NCHSAA is scratching their heads.
I don't hate or disown the coaches who pushed and voted for this, but I am very disappointed that a group of intelligent colleagues could be this short sighted.
The clincher to this whole situation is that I nor anyone else I talked to in February or since then, knew that this was going to be proposed, discussed or that it even was a consideration. Maybe some knew, but I and the many coaches I talked to did not.
I don't think a lot of coaches thought this through carefully. The obvious goal in play is to use it as a stepping stone to real Spring Football. That is not going to happen. I do not blame the NCHSAA at all. They have never been ambiguous about their opposition to Spring Football.
I just hate the fact that apparently some coaches did not give them enough credit for being able to see through the charade. Read Davis Whitield's comments. They are not going to be talked in to spring football any time soon. So in essence we just asked for permission to have LESS time for skill development and they granted our proposal. Don't see any other sports taking this avenue of less time with their players. But we surely did. I bet the NCHSAA is scratching their heads.
I don't hate or disown the coaches who pushed and voted for this, but I am very disappointed that a group of intelligent colleagues could be this short sighted.
It was my understanding at the February meeting that they would move it forward to the NCHSAA Board of Directors. I am not sure but I would guess they had discussions at the May meeting.
It all starts with the coaches association. People can blame who they want about this, sub-divided playoffs, pod systems, et al and it started with the coaches.
It all starts with the coaches association. People can blame who they want about this, sub-divided playoffs, pod systems, et al and it started with the coaches.
I do not blame the NCHSAA at all. They have never been ambiguous about their opposition to Spring Football.
It should not be their decision to make. One person should not have that amount of power. The coaches are thee ones who bust their behinds all year long so they should have the power to have the format they want to have. This guy apparently is a dictator and needs to realize that the schools are paying his salary along with the rest of the people in his office. The FB Coaches association needs to pressure him with the faxct that the wagon does not drive the horse. Where did he come from? He is entitled to his opinion but his opinion should not matter. The coaches are the ones whose opinion matters the most.
It should not be their decision to make. One person should not have that amount of power. The coaches are thee ones who bust their behinds all year long so they should have the power to have the format they want to have. This guy apparently is a dictator and needs to realize that the schools are paying his salary along with the rest of the people in his office. The FB Coaches association needs to pressure him with the faxct that the wagon does not drive the horse. Where did he come from? He is entitled to his opinion but his opinion should not matter. The coaches are the ones whose opinion matters the most.
Davis Whitfield and the other people in Chapel Hill do not vote on the topics and are not involved in the committee meetings. The coaches cannot figure out how to take power. Attend the meeting in February to see for yourself.
The coaches are not the ones whose opinion matters the most. It is the principals and superintendents. They make the decisions. That is why I always write the coaches need to come to an agreement and support it. Present it to their AD and principal and they in turn present it to the county AD and superintendent. Got to get the higher admin on your side or you can forget it. One of the top coaches in NC history told me that a principal that supported football was a very important part of a strong program.
OK btango, but how can the Whitfield guy make the statement that NC will never see full contact in a spring practice as long as I am in charge.
No.1 if I am bit mistaken I think he said, "as long as I am in charge I don't think we will ever see a full contact spring practice." He also spoke about the concussion concern. He also said that he felt it was important for kids to be kids. He also stated there was concern with full contact during the season but stated that coaches are going to regulate that based on their schedule which I agree with.
btango, my opinion is that allowing full contact in the spring will have very limited negative effects on creating more concussions. The fact is allowing this will have far more positive benefits than negative. This guy needs to contact the people in his same position in the states that do allow full contact in spring practice to get their input before he makes this statement. he should know the benefits based on the fact that he was an assistant AD at WF. If the benefits did not outweigh the risks they would not have spring practice in college. By making that statement he is putting this (his own personal view) into the minds of the board members and this is not right. defend him all you want but he apparently does not want this to ever happen and he will use his influence to see that it never does as long as he is in his position. I can accept a schedule that says that days 1 and 2 are helmets only. Days 3-4 are full gear but no contact. Days 5-9 allow full contact and day 10 can be used for a controlled scrimmage. This guy apparently does not believe the HS FB coaches in NC have the mental capacity to determine what is safe and what is not safe. The fact is coaches are not going to do something stupid that will cost them to lose a player for the fall. The fact also is that players in 7 on 7's create a situation in which there is helmet to helmet contact which creates possible concussions. The fact is spring FB development is better than nothing (there are some states that allow zero FB work of any kind after school between the months of Dec. and Aug.) but a real spring full contact practice is better than a non contact spring skill development practice. If this was not the case then those states would not still be doing it.
I feel confident that he has had conversations with the leaders of states that allow and do not allow contact in the spring.
I go back to the coaches association. What NC will have this coming spring is what they requested. If they want more they need to work like a political body. If they want it but the principals and superintendents are against it, spring contact will not happen. Got to go grass roots and work it up. I do not feel this was a move toward a true spring practice. I thought if they could have kept what they had an got this, which is what I felt should have been pushed for, they would be in a great position.
Football is being regulated with safety as a driving point although I think that limiting football is part of maintaining status quo with the other sports especially spring. Remember the vote to take the season from 12 weeks down to 11. This was done due to the complaints of the winter sport coaches. They had the principals and superintendents support. The NCHSAA admin strongly recommended against it! It was a big issue for the border and isolated schools. The next year the board returned to 12 weeks. When schools started playing nine and ten games instead of 11 the pocket book was hit and the community sounded off along with the parents.
I go back to the coaches association. What NC will have this coming spring is what they requested. If they want more they need to work like a political body. If they want it but the principals and superintendents are against it, spring contact will not happen. Got to go grass roots and work it up. I do not feel this was a move toward a true spring practice. I thought if they could have kept what they had an got this, which is what I felt should have been pushed for, they would be in a great position.
Football is being regulated with safety as a driving point although I think that limiting football is part of maintaining status quo with the other sports especially spring. Remember the vote to take the season from 12 weeks down to 11. This was done due to the complaints of the winter sport coaches. They had the principals and superintendents support. The NCHSAA admin strongly recommended against it! It was a big issue for the border and isolated schools. The next year the board returned to 12 weeks. When schools started playing nine and ten games instead of 11 the pocket book was hit and the community sounded off along with the parents.
Personally I will never understand why a principal or superintendent would be against this. You should always want to make your programs better and give the leaders of those programs what they need to get to this point.
I do not feel this was a move toward a true spring practice.
I will have to disagree with you on these this. As a former coach I can understand why the coaches wanted this. First it was because they probably felt that this was the only way they would ever get rid of that stupid 21 player rule. Whoever came up with this was just plain stupid. They probably also thought that this was the only pathway to a full contact spring practice.
I thought
if they could have kept what they had an got this, which is what I felt
should have been pushed for, they would be in a great position.
Again I will have to disagree. They were never going to be allowed to keep what they had and also been allowed to have an unlimited number of FB players at practice. My guess is they probably knew that this would never happen.
I have no problem with the time frame in which these 10 days are allowed. I do have a problem with the NCHSAA powers that be pushing their agenda since they have not coached one day of practice. I have a problem with any non FB coaching person making rules that affect those guys on the field doing the work.
I do not feel this was a move toward a true spring practice.
I will have to disagree with you on these this. As a former coach I can understand why the coaches wanted this. First it was because they probably felt that this was the only way they would ever get rid of that stupid 21 player rule. Whoever came up with this was just plain stupid. They probably also thought that this was the only pathway to a full contact spring practice.
I thought
if they could have kept what they had an got this, which is what I felt
should have been pushed for, they would be in a great position.
Again I will have to disagree. They were never going to be allowed to keep what they had and also been allowed to have an unlimited number of FB players at practice. My guess is they probably knew that this would never happen.
I have no problem with the time frame in which these 10 days are allowed. I do have a problem with the NCHSAA powers that be pushing their agenda since they have not coached one day of practice. I have a problem with any non FB coaching person making rules that affect those guys on the field doing the work.
A coaching buddy was told by his AD today that the NCHSAA also says that meetings/film work cannot be done until the 10-day window in May.
Has anyone else been told/heard that? That seems like an extreme move - how can meeting/film time be considered skill development?
If meetings are skill development, organizational/informational meetings held before the season would also be restricted - meaning a basketball coach couldn't hold an informational meeting with more than 4 kids or a baseball coach couldn't hold a meeting with more than 8 players. Both scenarios would be ridiculous! Is a coach expected to hold 9 meetings to satisfy such an absurd interpretation?
Has anyone else been told/heard that? That seems like an extreme move - how can meeting/film time be considered skill development?
If meetings are skill development, organizational/informational meetings held before the season would also be restricted - meaning a basketball coach couldn't hold an informational meeting with more than 4 kids or a baseball coach couldn't hold a meeting with more than 8 players. Both scenarios would be ridiculous! Is a coach expected to hold 9 meetings to satisfy such an absurd interpretation?
The AD wasn't referring to informational meetings for new players, workout schedules, parent meetings. They cannot do whiteboard/film analysis/playbook type meetings. That counts as a practice/skil development
I was with a team that the QB coach had a personal frienship with the QBs family since he was a kid. He regularly spent Sundays after church with them, but because they watched filmed that was considered a forbidden Sunday practice and punished severely.
I was with a team that the QB coach had a personal frienship with the QBs family since he was a kid. He regularly spent Sundays after church with them, but because they watched filmed that was considered a forbidden Sunday practice and punished severely.
I was with a team that the QB coach had a personal
frienship with the QBs family since he was a kid. He regularly spent
Sundays after church with them, but because they watched filmed that was
considered a forbidden Sunday practice and punished severely.
That has always been illegal. I could not legally watch any film or discuss FB with my son who played for me.
frienship with the QBs family since he was a kid. He regularly spent
Sundays after church with them, but because they watched filmed that was
considered a forbidden Sunday practice and punished severely.
That has always been illegal. I could not legally watch any film or discuss FB with my son who played for me.
"The fact is coaches are not going to do something stupid that will cost them to lose a player for the fall."
See Guilford Co., particularly Grimsley HS. Not all coaches are created equal in mind or thought.
We all know the issues- football doesn't occur in a vaccum. The prinicpals and supers have to navigate basketball, wrestling and baseball coaches who are just as intent on having the best players participating with their teams too. There are no easy answers.
I remember a day when the only summer workouts were boys working the tomato fields or tobacco fields. The QB and his receivers might get together a few nights a week and fling a ball around in the outfield of one of the rec park softball fields.
Coaches were not around. The weight room might have been open for lifting, such as it was. One could argue that locally in our community that the teams of that era were more successful than today's player.
I have read the other threads on topic and have some agreement with Godevilsgo about too much summer activity. My son will be a junior next season. While I want him to develop his skill as much as he can, I also want him to have the experience of working a job and earning a paycheck. While my family income is such that we don't need him to work, he needs to begin to learn the basics of earning an income and budgeting for the things he wants. We are no longer a football crazed community where some booster will give a boy a job because he is on the football team and bend over backwards to make sure he can get to practices and team functions. I have seen some schools who go stark raving looney with 7 v 7 match ups multiple days per week all summer.
His only other sport is track. He is not a top flight runner but we encourage him to participate to stay in shape and be active.
Unfortunately, the physical nature of football and the expense of equipping players compared to basketball or even baseball make an AAU type experience unlikely.
I appreciate all the input here from you Rams and btango particularly. It seems to me that the coaches association forming a more active and united front is the first, basic step that needs to occur. Until they get to singing out of the same hymnal, their multiple thoughts on what to do work against them.
See Guilford Co., particularly Grimsley HS. Not all coaches are created equal in mind or thought.
We all know the issues- football doesn't occur in a vaccum. The prinicpals and supers have to navigate basketball, wrestling and baseball coaches who are just as intent on having the best players participating with their teams too. There are no easy answers.
I remember a day when the only summer workouts were boys working the tomato fields or tobacco fields. The QB and his receivers might get together a few nights a week and fling a ball around in the outfield of one of the rec park softball fields.
Coaches were not around. The weight room might have been open for lifting, such as it was. One could argue that locally in our community that the teams of that era were more successful than today's player.
I have read the other threads on topic and have some agreement with Godevilsgo about too much summer activity. My son will be a junior next season. While I want him to develop his skill as much as he can, I also want him to have the experience of working a job and earning a paycheck. While my family income is such that we don't need him to work, he needs to begin to learn the basics of earning an income and budgeting for the things he wants. We are no longer a football crazed community where some booster will give a boy a job because he is on the football team and bend over backwards to make sure he can get to practices and team functions. I have seen some schools who go stark raving looney with 7 v 7 match ups multiple days per week all summer.
His only other sport is track. He is not a top flight runner but we encourage him to participate to stay in shape and be active.
Unfortunately, the physical nature of football and the expense of equipping players compared to basketball or even baseball make an AAU type experience unlikely.
I appreciate all the input here from you Rams and btango particularly. It seems to me that the coaches association forming a more active and united front is the first, basic step that needs to occur. Until they get to singing out of the same hymnal, their multiple thoughts on what to do work against them.
"The fact is coaches are not going to do something stupid that will cost them to lose a player for the fall."
See Guilford Co., particularly Grimsley HS. Not all coaches are created equal in mind or thought.
Good point. The situation in Guilford County was a very unfortunate occurrence. There was no excuse for the coaches at the schools that were involved to not have known better. Any HC of any sport has to know the rules. There is no excuse for not knowing what the rules are. Period. It is also the AD's job to make sure things like this do not happen. A couple of positives will come from this. First the NCHSAA needs to take another look at how this rule impacts the playes. Put all the punishment on the coach, AD and Principal. I will be willing to bet that these rules will be well understood by the powers that be at each HS in GC as well as the rest of the LEA's in NC.
I remember a day when the only summer workouts were boys working the
tomato fields or tobacco fields. The QB and his receivers might get
together a few nights a week and fling a ball around in the outfield of
one of the rec park softball fields.
Coaches were not around. The
weight room might have been open for lifting, such as it was. One could
argue that locally in our community that the teams of that era were
more successful than today's player.
I was around in those days as a player and coach and I will have to disagree that the teams of that era were better. There is no comparrison between the players then and the players now. Todays players (because of the strength, agility and speed programs) are far superior than the players of that era.
I have read the other threads on topic and have some agreement with
Godevilsgo about too much summer activity. My son will be a junior next
season. While I want him to develop his skill as much as he can, I also
want him to have the experience of working a job and earning a
paycheck. While my family income is such that we don't need him to
work, he needs to begin to learn the basics of earning an income and
budgeting for the things he wants. We are no longer a football crazed
community where some booster will give a boy a job because he is on the
football team and bend over backwards to make sure he can get to
practices and team functions. I have seen some schools who go stark
raving looney with 7 v 7 match ups multiple days per week all summer.
My kids had part time jobs on weekends and during the summers as well. I encouraged them to do this for the same reasons you stated. But, I still say that the kids can easily work in the summer strength, agility and speed programs including the 7 on 7's without any problems if they are not required to be there every day which to me would create burnout.We only opened the facilities on Mon., Wed., and Fri. AM only. Tues. and Thurs. late afternoons was for 7 on 7. The linemen had those days off. My own kids did it and had all the time they needed to do everything else they wanted to do without any problem. I will say that they did not like the 6:00 AM - 8:00 AM workout times and then having to be at work at 9:00 AM at the lumber yard working for their uncle. We also had 7 on 7's on Tues. and Thurs. unless we went to a college for an all day Fri. event. Even then the OL and DL coaches stayed back and opened the weight room for the linemen. If we did this we did not do the Tues. and Thurs. 7 on 7's. I will agree that some coaches go over board on these. I think that coaches need to understand that kids having time off a couple of times during the summer is a good thing. That is why I have no problem with the 2 dead weeks in NC.
When we had Spring Practice we had it around the same time period that NC is having theirs. I would then tell my kids when we finished Spring Practice that I would see them the first of July and we would work up until the week before the beginning of Aug. practice. This week was an off week for them. I would not allow them to even come lift weights that week. If they did their running they did it on their own. I was surprised that the majority of them did the workouts on their own either at home or at a gym.
I appreciate all the input here from you Rams and btango particularly.
It seems to me that the coaches association forming a more active and
united front is the first, basic step that needs to occur. Until they
get to singing out of the same hymnal, their multiple thoughts on what
to do work against them.
I appreciate parents like you who have a huge interest in what their kids are doing and your opinion certainly means everything to me. I agree that the coaches need to unite on this issue. I liked the full contact spring practice because we got a lot accomplished in the 12 days we had it and then the kids were free for a couple of weeks. I was fortunate in that we had all of our players in strength, agility and speed development classes the entire time they were in HS so we were able to get a lot done in class and we did nothing after school until Spring Practice. We did not get them all because we had several kids playing spring sports who were involved in state playoffs and I was their biggest fan. To me it gave the second and third string kids at their position a chance to get better and this helped the team in the long run.
I apologize for the long post but sometimes when I start writing I have a difficult time stopping.
See Guilford Co., particularly Grimsley HS. Not all coaches are created equal in mind or thought.
Good point. The situation in Guilford County was a very unfortunate occurrence. There was no excuse for the coaches at the schools that were involved to not have known better. Any HC of any sport has to know the rules. There is no excuse for not knowing what the rules are. Period. It is also the AD's job to make sure things like this do not happen. A couple of positives will come from this. First the NCHSAA needs to take another look at how this rule impacts the playes. Put all the punishment on the coach, AD and Principal. I will be willing to bet that these rules will be well understood by the powers that be at each HS in GC as well as the rest of the LEA's in NC.
I remember a day when the only summer workouts were boys working the
tomato fields or tobacco fields. The QB and his receivers might get
together a few nights a week and fling a ball around in the outfield of
one of the rec park softball fields.
Coaches were not around. The
weight room might have been open for lifting, such as it was. One could
argue that locally in our community that the teams of that era were
more successful than today's player.
I was around in those days as a player and coach and I will have to disagree that the teams of that era were better. There is no comparrison between the players then and the players now. Todays players (because of the strength, agility and speed programs) are far superior than the players of that era.
I have read the other threads on topic and have some agreement with
Godevilsgo about too much summer activity. My son will be a junior next
season. While I want him to develop his skill as much as he can, I also
want him to have the experience of working a job and earning a
paycheck. While my family income is such that we don't need him to
work, he needs to begin to learn the basics of earning an income and
budgeting for the things he wants. We are no longer a football crazed
community where some booster will give a boy a job because he is on the
football team and bend over backwards to make sure he can get to
practices and team functions. I have seen some schools who go stark
raving looney with 7 v 7 match ups multiple days per week all summer.
My kids had part time jobs on weekends and during the summers as well. I encouraged them to do this for the same reasons you stated. But, I still say that the kids can easily work in the summer strength, agility and speed programs including the 7 on 7's without any problems if they are not required to be there every day which to me would create burnout.We only opened the facilities on Mon., Wed., and Fri. AM only. Tues. and Thurs. late afternoons was for 7 on 7. The linemen had those days off. My own kids did it and had all the time they needed to do everything else they wanted to do without any problem. I will say that they did not like the 6:00 AM - 8:00 AM workout times and then having to be at work at 9:00 AM at the lumber yard working for their uncle. We also had 7 on 7's on Tues. and Thurs. unless we went to a college for an all day Fri. event. Even then the OL and DL coaches stayed back and opened the weight room for the linemen. If we did this we did not do the Tues. and Thurs. 7 on 7's. I will agree that some coaches go over board on these. I think that coaches need to understand that kids having time off a couple of times during the summer is a good thing. That is why I have no problem with the 2 dead weeks in NC.
When we had Spring Practice we had it around the same time period that NC is having theirs. I would then tell my kids when we finished Spring Practice that I would see them the first of July and we would work up until the week before the beginning of Aug. practice. This week was an off week for them. I would not allow them to even come lift weights that week. If they did their running they did it on their own. I was surprised that the majority of them did the workouts on their own either at home or at a gym.
I appreciate all the input here from you Rams and btango particularly.
It seems to me that the coaches association forming a more active and
united front is the first, basic step that needs to occur. Until they
get to singing out of the same hymnal, their multiple thoughts on what
to do work against them.
I appreciate parents like you who have a huge interest in what their kids are doing and your opinion certainly means everything to me. I agree that the coaches need to unite on this issue. I liked the full contact spring practice because we got a lot accomplished in the 12 days we had it and then the kids were free for a couple of weeks. I was fortunate in that we had all of our players in strength, agility and speed development classes the entire time they were in HS so we were able to get a lot done in class and we did nothing after school until Spring Practice. We did not get them all because we had several kids playing spring sports who were involved in state playoffs and I was their biggest fan. To me it gave the second and third string kids at their position a chance to get better and this helped the team in the long run.
I apologize for the long post but sometimes when I start writing I have a difficult time stopping.
If you want a more active coaches association you have to get the assistant coaches involved more. Assistant coaches outnumber Head coaches in numbers and they are the pool from which future Head coaches will come from, yet like shadows they are present but unnoticed. If we can find ways to inspire, uplift and invest them with influence I would hope that they would sharpen their focus and increase their participation in NCFCA committee and general meetings. We can't change the future if the future leaders are uninspired.
My question No.1RamsFan is who is "this guy" to whom you refer?
If it is Mr Whitfield, you might need to slow your horses.
He is no "dictator."
He does not make all the decisions - but someone distant from the actual "gridiron" does need to be involved making the decisions.
One could infer that you might want to snap em' on instead having spring sports.
And let's be REAL honest here.
Some (many?)will not abide by the guidelines given.
Under the current/past guidelines, some football coaches have guys go 11 on 11 with 22 others standing on the side awaiting their reps.
Under the new guidelines, some will outright scrimmage to breakdown/whistle.
We do not need true spring football.
Schools have done well for decades without it: past Richmonds and Pages and Indys, present New Berns, Scotlands and Mallard Creeks, ever-always Shelbys...
And who do we need to do this to better compete against? Texas? Florida?
How many of those interstate games will NC teams be playing per year?
How many charter buses or even flights will be needed to make these games happen after we institute spring football and "grow" NC football and become "big time"?
Wait... is it just me, or does that not start to sound like COLLEGE FOOTBALL?
Maybe we can just remember we are at the HIGH SCHOOL level and plan accordingly.
THEN, if the athletes do well enough, they can go on to that next level and do all that televised interstate competition.
But, I could be wrong... it happened once before in the 90's.
If it is Mr Whitfield, you might need to slow your horses.
He is no "dictator."
He does not make all the decisions - but someone distant from the actual "gridiron" does need to be involved making the decisions.
One could infer that you might want to snap em' on instead having spring sports.
And let's be REAL honest here.
Some (many?)will not abide by the guidelines given.
Under the current/past guidelines, some football coaches have guys go 11 on 11 with 22 others standing on the side awaiting their reps.
Under the new guidelines, some will outright scrimmage to breakdown/whistle.
We do not need true spring football.
Schools have done well for decades without it: past Richmonds and Pages and Indys, present New Berns, Scotlands and Mallard Creeks, ever-always Shelbys...
And who do we need to do this to better compete against? Texas? Florida?
How many of those interstate games will NC teams be playing per year?
How many charter buses or even flights will be needed to make these games happen after we institute spring football and "grow" NC football and become "big time"?
Wait... is it just me, or does that not start to sound like COLLEGE FOOTBALL?
Maybe we can just remember we are at the HIGH SCHOOL level and plan accordingly.
THEN, if the athletes do well enough, they can go on to that next level and do all that televised interstate competition.
But, I could be wrong... it happened once before in the 90's.
He does not make all the decisions.
You are correct but when he goes on record saying that he is totally against it and why should anyone want more contact time because the occurance of concussions is greater every time you have contact, etc. then he is putting his ideas into the minds of the board members who do have a big say so. I guess he does not understand that a team who wins the state championship plays an additional 5 weeks after the season is over which woul mean that they have a five times greater chance of having concussions than a team who does not make it to the playoffs.
One could infer that you might want to snap em' on instead having spring sports.
Apparently you have not read any of my posts which infers that I am all for kids playing other sports. The fact is the spring practice cannot start until the spring sports is over.
We do not need true spring football.
Again all I ever hear on here is that NC will never be able to compete with the other states who have spring practice. Personally I don't care about competing with the other states. I do think spring practice with limited days of contact will enhance a FB program. I f it did not the colleges would not do it. Plud the fact is coaches are intelligent enough not to kill their kids. The schedule could have mandatory days. Fior example: Days 1 & 2 - Helmet and shoulder pads with no body to body contact. Days 3 & 4 - Full equipment with limited body to body contact. Days 5 -9 - full contact. Day 9 - Controlled Scrimmage. NO kicking game with contact.
BTW, are you a HS FB coach?
You are correct but when he goes on record saying that he is totally against it and why should anyone want more contact time because the occurance of concussions is greater every time you have contact, etc. then he is putting his ideas into the minds of the board members who do have a big say so. I guess he does not understand that a team who wins the state championship plays an additional 5 weeks after the season is over which woul mean that they have a five times greater chance of having concussions than a team who does not make it to the playoffs.
One could infer that you might want to snap em' on instead having spring sports.
Apparently you have not read any of my posts which infers that I am all for kids playing other sports. The fact is the spring practice cannot start until the spring sports is over.
We do not need true spring football.
Again all I ever hear on here is that NC will never be able to compete with the other states who have spring practice. Personally I don't care about competing with the other states. I do think spring practice with limited days of contact will enhance a FB program. I f it did not the colleges would not do it. Plud the fact is coaches are intelligent enough not to kill their kids. The schedule could have mandatory days. Fior example: Days 1 & 2 - Helmet and shoulder pads with no body to body contact. Days 3 & 4 - Full equipment with limited body to body contact. Days 5 -9 - full contact. Day 9 - Controlled Scrimmage. NO kicking game with contact.
BTW, are you a HS FB coach?