Why Not Just Go Back to the old Jr High Football and Sr High Football System

[mathetes]

Has anyone considered just bringing back the old Junior High style football where 7-9 play B-Team, 10 graders that are average play Junior Varsity, and 10 graders that are above average going to the Varsity with the 11th and 12th graders before this all ends. This would solve a lot of issues that are plaguing coaches right now that are considering dropping B-Teams and JV-Teams. I look forward to hearing some good feedback.

 

[dacoach]

I'm not sure what school(s) you came up through or might have in your area, but well over half of the schools in the State of South Carolina would be COMPLETELY unable to field an entire JV team with their 10th grade players - much leass, the LEFTOVERS of 10th grade players.

It takes the COMIBINED 9th and 10th grade classes for most people to make a JV. Some of the larger schools have been fortunate enough to use all the 9th graders on B team, then use 10th graders for JV. However, while this is solid in AAAA, the practice is spotty in the AAA ranks because a lot of them do not field B Teams so they can use the 9th and 10th to make up a JV squad.

I don't know of a single A or AA team with a B team AND a JV team in this state.

From my experience, the 9th grade class is always the largest. They are fresh out of rec league or middle school football and they all feel like they have a legitimate shot at playing. By the end of the 9th grade season, the pecking order starts being established and you have a 20-25% fallout rate of kids who don't return for their Sophomore year. This puts a huge stress on JV nowadays, so many schools send down little-used 11th graders to fill out the rosters.

This whole thing is frustrating and aggravating because of the massive shift in planning and development that coaches had in place for their programs. I do believe, however, that it will settle down and coaches will adapt to it fairly quickly...


...at least... they will if they want to keep their jobs.

 

[red raider alum]

Actually, many school are looking at this option.

 

[dacoach]

Actually, many school are looking at this option.

What "option"?



Having 7th, 8th and 9th graders play B team as he suggested? Not sure what y'all are doing in Red Raider land, but that ain't even CLOSE to a topic of conversation around the midlands.

 

[mathetes]

Actually came up through schools in Tennessee where they have A-AAAAAA in that State. Less teams make the playoffs. Back in the day only the Region/District Champion played in the playoffs. The had a bowl system for schools that won more than 7 games if they were invited. Worked really well. Lots of great teams that didn't make the playoffs got matched up.

 

[hr1]

Well like i said in a earlier thread back in the 70s lex was AAA and they had INTERMIATE school teams 9th grade B team 10 th JV and 11 &12 Varsity i understand that 1a &2a might have a problem maybe set a differant set of rules for them

 

[mathetes]

Question for "dacoach", do not the middle schools have football where you are at? Just got off the phone with a Coaching friend of mine back in TN. They used the 7-9 graders to develop the kids and don't see a big drop off when they get to the 10th grade as you mentioned. What they see is a separation of the kids who have become "Early Bloomers" as he put it, and those still developing. The "Early Bloomers" were the kids that played Varsity early, and this was important for the small schools. Just passing some information along that might help as the process is developing for 2016. I am sure everyone will figure something out. Just hate to see football go backwards.

 

[mathetes]

P.S. I thought of this when I saw the conversation of T.L. Hanna and Westside's possible merger. I realize it may never happen but a 7-9 football program is not a bad idea.