Start of youth football practice today

[Shifty]

My son's high school has a new coach. They've started running the spread offense this year. He loves it so far, he moved up to varsity this year as a junior. there's a senior QB in front of him, but he'll be spliting playing time with. When not playing QB he'll be playing wide reciever on
offense, and safety on defense. Looking like a fun year ahead.

This is my last son to play at this school. His three older brothers all played on this team, and his sister was a cheerleader.
It's hard to believe it will all be over after next years season. 

[Ripsnort]

My son's high school has a new coach. They've started running the spread offense this year. He loves it so far, he moved up to varsity this year as a junior. there's a senior QB in front of him, but he'll be spliting playing time with. When not playing QB he'll be playing wide reciever on
offense, and safety on defense. Looking like a fun year ahead.

This is my last son to play at this school. His three older brothers all played on this team, and his sister was a cheerleader.
It's hard to believe it will all be over after next years season. 

Take lots of pictures! I've been saving his old jerseys and memoribilia over the past 4 years.

[Reschke]

I am getting to the point where we are going to have to start boxing all of our oldest son's stuff up soon so we can make room for the next one coming up.

Here in 7th grade there will be close to 150 kids that show up for 7th grade football next year and they will not try to run off any of them. My son and several others have been talking about not playing next year since the competition really kicks back up to high gear starting in 8th grade football and they are down to 40-50 players...most of those are the kids that actually played in 7th grade.

[Ripsnort]

Do you guys have "no cut" teams in Middle school football or HS football?  No Cut sucks...for competition that is.

[Reschke]

They don't in 7th and 8th grade but in 9th, 10th and 11th they do have a JV squad. The reason for the drop off in numbers between 7th and 8th is due to lack of playing time at the 7th grade team since the coach will only work on a group of about 30-50 kids as true players in 7th grade. The rest of these kids are just there since they haven't played before that year for whatever reason.

Our high school is a 6A school which is the biggest classification and they will put 100+ on the sidelines on Friday night and of that group only about 40-50 kids (mostly juniors and seniors) will see the field for anything other than warm ups.

[Shifty]

In peewee football it's no cut. In Jr high 7th and 8th grade I don't think they actually cut, but they don't play everybody. JV and Varsity is cut city. It also depends on how big the school is. The bigger schools cut way more players than the small town schools of course.

[Reschke]

I don't think they truly have a "cut" group here in our school. They just run the whiners/complainers/losers off the field during spring training practices, preseason summer workouts and two-a-day practices.

[Ripsnort]

In peewee football it's no cut. In Jr high 7th and 8th grade I don't think they actually cut, but they don't play everybody. JV and Varsity is cut city. It also depends on how big the school is. The bigger schools cut way more players than the small town schools of course.

That's pretty much identical to our system as well.

In the Junior football system (pee wee), every coach tells the parents that they play their best 11 on both sides of the ball, but all kids get a chance to play in games, during a '5th quarter' at half time. They play 20 minutes then (it doesn't count for anything except experience and playing time)

[REP0MAN]

The start of high school football is officially underway here in Oklahoma. The small town I work for has a tradition. On this day, the State allows the beginning of 'two-a-days', two practices a day, morning and night. The tradition is that the team gathers on the football field at Midnight. Not only does the team gather to practice, the entire town gathers to watch and celebrate the beginning of another season for their beloved team.

I'm from Phoenix and have only heard about small Midwest towns and their sense of pride for their team. Last night, I witnessed it first hand and I gotta say, it's unbelievable.

Go Eagles!

[Ripsnort]

The start of high school football is officially underway here in Oklahoma. The small town I work for has a tradition. On this day, the State allows the beginning of 'two-a-days', two practices a day, morning and night. The tradition is that the team gathers on the football field at Midnight. Not only does the team gather to practice, the entire town gathers to watch and celebrate the beginning of another season for their beloved team.

I'm from Phoenix and have only heard about small Midwest towns and their sense of pride for their team. Last night, I witnessed it first hand and I gotta say, it's unbelievable.

Go Eagles!

OK and TX are most passionate about football, and I believe they also have the most football teams at every level, per capita.

[Shifty]

Welcome to the cult Repoman.  I love Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana High School Football.

Go Wildcats!

[Reschke]

It isn't just Oklahoma and Texas; they do similar things here in Alabama but we are engrossed in football just about every day of the year here. It all starts with off season high school workouts that are passing competitions that run almost year round and teams from every division face off in them. The big 6A schools send their entire offensive and defensive lineups to skill camps all summer long and bring them home about a week before pre-season starts. AND now it is trickling down to the lower levels as well.

[Ripsnort]

Some pics with my new Nikkor 70-300mm VR AF-S ED lens I picked up earlier in the week.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20312349

My kid is the one wearing white shirt, red gloves and torn elbow pads.

[Reschke]

Not bad Rip; those are nice looking action shots. I will have to get my wife to post some that she took last season of our team. She hasn't had a chance to take any yet this year.

[Shifty]

Great shots Rip.  Since you've been posting shots of your sons football, I've been amazed at the quality of equipment they have at that level.
I also get a kick out of how our kids seem to be lucky enough to look better than their fathers. 

I met you at I believe the 2001 Con. I remember seeing you and thinking... Now there's a scary looking guy. 
That was back when my game ID was Lowe, and I still hang out in the AVA, SEA, more than anywhere else so I really only know a slim section of the AH community, and I doubt you'll remember the meeting.