Are We Losing Football?

[Yoenation79]

I’m just going to speak on what I am seeing at Cameron Yoe. 
This season’s participation is at an all time low.  68 kids out.  Down from just a few years ago of 100 plus kids.  The Yoemen have just 4 juniors participating!  For the first time, starting a couple seasons ago the Yoemen have not fielded a freshmen team.  Freshmen and sophomores are playing the JV schedule. 
Remember this Yoemen program played in 4 consecutive state championship games less then 10 years ago and have has some other deep runs not too long ago. 
My opinion one of the reasons why participation is down goes back to the moms.  Yes the moms. 
Now a days it seems the moms have the final word in what happens at school with their kids.
If a coach happens to upset or try’s to discipline her baby boy.  Damn if that’s happening.   Pack your belongings son.  You’re not playing for that coach as long as he’s coaching the team.  
Then there’s other reasons….
My boy isn’t going to play football because football is too violent he’ll get hurt….My son is going to concentrate on just baseball…or any other non contact sport.  Some cases there is just not a father figure in the household. 
Then there is that dad who wants their son  playing but it goes back to if mama isn’t happy….You men know. 
 

[blackngoldtiger]

16 hours ago, Newtonres7586 said:

I’m not giving our State Legislators a pass here, but I wonder how much of those foolish rules follow the money from the Federal Government. That old saying Would “He who Governs closest Governs Best” solve this or make things worse. It seems to me that it would be for the better. Would School choice make things better?

If it's for the kids as a whole and not pushing an agenda by school board and superintendent, yes school choice would make things better.

Let A or even B+ rated schools let some choices and evaluate 2 times a year and have those schools turn in a plan to make sure they are following what they are saying. If they start to fall let the government step on to get them back up. Then keep the government on the below average schools until they get to a rating they won't need to be watched as much. I'm sure there's much more to it. But there's always a better common sense way of doing things. Which in these days are lacking. 

[Gen7Dragon]

On 9/10/2024 at 8:46 AM, Mr. P said:

Link? I skimmed through his recent posts and couldn't find anything...  

Thank you for the kind words about my comment. It's a lot of opinion mixed with facts. 

My opinions aren't just random. I've researched the issues for many years. I'm also open minded to any ideas that are different than mine. 

[MrThunderMaker]

Some really great points in this thread. Kids have more options these days and they know it and they also know they wont be ostracized for breaking the status quo. 

The rise in specialized sports, specifically baseball, has given young males another focus aside from football.  Kids are starting weekend baseball at 7 years old and playing all year.  Parents are happy that their kid is involved in something challenging and are perfectly fine with him not playing football. 

Peer groups travel in packs.  When 1 quits football after 8th grade to only play baseball, the rest will follow because they believe in strength in numbers. Saw a very talented freshman who obviously had a long baseball career ahead of him decide not to play football in high school.  Next thing you know, he is no longer lifting during the athletic period, hitting in the cage after school, and going to his gf's house for dinner. His peer group sees this and instead of getting jealous, decide they want that life too.  Next thing you know, they quit football.  Strength in numbers.

Several have already mentioned this in this thread, but football is uncomfortable.  It takes a very strong mind to participate in.  It's not comfortable being on the turf in August in full pads.  It's much more comfortable to sleep in and show up for 1st period Science instead of getting to the school at 6 AM for weights or practice.

Society as a whole is chasing comfort more than ever.  

 

[CMat79]

On 9/10/2024 at 12:48 AM, 88YoePride said:

Okay, maybe the title's a tad dramatic. Wanted am "attention grabber"...

So, I see issues like discipline brought up occadionally, or stuff like Pilot Point admins flat out saying they are (sic)"no longer a football school." I see or hear people mention... "trends" they see in player attitudes or program culture...

I'm just wondering - How many see issues in programs like less boys coming out for football, and for what reasons? They'd rather sit and play video games? Rather participate in lower/no-contact sports? Problems with the program, like a coach kids don't want to play for or no pride or excitement for the team?

And how do you deal with that? What do you try to do to get kids to want to play? I know it can be done. Look at Refugio. Herring was notorious for not just being strict and a "taskmaster", but just outright... How do I put this diplomatically... *Ahem* Abrasive. But Refugio annually had about 95 boys in high school, and over 80 of them would be playing ball for the guy. I was talking to someone today who pointed out that at their school, which had a historically successful football team, but had also developed a perenially recognized band program, boys would quit the team for getting yelled at or if they felt they were being worked too hard, but the band director was known for being a very hard-nosed disciplinarian who constantly berated his students and worked them hard, but band membership rose every year he's been there. Essentially, that the band geeks were tougher and more dedicated than the football players.

So, anyway, like I said, I'm just curious, is anyone else seeing or hearing about issues like this, and what would you suggest as possible solutions?

Even though I live an hour and a half from Cameron, I still attend every Yoe varsity home football game and I gotta tell you, It's getting harder and harder to make the drive and watch what's been going on the past few years. It seems like every time I turm around, one of our key players have quit for the simple reason that a coach raised his voice and correctted him. That behavior can only be attributed to either kids are NOT being parented at all or kids that are being parented by over protective, self righteous, "my kid can do no wrong" helicopter parents (Moms).

I ask every single week in the stands, to people I don't even know, why do we only have half the kids suited out as our opponents? They all tell me the same thing 88 is saying, "These kids have No respect for authority and over bearing moms." 

I feel for the coaches at Yoe High. They are working their tails off trying to put a product on the field thats competitive with 30 to 40% of the talent pool sitting out for either disciplinary reasons, injuries and down right quitters. I wish all the players and coaches hanging in there all the best! 

[The Shadow]

On 9/10/2024 at 11:35 AM, blackngoldtiger said:

Talk to the powers to be at the state level. It's all levels from kindergarten to 12. My wife is a elementary teacher. She had one kid that would destroy the classroom throughout the school year, and the higher ups would tell her to make the kids get out of the classroom into the hallway and teach. Certain grade levels you can't discipline the kids. Some parents are in denial that their kid would act that way and don't want to deal with some of the teachers or principles. I asked a school board member what could be done and they said their hands were tied due to the state laws. Then add on top of it, these teachers have to get these kids ready for state test and the higher ups fail them. Then performce reviews are up in that time and you may have an example like I said.  It's a sinking ship to be honest. It all starts at home but if the state would let these schools have some lead way, I could see it getting better. 

Cowards in admin is a real problem

[The Wolf Den]

I’ll add my thoughts in as a youngin only a few years out that knows a lot of talented athletes that don’t play anymore/never chose to play to begin with. My opinions are more geared towards small school ball, 3A and lower.

Economics. I know many kids that would play, but they feel the need to work to make money for their families. I find this especially troubling. Many if not most kids in small towns, including myself, grew up in a single parent household and that brings a lot of difficulty but it’s only recently that I’ve seen multiple kids every year that stay entirely out of athletics and other after school programs so they can pick up more hours. It could be different for other kids but I’ve had to miss a summer practice or two because we needed the money that job opportunities that conflicted with morning practices gave. I took the backlash and paid the consequences, but if I was a kid that consistently had to make that choice I could’ve easily felt like my coaches didn’t respect how necessary it was and decided to drop sports entirely.

It’s hard to keep a football culture in a small town when you haven’t been seeing consistent success. In SA it doesn’t help that we haven’t had a youth football program until recent years. The only option would be to play flag football, and it’s not a knock on those that ran flag football, it’s just a completely different thing. You’d have to go to nacogdoches or lufkin if you wanted to let your kid experience tackle football before 7th grade. That’s not an option for many people around here, especially with the costs. For the kids that didn’t make an hour drive multiple times a week and have never seen a good football team what is drawing them to the field?

What everyone has said about attitude and lack of discipline in the schools is accurate and felt probably everywhere. It feels like there’s a lack of support for both the teachers and the kids that act out. They enable the kid and the teacher has no options. Athletics are sometimes completely taken away from certain kids due as discipline and I don’t know if that’s always correct.

[Everide2016]

On 9/10/2024 at 4:42 PM, 88YoePride said:

As far as the physiques and the stamina, I can tell you unequivocally that I am 99% positive that is majorly due to diet. I have talked to a few coaches and fans in poorer communities, and they have made it clear to me that even families on welfare can't afford a steady diet of healthy food, because healthy food is more expensive. 

They could get significant healthy food for absolute minimum cost and a little elbow grease if it was a priority for them.  It's called gardening.  

[Everide2016]

On 9/10/2024 at 9:30 PM, Yoenation79 said:

I’m just going to speak on what I am seeing at Cameron Yoe. 
This season’s participation is at an all time low.  68 kids out.  Down from just a few years ago of 100 plus kids.  The Yoemen have just 4 juniors participating!  For the first time, starting a couple seasons ago the Yoemen have not fielded a freshmen team.  Freshmen and sophomores are playing the JV schedule. 
Remember this Yoemen program played in 4 consecutive state championship games less then 10 years ago and have has some other deep runs not too long ago. 
My opinion one of the reasons why participation is down goes back to the moms.  Yes the moms. 
Now a days it seems the moms have the final word in what happens at school with their kids.
If a coach happens to upset or try’s to discipline her baby boy.  Damn if that’s happening.   Pack your belongings son.  You’re not playing for that coach as long as he’s coaching the team.  
Then there’s other reasons….
My boy isn’t going to play football because football is too violent he’ll get hurt….My son is going to concentrate on just baseball…or any other non contact sport.  Some cases there is just not a father figure in the household. 
Then there is that dad who wants their son  playing but it goes back to if mama isn’t happy….You men know. 
 

 

Moms?  The only, or primary, reason this is an issue is because Dads have abdicated their responsibility to be the head of their families and/or are completely missing from the family.  If the Dad is involved and fulfilling his God-given leadership role, rarely are you going to see this kind of "Mom" issue.

[88YoePride]

On 9/10/2024 at 9:30 PM, Yoenation79 said:

I’m just going to speak on what I am seeing at Cameron Yoe. 
This season’s participation is at an all time low.  68 kids out.  Down from just a few years ago of 100 plus kids.  The Yoemen have just 4 juniors participating!  For the first time, starting a couple seasons ago the Yoemen have not fielded a freshmen team.  Freshmen and sophomores are playing the JV schedule. 
Remember this Yoemen program played in 4 consecutive state championship games less then 10 years ago and have has some other deep runs not too long ago. 
My opinion one of the reasons why participation is down goes back to the moms.  Yes the moms. 
Now a days it seems the moms have the final word in what happens at school with their kids.
If a coach happens to upset or try’s to discipline her baby boy.  Damn if that’s happening.   Pack your belongings son.  You’re not playing for that coach as long as he’s coaching the team.  
Then there’s other reasons….
My boy isn’t going to play football because football is too violent he’ll get hurt….My son is going to concentrate on just baseball…or any other non contact sport.  Some cases there is just not a father figure in the household. 
Then there is that dad who wants their son  playing but it goes back to if mama isn’t happy….You men know. 
 

I can confirm what you said about Cameron. Hard confirm.

[88YoePride]

I just want to make sure everyone knows how much I really appreciate your input on this subject. Like all of you, I care about the state of our education system, and I love high school sports, especially football. And I hate to see the continuously deteriorating state of it all. I guess... the question is... do we just sit idly by and watch it go...

[Destry]

On 9/10/2024 at 10:03 AM, d0tc0m said:

Yeah, there could be some anecdotal truth to some of this. I teach/coach at a Christian private school, so we have different beliefs, different standards, different goals, different educational processes, etc. We have different relationships with the students and with the parents. We also don't answer to the state in any real capacity except maintaining certain certifications so our students can be accepted into state universities.

 

 

You need to remember this part about not having to answer to the state. If the voucher system passes then the state will be letting private schools use tax money, which is state tax money. Hold on to your drawers because you are dealing with a govt entity, “ you receive state money so we can have a say in what you do “. Hope not . Also the lottery was supposed to all go to education- how did that work out for you?

[88YoePride]

On 9/10/2024 at 1:19 PM, TIMRIGGINS said:

Football is hard. People don't like hard. 

You know... I might have to use that quote.

[TIMRIGGINS]

1 hour ago, 88YoePride said:

You know... I might have to use that quote.

Take it, brother!

[Acewell]

The biggest threat to football is the rapid decline of intelligence and manly men/leaders.  It is also the biggest threat to the entire world.

One example evident in football is the lack of enough people with minimal intelligence willing to officiate.