Does Ohio need Spring Ball?

[Tom Landry]

What are your thoughts? I know I was in favor of it, but the OHSAA unanimously denied it recently. Cannot understand why the OHSAA would so harshly defeat a proposal that would help it stop AAU Football from taking control of its most lucrative and biggest sport. Unbelievable.

I also can't understand any coaches speaking out against it, although some did...hope to see this put to another vote soon.

[Junior]

Great post Tom...why add more structure and positive influences to a teenagers life (sarcasm)

[Eric Frantz]

I say yes...it's 10 hours...Football is deserving of being treated differently.

[Junior]

No question and it is like honors class. No one is saying you have to take it, but for those that want to go up and beyond it is there.

[pola_mb]

Guys, I Love Football, played it from Pee Wee thru college, but when is enough...enough. I also enjoy doing other things, like spending time with my kids and wife. Do we really need 10 more hours? I promise you the kids think we take enough of their time already. A legendary High School coach said..."It's better to be fresh than ready". And he wasnt lazy or am I! Its a matter of balance.

[doublerods]

Pola- When does a school day normally end for you in off season. Dont coaches usually hang around wt room/facility after school? Sounds like some guys are racing the buses out of the lot....

[Junior]

I promise you the kids think we take enough of their time already.

Really, cause my students in class think I assign too much homework maybe I should stop assigning it the 2 days a week I do. We are here to guide these young people into adults, as well as teaching them some area content. I for one think it is okay to teach em if they really enjoy something it is okay to put in more time then others. If you do it for summers off and to be called "coach" maybe you should re-evaluate your priorities and stop weakening society?

[doublerods]

"Do we really need 10 more hours?"... cant help but reread this and think we have a clock watcher on our hands...what if those 10 hrs were used by an opponent to put them in a situatuion to be more successful against YOU ? What if those 10 hrs assisted w a college recruiter seeing necessary skills to offer a scholarship...i thought this "trade" was for bettering the kids....

[Tom Landry]

I would back off the clock watcher statements, because all coaches don't place the same value on the same things. That being said, it's just 10 hours. And for one we could use it...

Right now our baseball team is already out of the postseason.

[ytownirish]

We certainly DO need it. And I think we need it more to promote our kids to colleges than we do for skill development. It's expensive for these kids to go to camps over the summer and this would have allowed a two-week period for college coaches to come in and see kids. That's big!

[Junior]

Great point ytown, a lot different seeing a football recruit practicing football then running track and hitting baseballs

[doublerods]

Seen a kid get scholarship from spring ball performance this past season...he played safety for us but is d1 corner ...spring drills allowed him to show his man press technique and capabilities of doing it...

[Junior]

north 1 south 1

[nightowl]

Great point ytown, a lot different seeing a football recruit practicing football then running track and hitting baseballs

Key word there is "seeing." As is college coaches can't...

[Junior]

Key word there is "seeing." As is college coaches can't...

hahaha what planet are you on, never seen a college coach spring recruit and go to these events?

[NewarkCatholicFan]

First I hope it is ok for the fans to respond to these topics, if not as soon as I read that it is not I will stop.


I follow Kentucky high school football a lot and have done so for 15 years or so. Their game has improved a lot since the first year I was following them and a lot of people say there are a lot of reason behind this. Most of them always say spring ball is a big reason this is happening.

[Big Mac]

Spring Ball is nothing but a positive for high school football players and it's something we need to do in Ohio. I'm pretty shocked as well that NO one at the OHSAA voted in favor of the proposal. I don't want to lose my kids to AAU football teams...

[steveinmo]

let the kids play spring sports...they play enough football already! pretty soon, we'll be going 365 days with 16-17 kidson football.....i love football but let's let a kid be a kid..he's not a pro!!!

[Junior]

let the kids play spring sports...they play enough football already! pretty soon, we'll be going 365 days with 16-17 kidson football.....i love football but let's let a kid be a kid..he's not a pro!!!

what about the student athlete that wants to specialize and be the best he possibly can, times have changed and athletes in all sports are evolving, you are implying that students should play every sport because it is your point of view, do not restrict athletes that want to be their best in one area, no one is saying they cannot play other sports, and if you give me the "coaches will take advantage and demand too much" then you got a coach problem not a rule problem

[doublerods]

Had 6 d1 coaches at practice, feels good to know the kids know their choices dictate the outcome of their future. Couldn't imagine the amount of kids that get passed up in ohio. Then again "let's let kids be kids" is a good way to not see them learn to be better men in the future thru the guidance of the coaches who are giving up 10 more hrs of their time...10 hrs Hahahaa. That's 3 days in texas...

[nightowl]

We are treating this like it's rocket science and that we're doing harm to these kids by giving them more opportunities to practice football. All the OHSFCA wanted was 10 HOURS over two weeks.

[nightowl]

hahaha what planet are you on, never seen a college coach spring recruit and go to these events?

You've seen college recruiters come watch kids play football in the spring? In Ohio?

[Junior]

You've seen college recruiters come watch kids play football in the spring? In Ohio?

come on man, this is last time i help you out, go back and re-read, i said the coaches recruiting in ohio during spring watch track meets and baseball and it would be better if they COULD watch them play football

[nightowl]

come on man, this is last time i help you out, go back and re-read, i said the coaches recruiting in ohio during spring watch track meets and baseball and it would be better if they COULD watch them play football

Thanks for spelling that out and correcting yourself and shifting angles. Well done. It's almost like you changed your gameplan at halftime. Nice adjustments.

[doublerods]

Hahahaha

[Junior]

gotta be just a oline guy

[snake86]

All but 7 of my players out of 35 returning 9-11 graders were participating in a spring sport at my school. Only 2 were juniors. At a small school with no Division I college talent (most years) dont you feel that track and baseball teams could suffer with numbers problems. Gives kids another excuse not to go out for a spring sport and help their schoolmates for what ......10 hours of football in May which most of them will forget what they learned by the time August rolls around.

[Eric Frantz]

All but 7 of my players out of 35 returning 9-11 graders were participating in a spring sport at my school. Only 2 were juniors. At a small school with no Division I college talent (most years) dont you feel that track and baseball teams could suffer with numbers problems. Gives kids another excuse not to go out for a spring sport and help their schoolmates for what ......10 hours of football in May which most of them will forget what they learned by the time August rolls around.

Please explain to me why (even at a small school) these kids are going to simply STOP playing spring sports for 10 hours of football? Don't they already lift and run with the track and baseball teams? If the baseball season (or track) season IS over why wouldn't they want to practice football? Ever ask them? If the baseball (or track) season IS NOT over yet, why would they care they are missing spring football? It's not like they're NOT going to start the following season because they missed 10 hours in May. Especially at a small school...

[doublerods]

starts with relationships and communication.....not with the players with the coaches...football coach needs to work hand in hand with spring sport coaches to look at best possible schedule to make all parties happy...few different ways to approach: 1. figure out an off day (no games) that can align with all sports and have a 2 hr football practice then. you can practice a few ways..(1hr offense/1hr defense emphasis, 1/2hr to 45 min indy then use group drills like 1on1's with the rec/db, 7 on 7, 1 on 1 pass rush, and key drill with the oline/dline. this way you may only get 1 workout per week but you can let colleges know for recruiting exposure. 2. Wait until spring sport is over and grind out 1 week of 2 hr practices..(rule states 10 hr max therefore all time doesn't have to be used...this could be a great way for commraderie in the community (open practice to public, get them involved, etc) 3. Schedule 5 practice days and get with spring coaches and see what dates their athletes can show up to 3 of the workouts...this way you get a teaching day with the projected team for 3 guarenteed days and 2 days where your team may be "skeleton" crewed with staff and players BUT the players who are there prbly need extra work the most(these 2 days can be cut back to a 1 hr workout).... having coached in a state w/o springball and now in a state with it I still believe the biggest negative are the apathetic coaches who don't want to "work more".

[snake86]

Please explain to me why (even at a small school) these kids are going to simply STOP playing spring sports for 10 hours of football? Don't they already lift and run with the track and baseball teams? If the baseball season (or track) season IS over why wouldn't they want to practice football? Ever ask them? If the baseball (or track) season IS NOT over yet, why would they care they are missing spring football? It's not like they're NOT going to start the following season because they missed 10 hours in May. Especially at a small school...

There are kids that did not go out for freshman basketball to do after school lifting for football, freshman basketball practice isnt until 7:00pm. Lifting is 3-4:30. This info was communicated to the kids.

There also was this season and past seasons that kids decided not to participate in baseball so they could lift for football. Maybe they felt they would not be starters on the baseball team I dont know but they clearly stated to the baseball coach and myself that football lifting was the reason for them not participating.

I have also had kids I was trying to get to play football tell me no because they wanted to play fall baseball.

I am not saying I dont like the 10 hour spring football proposal. I can use all the time I can get to improve my players game.

Yes when both seasons are over I am sure they would want to participate in spring football and that information would be made clear by me to help pursuade them into particpating in a spring sport.

Now let me make myself clear...there is no mass exodus of kids using football lifting as an excuse to not partake in another sport, but there are those few kids that do use things as excuses to get out of doing other things. And I know some of you will say well then you dont want that kid anyhow etc,etc,etc.....but there are those kids that are just better players that dont put in the offseason work like the guy who will be there backup who bust his tail and is given ample opportunity to displace him but just cant do it.

Just threw out a little devils advocate out there with my original post.

My whole point.....does any one else think it could hurt numbers for their track and baseball teams......and I know theroetically it shouldnt when you are doing it at the conclusion of their seasons.....

And as for the baseball and track teams showing up into the weight room...well thats a whole other topic.

[doublerods]

More devils advocate...would u rather have spring sports w great records or the football team?

[Junior]

i simply do not see where having options is a bad thing, i do not care if the baseball team is good, if students would rather lift then play baseball then that is their choice, if numbers are effected it is by student choice

[doublerods]

spring ball update-
4 kids now have multiple d1 scholys due to the past 3 weeks

WHATS WRONG WITH 10 HOURS??!?!?!?!

[Junior]

got a junior(for '11-12) that has made huge jumps in weightroom, he will have to hit camp circuit to get exposure

[Press Box]

Doublerods: You mean the only way they can become "better men" in the future is by 10 hours of spring football???? Could'nt they also become "better men" by running track or playing baseball? Or did I misunderstand?

[chs71]

It would hurt baseball, track, and football. AAU football? Never heard of it.

[roman]

Football has enough and is always trying to take more. How about the other sports . Its bad enough that Jim(liar,liar vest on fire)Tressel got the North - South game moved to the spring to ruin it for spring sport kids.