Highland Park drops youth tackle football

[capnbillhitters]

Just finished watching CBS news national story about HP dropping 5th-8th grade tackle football after 11 kids signed up for a program that had 55 kids two years ago.

I had scoffed at the low freshman numbers because I felt like most of the losses would be B team numbers but when you drop the entire feeder program, what happens to that high school? Rhetorical question but it seems like the exodus is picking up steam.

Ugh

 

[Gforce5]

These feeder programs will fold or consolidate. Portage park on the northwest side of Chicago used to have 7 teams a few years ago, they just closed their doors this year. Shabonna Park and the Park Ridge Falcons down to two travel teams from over 5 just 3 or 4 years ago. The numbers will plummet, stabilize and you'll end up with healthy consolidated programs to feed into the high schools. The same is happening at the Catholic grade schools. They can't field teams so they are considering merging with one another to form new leagues to at least have some team to play.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

The TCYFL is the biggest independently run league around and the numbers in this league are way down.

At warren Youth we are under 200 kids in our program for the first time ever.

 

[Cat Box]

7 years ago when my son started football as an 8 year old, the Aurora Superstars youth league had 4 teams (8-9 year olds) and 6 teams (10-11 year olds). The league does not exist anymore.

 

[capnbillhitters]

Holy crap. Personally I didn't play any youth league after age 8 because I got too big and was not ready to play with kids 4-5 years older.

So by the time I started high school I was frothing at the mouth to mix it up. Point being that you don't necessarily need youth league football to prepare for high school football. I guess this benefits programs highly skilled in the teaching of fundamentals.

 

[PRokie]

So sad to watch.. the PR Falcons had 2-3 teams in most divisions, and the house league program had 7-8 teams in each division with healthy rosters.

Falcons have 2 teams total, and house league has 4 in each division, and the level of play is drastically lower.

The good news in PR is the Flag programs have more kids than they ever have... so hopefully some of those numbers convert into players.

 

[Gforce5]

Glen Ellyn has a fantastic youth program feeding into GW. I believe they are the Golden Eagles. GW coaches always talk to them, interact with them and do clinics with them (as do the Park Ridge Falcons by the by ). The indoctrination works. Not judging - just saying.

 

[capnbillhitters]

So my guess is that elite schools/coaches infect the community with pride in the program. If the community supports, you hold numbers. That doesn't make it the coach's fault that participation is down, but it is possibly that good ones have a positive impact.

I wonder if there are any other correlative factors

 

[Gforce5]

Wonderfully stated and spot on. Community pride generated by the coaches and winning is the key. Graph the programs that are failing and you can't even name who the coaches are.

 

[ramblinman]

What's the long term future if this trend does not see a correction? More 8 man football? More co-op teams? Will more schools drop frosh and soph teams in favor of varsity only or varsity and JV only? Will the IHSA step in early and make serious proactive changes statewide in an effort to reverse or slow the decline, or will it sit on its hands and watch a bad situation deteriorate beyond repair?

Can you imagine a Highland Park-Deerfield co-op (effectively a school district team combining 7A and 6A sized schools) for football soon? I can.

What about private schools? Will they see football numbers decline? I can actually see a scenario where team sizes increase or hold steady (at least for a time) at certain private schools. For example, let's assume that a school like Glenbrook North witnesses a serious decline in numbers over the course of 3-4 years prior to approaching their fellow district school Glenbrook South to co-op. Will suburban players of above average ability want to enroll and play at their public school that is on a seemingly irreversible downward football trend? Will those same players and parents look to move to other public school districts that are more stable football-wise, or perhaps they might look to a private school like Loyola as an option?

If many schools go to 8 man football instead of the co-op route, will purists want to attend schools that offer 11 man football? If youth football leagues go en masse to 8 man, will 11 man high school football be doomed?

The next few years will be very interesting to see how players, parents and schools react.

 

[MWittman]

Just finished watching CBS news national story about HP dropping 5th-8th grade tackle football after 11 kids signed up for a program that had 55 kids two years ago.

I had scoffed at the low freshman numbers because I felt like most of the losses would be B team numbers but when you drop the entire feeder program, what happens to that high school? Rhetorical question but it seems like the exodus is picking up steam.

Ugh

capnb:

This decline in numbers over imagined safety concerns screams the need for a fainting couch delivered to every mother in Highland Park.

These overprotective mothers bemoan the odd bruise or scratch on their children, but think nothing of the fact they too could face far more grave injury waltzing out of any of the two dozen Highland Park spas after their daily pedicure.

Good God................................

 

[Saluki88]

Holy crap. Personally I didn't play any youth league after age 8 because I got too big and was not ready to play with kids 4-5 years older.

So by the time I started high school I was frothing at the mouth to mix it up. Point being that you don't necessarily need youth league football to prepare for high school football. I guess this benefits programs highly skilled in the teaching of fundamentals.

I agree, both my boys started playing freshman yr and both were starters all 4 yrs and our youngest is fortunate to be playing at a D 1 school now and he plays a skilled position.

I talked to ex bear where our son trains at and even he said he won't let his son play tackle football until hs.

 

[Trojan Fox]

The TCYFL is the biggest independently run league around and the numbers in this league are way down.

At warren Youth we are under 200 kids in our program for the first time ever.

Our numbers are down big. I know Barrington is 1/2 the size they once were, Raiders don't even have in house anymore. I know PR is under 100.

Scary

 

[Cat Box]

Batavia has a good formula. They only play flag at the grade school level to get the kids hooked on the sport. Middle school they have an A and B squad playing full contact. Everything feeds into Batavia HS and this has worked well for them.

Aurora Superstars may be a poor example. Lots of problems in Aurora. There are 7 junior high schools feeding two large public schools. You also have private schools Aurora Christian, Aurora Central and Marmion all fishing out of the same pond.

The Superstars program was the poor man's youth football league. There were also more expensive travel and Pop Warner programs in the area. The Superstars just didn't make it, which is too bad because it was affordable for any income class family at only $150 per year.

 

[capnbillhitters]

capnb:

This decline in numbers over imagined safety concerns screams the need for a fainting couch delivered to every mother in Highland Park.

These overprotective mothers bemoan the odd bruise or scratch on their children, but think nothing of the fact they too could face far more grave injury waltzing out of any of the two dozen Highland Park spas after their daily pedicure.

Good God................................

Agreed that the pussification of our youth in certain locales is disconcerting.

I'm just trying to figure out whether this portends a trend that requires some adaptation. I wonder if the growing popularity of 7 on 7 pushes more youth leagues to move toward flag.

From a quality of high school football standpoint, not sure if we know yet whether there is any correlation between 1)a kid playing touch or 2)playing tackle or 3)not playing at all and demonstrated success in high school. If all paths are equal, not sure why it matters whether the kids play tackle or touch or not at all before high school.

 

[King MJ]

Batavia has a good formula. They only play flag at the grade school level to get the kids hooked on the sport. Middle school they have an A and B squad playing full contact. Everything feeds into Batavia HS and this has worked well for them.

Aurora Superstars may be a poor example. Lots of problems in Aurora. There are 7 junior high schools feeding two large public schools. You also have private schools Aurora Christian, Aurora Central and Marmion all fishing out of the same pond.

The Superstars program was the poor man's youth football league. There were also more expensive travel and Pop Warner programs in the area. The Superstars just didn't make it, which is too bad because it was affordable for any income class family at only $150 per year.

Best thing Batavia (and most of fox valley) has is the outstanding Tri Cities chargers program. Some kids play both that and middle, but some just play TC. Massive program with great coaches, huge numbers, both house and travel leagues.

 

[mmca]

Agreed that the pussification of our youth in certain locales is disconcerting.

I'm just trying to figure out whether this portends a trend that requires some adaptation. I wonder if the growing popularity of 7 on 7 pushes more youth leagues to move toward flag.

From a quality of high school football standpoint, not sure if we know yet whether there is any correlation between 1)a kid playing touch or 2)playing tackle or 3)not playing at all and demonstrated success in high school. If all paths are equal, not sure why it matters whether the kids play tackle or touch or not at all before high school.

I agree that the Pussification of the USA plays a part. You have to look at HP's demographics, which in IMO, is major cause. I grew up playing football at Deerfield and played against HP all through high school. Granted, back then DHS had a very strong program and they never beat us. However, every other year they gave us a really tough game. Back then they had players that were very tough and athletic! Some were army brats from Ft. Sheridan and some were Italians from Highwood, others came from large families in HP, tough kids.
Today, Ft. Sheridan no longer is an Army base, Highwood has changed to more of a Hispanic community, not many Italians left and the HP families are much smaller in numbers that tend to gravitate towards sports like basketball and baseball. (I believe you know what I'm saying)

I just pray that this won't have a domino effect on other near by communities. Sad news, The catholic grammar school I attended in Deerfield no longer has a football team. Back in the day it was a football pipeline into DHS.

I know that the Libertyville Boys Club is currently under 200 players. 6-8 years ago they had over 400 kids!
I just pray it's not a dying sport but unfortunately I think it is.

 

[Crispy Linnetta]

Agreed that the pussification of our youth in certain locales is disconcerting.

I'm just trying to figure out whether this portends a trend that requires some adaptation. I wonder if the growing popularity of 7 on 7 pushes more youth leagues to move toward flag.

From a quality of high school football standpoint, not sure if we know yet whether there is any correlation between 1)a kid playing touch or 2)playing tackle or 3)not playing at all and demonstrated success in high school. If all paths are equal, not sure why it matters whether the kids play tackle or touch or not at all before high school.

Another factor that I feel can't be overlooked, is the fact that for many kids that don't play organized youth football, the first contact they ever experience is the first day of hitting about a week into freshman football practice. How many kids do you see playing tackle football on Sunday afternoons after the Bears play now? How many do you see playing a turkey bowl the way we used to Thanksgiving morning? Bottom line is, it's just like baseball now, if you're not doing it in an organized setting, you're just not doing it.

 

[capnbillhitters]

Another factor that I feel can't be overlooked, is the fact that for many kids that don't play organized youth football, the first contact they ever experience is the first day of hitting about a week into freshman football practice. How many kids do you see playing tackle football on Sunday afternoons after the Bears play now? How many do you see playing a turkey bowl the way we used to Thanksgiving morning? Bottom line is, it's just like baseball now, if you're not doing it in an organized setting, you're just not doing it.

Again, my first day of contact was day 3 of my freshman year and by day 5, I was practicing with the varsity due to having fully formed by 9th grade. The lack of contact before 9th grade was not a hindrance to my high school football success. I'm just wondering if it matters whether kids play non-contact football through 8th grade or not.

I certainly think playing tackle football before high school works for many, including my kids. It just wasn't needed in my case.

 

[UlbKA91]

I agree that the Pussification of the USA plays a part. You have to look at HP's demographics, which in IMO, is major cause. I grew up playing football at Deerfield and played against HP all through high school. Granted, back then DHS had a very strong program and they never beat us. However, every other year they gave us a really tough game. Back then they had players that were very tough and athletic! Some were army brats from Ft. Sheridan and some were Italians from Highwood, others came from large families in HP, tough kids.
Today, Ft. Sheridan no longer is an Army base, Highwood has changed to more of a Hispanic community, not many Italians left and the HP families are much smaller in numbers that tend to gravitate towards sports like basketball and baseball. (I believe you know what I'm saying)

I just pray that this won't have a domino effect on other near by communities. Sad news, The catholic grammar school I attended in Deerfield no longer has a football team. Back in the day it was a football pipeline into DHS.

I know that the Libertyville Boys Club is currently under 200 players. 6-8 years ago they had over 400 kids!
I just pray it's not a dying sport but unfortunately I think it is.

Last line paragraph 2....thats pretty clever- were "go to real summer camp" and "protective of their brain" taken?

 

[ignazio]

I agree that the Pussification of the USA plays a part.

I just pray that this won't have a domino effect on other near by communities. Sad news, The catholic grammar school I attended in Deerfield no longer has a football team. Back in the day it was a football pipeline into DHS. .

The world needs more Bill Aistons.

 

[mmca]

The world needs more Bill Aistons.

YES!!!! Bill was the best JR high coach! Did you play for him?

 

[King MJ]

for me, the real question is how many other CSN schools will follow suit? Outside of GBN, the youth system up and down southern lake / northern cook county is really weak.

 

[mommee68]

So my guess is that elite schools/coaches infect the community with pride in the program. If the community supports, you hold numbers. That doesn't make it the coach's fault that participation is down, but it is possibly that good ones have a positive impact.

I wonder if there are any other correlative factors

I do agree with what you have said. Unfortunately, many factors in several communities seem to outweigh even the draw great HS programs. Slanted media on injuries, influx of young families into area, the wider variety of youth sports available in the fall (i.e. Flag, Fall baseball is now more popular and has become almost a year round sport, volleyball has increased in popularity, lacrosse, rugby, etc), and the many cases the parentswho either coach or run the organizations have SIGNIFICANT implication For example, In the LW area the youth programs have fallen in numbers significantly over the past 5 years. Frankfort Square Wildcats are down from 2 teams to 1, Frankfort Falcons are down from 3 teams to 1, Mokena Burros (feeder for LWE now LWC) don't have a Varsity that I know of, NL Knights and JR Warriors numbers have dropped to lower 20's for their Varsity rosters. Of course kids do go to other towns and play or use Arena to work skills.

 

[Cross Bones]

New youth program just started so we have 2, but the numbers are nowhere near the numbers as when I was a tyke. The #'s in the HS program are healthy though.

 

[capnbillhitters]

Just wondering when flag just becomes the thing for the grade school age group. You would probably still have tackle for a subset so it would never go away.

Obviously this is becoming a technology issue. The company that cracks the perfect helmet/shoulder stabilizing system will make a killing.