Does high school football start to early?
- Thread starter 95mv
- Start date
With a playoff system that takes up 5 weeks they almost have to start them at the end of August, otherwise you'll still be playing football at Christmas if you start at the end of September.
Games used to start at 8:00pm which was great. Then, they moved to to 7:30pm about 25 years ago. Now, they start at 7:00pm which is way too early for people to make as they try to get home from work.
Actually 7 is not even normal. I watched HS football for 30 years with games starting at 8. Its hard for working people to get to away games by 7. Its also cooler at 8.
Game time starting earlier is probably a function of high schools starting their days earlier than they used to.
I would agree that 8pm is a better start time for varsity. The heat issue is a problem for these JV/Middle school games that start at 6pm now. That means that these kids start taking the field at 5-5:30 and its often times way too hot. 7pm is the earliest they should ever start.
I'll make you a deal, when teachers and students can start reporting to school at 9AM, we can move all the football games to 8PM.
Historically, they started at 8pm for a whole lot more years than they've started at 7pm.
Not sure what that has to do with starting a football game at 8pm instead of 7pm.
The main reason games start at 7:00 now compared to the old days is simple
Back in the day most teams ran the ball a majority of the time and now 98% of the teams run the spread or some type of passing offense.
Games now last 2.5 hrs or 3 hrs....back in the day a game would last around 2 hrs...that's the reason IMO
And I love the 7:00pm start time BTW
Back in the day most teams ran the ball a majority of the time and now 98% of the teams run the spread or some type of passing offense.
Games now last 2.5 hrs or 3 hrs....back in the day a game would last around 2 hrs...that's the reason IMO
And I love the 7:00pm start time BTW
Doesn't really bother me either way. I do kind of like it when it's dark out before the game starts though. Also, MOST every game I go to last just about 2 hours. I've never been to one that lasted 3 hours unless there was a delay for some reason.
Yeah unless it's a crazy high scoring affair with tons of penalites, most games are no longer than 2-2.5 hours. It is still pretty hot at 7pm, but I understand trying to get the games over sooner so people that travel are home earlier and kids aren't out as late. I know there isn't school on Saturdays but we were all teenagers once, we all know the kinda stuff we got into after midnight lol
It makes a very long day for every player, coach, and all the school personnel that makes those games happen. Sorry if the sky is not dark enough for you.
I went to a high school game in SC last year where there were two, what I was told to be, very good teams playing and it took 1:45 minutes to get to halftime. I left disappointed in the level of play and flow of the game. There were flashes of sustained O but for the most part it was dropped passes, flags and poor execution. And there were two Clemson recruits on the one teams Offense. Don’t get me wrong some teams can do it but there aren’t as many as some fans would like to think. It’s trashy to watch and I am thankful I don’t watch that every week.
You mean the majority of teams that run spread offenses don't have the talent to run those offenses so the games have become much more disjointed and frustrating to watch.
Not what I'm saying at all...I'm saying passing all the time unless you complete every pass stops the clock a lot more than running every play like most teams did in old days...hence why games take a lot longer IMO
Best time would be 7:30-8:00 pm. This endures that the first 4 games or so start After the sun has gone down and cooler. Our game at Smithfield at 7 had the hot sun for 45 minutes. If not for some great clouds we would been baked in the sun drenched stands as the players on the field. It was 92!
I'm just saying this in jest, but by November, we should start the games at 5:00 so it won't be so cold by the end of the game! LOL!
All kidding aside, these first three weeks have been brutal. Hopefully, we have passed a hurdle and next week will be better. (Except for that damn Florence).
A game day announcement that you are pushing the start time back an hour is not an insurmountable task. With the various types of social media, you can successfully get the word out with minimal chance of creating havoc. Maybe it would be wise for the AD's to consider this idea on the mornings of the known dangerously hot football nights?
How about you guys on a first name basis with Mother Nature have a little talk with her? That would make this discussion un-necessary.
All kidding aside, these first three weeks have been brutal. Hopefully, we have passed a hurdle and next week will be better. (Except for that damn Florence).
A game day announcement that you are pushing the start time back an hour is not an insurmountable task. With the various types of social media, you can successfully get the word out with minimal chance of creating havoc. Maybe it would be wise for the AD's to consider this idea on the mornings of the known dangerously hot football nights?
How about you guys on a first name basis with Mother Nature have a little talk with her? That would make this discussion un-necessary.
DP brings up a great point with November, once it gets colder and darker, people will be saying the exact opposite. There is also DST.
To be honest, saying what does school start time have to do with game time I see as part of the problem here. It should be what's best for the kids, not the fans. So it has a lot to do with it. I too have been miserable at times this year at the heat, but it isnt about me. In a perfect world, it wouldn't be as hot, or game times could be adjusted on the fly, but it would be REALLY hard to do. Not just letting everyone know, but logistically it would be tough.
Games here start at 7, in some areas I believe they still start at 7:30. I'd say most games are over by 9:30, but there are many factors to delay the end time.
That doesnt then factor in post game, which would at a minimum be an hr, followed by trip home for visiting team. I believe I remember seeing Salem had a 3 hr car ride to Dinwiddie, so add at least 30 minutes for bus. So say the game was over at 9:30, which I believe it was later, but just say 9:30. That then means probably team leaving at 10:30, followed by 3 1/2 hr ride home. So get home at 2 am. So those kids have been up for 19-20 hrs. We really want to add an hr to that so the lights are on?
Nothing is ever going to be perfect, and I am not even saying it definitely should be 7, what I am saying is I hope we can all try to remember that this is about the kids, not us old people
How about the first 5 games of the season start at 8, second 5 start at 7.
I can't remember exactly, but I think it was pushing 10:00 when our game ended. Salem then joined with our team for a few minutes at mid-field. Then showered and changed for the long ride home. Considering a bathroom stop along the way, and then getting home in their personal vehicles, they would be darn lucky to lay their heads down by 2:00 am. (Bathroom break might not have been needed, as they had charter buses. And I'm sure the charter buses made better time than the old yellows.)
Any way you twist it, it was a long day for the kids.
Any way you twist it, it was a long day for the kids.
I hear ya Dinwiddie but that’s kinda a rare case in early season. Is it 3 hrs between y’all and Salem? Usually this time a year a hour or 2 is most traveling I would guess.
Yes sir, right at 3 hours.
Next year we start a cycle with GW Danville, Massaponax, and North Stafford. Can you say "frequent flyer miles?"
Next year we start a cycle with GW Danville, Massaponax, and North Stafford. Can you say "frequent flyer miles?"
