I know Nelson Co isn't 4A, but I thought this approach was interesting
- Thread starter mike salem
- Start date
Pretty gutsy move. I believe it's time for the VHSL to consider doing away with the district rule to be eligible for playoffs, at least in football. 3a Colonial Heights down my way is a perfect example. A decent program, but they stand very little chance year to year of winning any of their seven Central District games.
With the playoff system the way it is just do away with districts in general. VHSL is in absolute chaos anyways.
Lots of really bad teams around the state that should be doing exactly as Nelson county is doing.
I have believed for a while each years schedule should be those in your POD with any additional games coming from other POD in your east/west section. As teams move between groups your schedule changes. For example Lafayette would play Jamestown, Smithfield, Grafton, lake taylor, heritage NN, Churchland, deep creek, denbeigh, kings fork and do away with the Bay Rivers District that next year will have teams in 2a, 3a and 4a. Lafayette players were asked about going undefeated for 4th year in the BRD and their response was the real importance was the state title and really downplayed the regular season stuff. They couldnt be more perceptive of the priorities. When i asked the local Daily Press beat writer about eliminating the BRD and going to a total group POD schedule he said no AD in the BRD wants any change to the status quo.
I actually think this is a good move for Nelson Co. For those unaware, Nelson has been outscored something like 342-22 this year so far
I think this is an example of putting the cart before the horse. If their feeder system brings good numbers and develops into a positive for the high school, then what?. Will the VHSL work with them to gain admittance back into a district?
They can stay in their district, but just not play a district schedule in football, assuming this is what they do. Rappahannock County is in the Bull Run District but does not play a district football schedule, but does so in all other sports.
Everyone is pretty much on a 2-year cycle, so they should be able to slide back in a district when the time is right.
So all they have to do is schedule district games again? I would think the VHSL has a procedure or policy in place to protect teams from picking and choosing every two years what they want to do. (Or does the district decide?)
Clinging to the old districts really makes no sense at all.
I agree to a point. But it does help with scheduling other sports. As Lafayette stated above, most AD's are very reluctant to rock the boat. But, just like Nelson, it's coming.
There are so many bad teams, and a lot of bad football being played, 1A thru 6A, that perhaps VHSL should just create a division for schools that don't give a squat about the playoffs and just let them play for fun.
Yeah, and let them use AD's and Administrators that don't care or understand the value of high school football as tackling dummies!
No, the districts are a disaster for most all sports. Hate them in cross country. We have to have this big district meet at the end of the year that is such a face. Half the teams don't run their best runners, smaller teams exhaust theirs. One school skipped it all together. Either have districts that mean something or do away with them all together. If schools want to voluntarily join a district, that would be fine.
I'm surprised this move is finding so much support here of all places. No doubt, Nelson's football team has had an abysmal season by any standard. But to me, the decision to leave the district to go indy is simply a surrender. A school with enrollment of around 600 students is finding it hard to compete with similarly sized schools, so it wants to schedule schools like Bath and Craig with enrollment around 200? Seriously? Grace Christian? Do they have even have an ADM of 100 in grades 10-12? This is even worse than 4A Carroll county moving to the 2A Three Rivers. What's next? Gar-Field to the Pioneer District?
My message to ADs: Teach your kids to work harder and face adversity. Hire talented coaches that can teach these values in addition to the rules of the game. Seeking out lesser competition is a terrible lesson.
My message to ADs: Teach your kids to work harder and face adversity. Hire talented coaches that can teach these values in addition to the rules of the game. Seeking out lesser competition is a terrible lesson.
Many of the current districts are bad, especially all of the ones in the Richmond area. I believe in fair and equitable districts of 5-7 teams that make sense based on size and geography. District alignments shouldn't be made based on perceived "competition level". If a team consistently fails to compete, there is a problem with the program, not its district membership.
