Interesting Article

[NewSpartan]

Looks like the VHSL is looking into possible 8 man football due to declining participation numbers for many schools. Some private schools already going this route.

https://www.roanoke.com/sports/high...cle_f719f3ce-a796-596b-bc18-e1c040fa9217.html

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

VHSL aided to this problem by allowing "Year round practice". They should go back to the old way and outlaw practice "out of season".

 

[NewSpartan]

VHSL aided to this problem by allowing "Year round practice". They should go back to the old way and outlaw practice "out of season".

We have seen a decrease in participation at Giles this year all the way down through youth teams. I am not sure if its a safety concern for parents or what the real cause is, but its evident.

 

[dringtuoti]

VHSL should extend dead periods significantly. It will help with coaching burn out by coaches who feel like they must be working all year or they will lose ground on competition, lose support from parents, etc.

 

[spartan2005]

The article is correct in that part of the problem is that kids are becoming one sport athletes with fall baseball, year round basketball and soccer as examples. This is ok at the bigger schools but hurts the smaller schools particularly in 1 and 2A. The fact that Manassas Park and PV Sterling can no longer field teams does not bode well for the future of HS football in VA. A coach told me this week that kids are not concerned about winning in a game because if you aren't winning you can restart the game and get another chance. This is generality that doesn't apply to all HS kids obviously but it exists.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

VHSL has made a lot of decisions that I didn't agree with, but year round practice is probably the dumbest decision they have made. If they don't eliminate that stupid policy, more schools will drop football.