Why doesn’t Richmond combine the struggling high schools’ football teams. This made me a little sad.
Not to be mean..
- Thread starter BoKnowsSports
- Start date
If the QB throws a 10+ yd pass, the D has a good shot to pick it, cause the announcer says pass immediately when it's thrown. 🤣
They got the on-court announcer from the And1 Mixtape tour. 😂
Maybe I should’ve been more blunt. The two teams look really bad. I’ve seen lower tier private schools (Kenston Forest, Broadwater Academy, Brunswick Academy, etc.) have better play than this. Maybe RPS needs to combine the programs struggling. Doubt if you combined the best players on both teams they’d win more than 3-4 games against the lower tier C2 programs.
@BoKnowsSports, I agree with you about the talent. What I do like is seeing those kids fighting hard on the field and not on the streets. HS school sports provide sound structure and discipline for kids. The one problem with combining teams would be the gang element and turf wars. It would take a special coach and hand selected players to pull it off. The coach and team part has been pulled off before, but I am not sure you could get some game attendees to comply with a parlay.
Many years ago a few of my co-workers
(former D1 players) and I put together a basketball team of rival gang members from the 5th ward, 3rd ward and the Heights in Petersburg. Initially, it was a huge struggle as the kids were not used to being coached, nor where they fond of losing. In time the kids learned to trust us and their teammates. No fans were allowed and we played exhibitions for three months. We actually beat St. Vincents from Petersburg and they were a decent team. Unfortunately, after our season ended the kids once again opted to side with the neighborhood. For a short period we had fun, enjoyed a cease fire and the our kids stayed alive. It didn't last, but it was worth it in my eyes. One of our players actually played for Coach Lawson and went on to play in college.
Many years ago a few of my co-workers
(former D1 players) and I put together a basketball team of rival gang members from the 5th ward, 3rd ward and the Heights in Petersburg. Initially, it was a huge struggle as the kids were not used to being coached, nor where they fond of losing. In time the kids learned to trust us and their teammates. No fans were allowed and we played exhibitions for three months. We actually beat St. Vincents from Petersburg and they were a decent team. Unfortunately, after our season ended the kids once again opted to side with the neighborhood. For a short period we had fun, enjoyed a cease fire and the our kids stayed alive. It didn't last, but it was worth it in my eyes. One of our players actually played for Coach Lawson and went on to play in college.
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I wouldn’t be opposed to it especially if they keep playing county schools. Not sure how they do it though. Maybe the solution is a city district but honestly with Huguenot, TJ, and a surging Armstrong city football is looking up this year.
I agree with your assesment.
Armstrong has shaken up their schedule... this season, TJ has for a few seasons now and John Marshall has for the last couple of seasons now... Huguenot & Richmond City (formerly Wythe) are the only ones who haven't... they stick to their Dominion District slates.
In the long run I think playing teams of your size is the best way for the city schools to compete.
In today's times where TJ and Huguenot cannot even play a game without the threat of violence I think combining teams could be a recipe for disaster.
Outside of football... my own personal opinion has been that with the current state of city schools that schools need to be combined period. Do we need two schools on the southside? Do we need three schools north of the river? If you merge schools and build new schools, new facilities the financial strain won't be so great to keep up five schools that are not at capacity.
Here is my idea and I know you won't like it but here goes.
Take Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Thomas Dale, and Prince George and put them in the Dominion district and send Powhatan, Monacan, Richmond, and Hugenot and put them in the Central district.
Take Armstrong and Jefferson and put them in the Jefferson district for Louisa and Albemarle.
Take John Marshall and put them in the James River district.
There will be better and fairer competition I know travel will be involved but it will be better for all the schools.
This should be done not just for Richmond but all the schools in Virginia.
Take Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Thomas Dale, and Prince George and put them in the Dominion district and send Powhatan, Monacan, Richmond, and Hugenot and put them in the Central district.
Take Armstrong and Jefferson and put them in the Jefferson district for Louisa and Albemarle.
Take John Marshall and put them in the James River district.
There will be better and fairer competition I know travel will be involved but it will be better for all the schools.
This should be done not just for Richmond but all the schools in Virginia.
The overall facility at JM seems to be above average, but that field is rough looking. I've seen a couple as bad or worse but those were quite a few years ago. King & Queen's field was in pretty bad condition last year, but that was primarily becuase they were unable to put any water on it IIRC. When I was at the game played there vs Essex it was truly a game of 3-yards and a cloud of dust!!! It acutally appeared as if a fog had overtaken the point of attack on each play!
I think if anything, put Marshall and Wythe in the Southside or James River District for the time being.
There are ramblings that JM will be no more in a few years. They need to at least tear that building down and rezone the schools. A good chunk of kids on the northern tip of Southside are zoned to go Armstrong, get those kids at the new Wythe and build a new school in Highland Park/Barton Heights for Armstrong and Marshall kids. I hear a lot of people say well there’s so much gang activity.. There’s a place on Oliver Hill Way for those who want to cause trouble.
That's a good point. I really think the kids could work through things, just not sure how long and sharp the teeth of the OG's of Richmond are. You need home games and sound attendance to support your idea. For the kids sake I hope things work out.
As a kid watching highlights after going to a game in my area with my Dad, I was always intrigued with Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe for some reason. I thought that was a cool name for a high school until many years later, I found out the reasoning behind that "combined" team.
It seemed to work during that time for whatever those circumstances were.
Also, I finally realized when I was in college that Bland County/Rocky Gap was actually a formation of two schools (taking the name Bland County).
So combining schools for football is not without precedent.
nope
district games really don't matter when it comes to FB and BB anyway.
Besides the money from the county schools is why the city schools still play them.
Don't know if you remember but the VHSL struck down an attempt by Chesterfield to have an all county district
last session - there were strenuous objections from the city and tri-cities schools.
Bland an Rocky gap combine for football an they still cant field a team.
Good luck at that you start talking about closing an combining school an people lose the mind. There talking about closing to elementary schools in lynchburg an youd think its the end of the world.
You are so right. I can understand and appreciate why a community, and especially the alumni, hate the idea of losing the school where they made so many memories. But, government/school boards have an obligation to spend our tax dollars the wisest way possible.
Southwest VA is in an especially tough situation. With a shrinking and aging population the number of school age kids is diminishing every year. And it’s not going to change, sadly.
Government spending our money the wisest way possible…oh boy, that’s a good one!!! 😂😂😂
Remember, I said “have an obligation too…!” No illusion that it ever occurs.
There's no place for fiscal responsibility where taxpayers money is concerned. No wallet shall go unpicked...I don't mind paying my fair share but PLEASE utilize it wisely.
Several years ago Isle of Wight county redrew school district lines because Smithfield High was bursting at the seams and Windsor High had plenty of empty seats....the out cry was incredulous. Absolute mayhem and discord. Of course the school board made the right decision and made kids change schools.
Just thinking out loud, combining Richmond City schools today in this evolving environment, with gang activity and so much animosity brewing between neighborhoods, how much of a higher risk of violence within the school hallways will the administration face? It's HORRIBLE to even have to think about that, but that's where we are these days.
