Junior high football called questionable
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
DECATUR ó The junior high football team will need more players who show up for practice and more community support to make it through the season.
Athletic director and high school principal Bobby King suggested to parents before Monday nightís Booster Club meeting that there were not enough players to justify having a junior high football team this year.
A heated debate between parents and school officials followed. Many of the parents spent their summers supporting the school and felt it was unfair and unwise to take away the junior high football team.
ì Once you start eliminating junior high, your not going to have kids for senior high. Iím really struggling with where weíre heading. Thereís not going to be any developing players, î Chelly Greenhaw said.
King said that although there are 17 players on the roster, only seven to 10 boys consistently show up for practice. If the team only has 12 consistent players and two get injured they will not be able to finish out the season, he said.
One reason for the poor attendance at practice could be that itís held at 7 a. m., parent Becky Arnold pointed out. Many parents work and have to send their kids to school on the school bus, so itís difficult to get them to practice early.
After much discussion, it was decided to keep moving forward with the junior high football team.
ì Weíre going on as usual, î King said. ì We need kids out there; we need junior high parents willing to get them to practice. î
Parents and school officials are going to work together on recruiting more players. Coach Bill Brockert said that kids can just play defense or offense, if they chose, but they will still have to go through all the drills at practice.
ì These coaches are willing to take anyone whoís willing to play, î King said.
Several parents and coaches volunteered to make sure anyone who would like to play football will have a ride to practice.
Greenhaw volunteered to donate a washing machine needed for the gym, and several others volunteered to donate soap, towels and other needed items.
ì This is the way we started out in the summer ó everybody pitching in and helping. We did it before and we can do it again, î community member David Cook said.
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