OHSAA proposes spring ball

jottings
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by jottings »

In 1954, 55 and 56 Jackson, led by Coach Gene Slaughter, had spring football. The Ironmen ruled the SEOAL for three or four years after that. Slaughter went on to coach Capital University for several years.

Quarterback in those years was little Bobby Exline. Tremendous JHS teams along with Wellston, Jackson's arch-rival. Seemed like the league title was settled on Thanksgiving Day during the early and mid-1950s.


FANOSPORTS
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by FANOSPORTS »

Jottings wrote:In 1954, 55 and 56 Jackson, led by Coach Gene Slaughter, had spring football. The Ironmen ruled the SEOAL for three or four years after that. Slaughter went on to coach Capital University for several years.

Quarterback in those years was little Bobby Exline. Tremendous JHS teams along with Wellston, Jackson's arch-rival. Seemed like the league title was settled on Thanksgiving Day during the early and mid-1950s.
I think Gene Slaughter coached Capital in 1970 when they won the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (college division championship) which is now called Division III.


55buckeyes98
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by 55buckeyes98 »

Hold on I'm not saying it's a bad thing... I'm just saying that not all schools are going to be able to really use it effectively. And I guess my point was that coaching instruction is not always the best for kids. We are spending too much instruction time and not enough "fun" time. In the late 80s/early 90s my friends and I were out doing our own playing of all sports. Weather it be baseball at the park or basketball at the playground or football at school or the back yard we were always out having fun playing the game. I am just saying that the good programs the kids might be out on their own throwing passes, playing pick up games etc. As a teacher/coach/husband/father who is also currently getting my masters, doing offseason breakdown and working in the weight room at a DIV/DV school the spring is when I tend to my personal matters and family. However in a successful program two weeks of instruction time in May is not going to make that much of a difference because you will have to reteach it again in summer camp as well. WIll it help? Certainly especially with the upcoming 8th graders who will be freshmen and especially at a school that really works hard on player development to sustain our success. But at a school like Kenton that is a spread offense, those kids are already out running their plays on their own without a coach doing 7 on 7 all the time.


Peake
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Peake »

WHy can't kids still choose to go play pickup games after instructional time?

Listen, any instructional time is good time. I don't know where you coach or who you coach with, but if they are telling you any different---quit.

Being able to teach your kids how to do things correctly is always a good thing, giving them structure, is always a good thing. Spending time with your kids and allowing them to become better people while with you, is always a good thing.

You wonder why the best programs in the state stay the best programs, playoffs, extra practices, more time to develop talent.

Two weeks won't make a difference? Really? Go tell that to college teams who get 15 days of practice in the spring. I would love to see the reaction of the coaches. I was part of a very successful program in high school, I was part of one in college, I now coach two sports, have a masters in athletic admin.

I agree family time is great. Spring football would affect that how? You are still in school last two weeks of May. My schedule in the summer: MWF weight room 8-12, skills development-conditioning 12-1. If kids want to play 7 on 7, then it is on their own time. Coaches can't have any interaction. I guess I am having a hard time seeing what your point is.

IT won't have that much of an effect, yet it will help? Hmmmm. Hard to read between those lines. Of course it will be beneficial. It is two extra weeks, it helps your kids getting ready for the combine and camp circuits. There is no down side imo.

Like I said, those who will make excuses will make excuses. Those who will put in the time, the work, and are self-motivated, those are the ones that become champions.


JoeRoberts
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by JoeRoberts »

Peake -

I started coaching in 1990. College and high school. While we're throwing out academic pedigrees, in addition to coaching, I am also an Exercise Physiologist. M.S. degree. We've been plenty successful. Our teams win. Shoved away in a drawer somewhere are several coach of the year awards at both the high school and college level. Displayed more prominently are letters and cards from numerous students writing to express their thanks and appreciation, and the things they learned and decided on their own through their involvement within our program. You seem to want to allude that I create an atmosphere of mediocrity, when in fact we promote one of individual choice, individual excellence and responsibility. Our students succeed as a result of their choices and efforts, with our support, not the other way around. They accept ownership of their success. They are prepared well, but they owe 100% of their success to themselves.

There are many ways to achieve success. Don't worry, we work hard when appropriate. We also work smart. As one example, you should do a little research on John Gagliardi of St. Johns MN. His record - 471-126-11.

http://www.nader.org/index.php?/archive ... ch-MN.html

"...Sometime next fall, this team will chalk up its 300th win under his completely contrarian tutelage. Three national championships, holder of the longest winning streak in all of college football and nationally ranked 28 times in the last 31 years might lead one to think that this team is run with machine­like discipline lubricated with massive training rigor taking endless practice hours.

But, consider the list of John Gagliardi's winning with "No's" philosophy. Players start with his rule that there is no hitting in practice sessions. That's right, no blockers colliding, no tackling, no swarming over the quarterback. Why? Gags says that there are fewer injuries that way and the players are 'fresher and ready to tackle harder during Saturday's game.

There are about 75 other "No's". Some eye-blinking samples are no freshman or JV program, no players cut (anyone can join the team and be suited up at home games), no big staff, no staff meetings, no player meetings, no special diet, no slogans, no playbooks, no agility drills, no lengthy calisthenics, no practice apparatus, no blocking sleds, no laps, no wind sprints, no use of words like "hit, kill", no whistles, no practice on Sundays or Mondays and no spring practice.

Continuing from the list: no practice in rain, extreme cold, heat or wind, no long practices, no water or rest denied, no statistics posted, no big scenes when we score, no tendency charts, no field phones, no player unplayed in a rout, no spearing allowed, no precision pre-game drills, no grading game films, no "big" games we point to, no computer analysis and no cheerleaders.

Now, the results: no player has not graduated, no discipline problems, no player lost through ineligibility, no small college with better game attendance, no wider point margin in national playoff history, no team has had fewer injuries, no Division III team has as many records, no small college team in history has won more games and no team has won more national championships. "

There is more than one road to Rome.

By the way, I never said kids would be going to mission trips, traveling, etc., during the last 2 weeks of May. What I said was that people tend to exclude these forms of things as beneficial when it might interfere with their plans for conditioning, training, etc., and then color the person who chooses to do so as a slacker, a loser, not wanting it enough, not having his/her priorities straight, and more. When in fact, it's possible it's just the opposite.

And don't worry - I do "really care about developing your players as athletes and as people then spending MORE time with them is never a bad thing" - but I choose to spend that time in other ways besides just the sport. I'm a person, they're a person, both with much more than just the sport in our lives. To insinuate that I don't care just because I don't want to unload another off-season program onto them is perhaps the MOST RIDICULOUS thing I have ever read.

"...Like I said, those who will make excuses will make excuses. Those who will put in the time, the work, and are self-motivated, those are the ones that become champions..." Apparently, you are defining champions only as what happens on the field, and a specific field at that. Perhaps, just perhaps, think broader...can we not be a champion in some other endeavor other than sports? A champion in some other sport? If someone chooses to use that time in some other manner to pursue some other endeavor that they find rewarding and beneficial, does that mean it is not valid? I think we keep heading further down a path to the proverbial slippery slope with all these programs and proposals. Eventually kids will be forced to make choices on sport specialization. Through peer pressure and coach pressure.

Making a comparison between college and high school ball is invalid - the key thing to remember here is - it is not college ball we are talking about here. This is not Penn State or Ohio State. Different stages or development - physical, emotional, and psychological. Different purposes. Different objectives. Just as the NCAA should be doing things differently from the NFL (which it barely is, but nonetheless)...and we wouldn't do the same things in jr high or youth leagues as we do in high school. Just because the NCAA does it, doesn't mean the high schools should. Colleges recruit. Should we allow recruiting too? Colleges pay their coaches outrageous sums, more than the faculty. Should the high schools too? Division I football programs spend over $100,000 per year on football players versus $13,000 per year on the general student (Knight Commission report). Universities make significant academic allowances to admit athletes: Duke, for example, the average SAT for basketball players was 887; general student 1350. Northwestern, for instance, where entering students average 1344 on the SAT and basketball players 974. Virginia, students come in with an SAT of 1293 and basketball players with 854, or Michigan, where students have an average score of 1271 and members of the football team 834. Should we follow that lead and start reducing our academic requirements because the colleges do it too? I'm sure the college coaches all love those things and find them beneficial, but does that mean we should let it rickle into the high schools?

Finally Peake - while we are taking shots at each other - "if you really are a coach I would never play for you"- that would be fine. You would make your choice, and I am sure neither of us would miss the presence of the other in the least. On the other hand, based upon the hundreds of letters and notes and the alumni who come back to talk to me, and the college application essays that have been written chronicling the impact our program and the experience we offer on the students lives, you just might miss out on something.

I don't know why I get sucked into these message board things. I get on here to occasionally hear some news, and then I get sucked into some discussion that turns into an attack on a person's credentials or philosphy. It's just not worth it. Feel free to take as many shots at me as you like, just because you don't know me, and since I disagree with your opinion I am automatically a loser, a slacker, and don't care, and can't have a program worth a darn, or probably not even a coach, because if I was a coach, I couldn't possibly be having any success if I don't think they way you do or have the same philosophy. You can do whatever you want, because I will not be here to read them. I'm out.


Peake
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Peake »

I appreciate your tidbit on Coach Gagliardi, and that is interesting. It certainly is a very unique way of doing things. BTW, Mount Union has a lot more National Titles then his Johnnies, and 2 of his four NC came in the 60's. He went nearly 30 years between National Titles as well (1976-2003). BTW, D3 players are non-scholly, so they basically pay to play. I am sure his system works well for kids who are not getting free educations.

I have never painted a kid who goes on vacation, mission trips, etc in that light, nor have I been around people who have. It is quite the opposite. Now planning vacations around the first week of practice is highly frowned upon.

**If kids don't want to show up for voluntary workouts, that is fine, the workouts are not mandatory, but either is your playing time***

One of the prime reasons you see a program like Glenville pumping out such great athletes and their program becoming one of the best in the country is due to the insane amount of work they put in during the off-season.

From my experience sports are gateways for many children with bad home lives. The more structure they can get, more positive influences, etc the better. At my current school our kids and coaching staff meet once a month over pizza and a movie. During summer workouts once a week we go out into the community and volunteer. Several times during the summer the kids will go fishing with the coaching staff or to the movies. We have BBQ's, cookouts, pool parties with our kids. We understand how important it is for these kids to see us off the football field and for us to be positive role models in the most important game, LIFE.

What is ridiculous is not giving kids the opportunity to be accountable to themselves and teammates, to sacrifice free time v improving yourself on the field and as a person, going the extra mile and working hard instead of playing xbox all day. Is two weeks really that big of a sacrifice for these kids? IMO no. As I have previously stated, it allows them to one keep in shape, keeps them off the street, keeps them away from the stupid box, and prepares the upperclassmen for summer camps and combines and the underclassmen for the speed of the game and overall development.


I have been most influenced by Norm Persin and Mark Lafon in my playing and coaching career. What I have learned, respect is not given it is earned through hardwork, accountability, respect, and discipline. It is a lot easier to stay at home, or at the pool, then to get your tail out of bed and go work your tail off. Like sports, in life if you are not willing to work hard and work more then is expected, then you are not going to be very successful. You have to put in extra work on the field, classroom, professional life, and family life. None of these imo are really separate from one another.

Our current belief systems and philosophies don't fall in line. Maybe that means something maybe it doesn't. Change is hard to accept and I understand that, when we are comfortable with the way things currently exist it is hard to accept change.

I do apologize if you are a coach, but I still don't agree with your broad observations and philosophies. I am a very open minded person, so maybe I need to do more self-reflecting.

I appreciate your insight and opinion, but I still don't see how adding 2 weeks of voluntary spring ball hurts anything in the slightest.


Chieftain
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Chieftain »

I'm familair with both programs. The Johnnies are in a very weak league and attract some outstanding athletes, hence the coach's big record. However, Mt Union is in the toughest D-III league in the nation and is based on a HIGHLY competitive program ( 100+ on the Varsity, 100+ on the JVs) with not only great athletes from H.S. but also transfers for D-I colleges and JUCOS.

The point is that spring football is what has elevated Florida H.S. FB to be some of the best in the nation, nots it balmy weather. Ohio schools & athletes would gain from the additional work time, especially with the skill positions. I approve.


55buckeyes98
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by 55buckeyes98 »

I will refrain from making a long post of rambling. In no way did I say I wanted to work less or anything of that nature. I believe that 2 weeks could be better spent on other things like you mentioned. You are allowed to work with your kids than more than just football and I am glad that peake you and your staff are doing so. The staff I work for not only trains hard, but we coach character even harder. I guess I meant that I want our players playing as many sports as they can and I would hope that they WANT to go out and work with or without the coaches.


Peake
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Peake »

Player participating in other sports don't have to show up, and I doubt two weeks of voluntary workouts are going to push kids to quit track, baseball, etc. I think you are really reaching on that analogy. Like I previously stated, unless you have outstanding track athletes or a great baseball program, those sports will be over by the time these voluntary workouts role around.


wemufans
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by wemufans »

so if and when does this vote take place?


Flatulence
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Flatulence »

As a track coach I will support this proposal IF, and only if, we can have two weeks of teaching skills during the last two weeks of October. Especially for the shotput , discus long jump, 100, and 110 HH athletes.

A football coach is a very intimidating personage to teenagers and when a football coach says to a high school athlete he would like to see them at this skills camp they will be there and be damned their track team. I have coached since 1971 and i have seen this happen with basketball coaches and football coaches. Many times during track season I have had to deal with basketball coaches attempting to shame our track and field athletes into "open" gym. Just last spring out shotput man who was doing quite well was placed in an awkward position by a football coach who wanted him to lift outdoors with them while we were at practice. I saw our athlete starting to pick this weight up and I very loudly and very succinctly said that were he to hurt himself by doing that and not be able to compete that there would be a call to go to a squad to come and deliver us to the hospital to remove my foot from that coaches backside.

For any of you to be naive enough to say this doesn't happen has not been around long enough to have to deal with it. The state track coaches and state baseball coaches association sent letters NOT supporting this idea.

Oh, and my name - Greg Fraunfelter


coal miner's son
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by coal miner's son »

I like it! When it's track season, it's track season!


purpleblood1
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by purpleblood1 »

I think this is a great idea. How is it going to kill spring sports. Hell I was in the weightroom every morning at 6am in the winter and spring. Then went to wrestling and baseball practices after school. I don't see how running around catching a ball or learning a blocking technique or a defensive move is going to affect a spring sport. If I had this opportunity to improve my skills had been around back then, maybe the preferred walk on letters to Virginia Tech and ETSU would have been scholarship offers. It says nothing about mandatory or required and its only 10 hours in 14 days. You do the math.


G.W.A.
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by G.W.A. »

crack wrote:Yes, it would kill spring sports. 95% of the football coaches would be telling kids not to play spring sports because they have to come to football for 10 hours at the end of May.
Only a piece of poop coach would do this, 10hrs in may will be forgoten by fall anyway. I say its a waste of time.


Charles Farquar
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Charles Farquar »

During the years Gene Slaughter was the football coach at Jackson, the secret for his success was not spring football practice. Jackson was the Logan of the SEOAL at that time with the largest student body and population , they were the largest school in the SEOAL. The atomic plant was there bringing people in , you had Jisco and Globe iron producing plants going and the Man Power complex across from it. New housing developments such as the Jackson Heights were built to accomodate the influx of workers for the Atomic Plant. Slaughter was a good football coach, but numbers were the key to his success. As I said I am a football coach , but I am also a track coach, I do not like it.


Ironmen44
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Ironmen44 »

Slaughter would have loved Spring Football. Any true diehard Football coach loves anything to make his team better. I like it.


schenk11
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by schenk11 »

Just start mandatory practice 2 weeks earlier and leave the spring sports alone.


bilco 2
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by bilco 2 »

A lot of the kids in small schools like green, nd, and east football teams, make up the basketball and baseball teams. I think it would hurt other sports in these schools, more than in large schools where there are more kids. imo.


Peake
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Peake »

Track---unless you have really good track athletes then by May 25th most athletes season is over.

Baseball---Unless you have a really good baseball program then your season is over between May 7th-21st.

Still trying to figure out how this would hurt other programs. Obviously a coach is going to understand if Johnny misses because he is in the state track meet or regionals in baseball.

CHange is hard to accept


Peake
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Re: OHSAA proposes spring ball

Post by Peake »

The Board unanimously denied a proposal from the football coaches association to allow a two-week period of skill instruction in May, citing concerns over the impact it would have on other spring sports, as well as the requests that would come from other sports. However, Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross and Board President Dave Gray indicated that the OHSAA will examine the possibility of expanding the 10 days of coaching that are currently permitted during the summer period (June 1 to July 31) in all team sports.


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