Indian

They did 2 year classes for decades, with mail and phone calls, then later fax. Instant communication now and it's four years, meaning some numbers will be 5 years old in the last year.

Some areas still have good crowds. The school here had the highest numbers in 2016 3A playoffs in each of the first four rounds (all at home), even with Howard not bringing a lot in the first round. As mentioned more than once, Red Bank's home crowd was awful in 2017 and 2018. Lots of the changes have to do with school enrollment shifts more than likely, as much or more than lack of interest in the sport by a community. If it keeps going this way, I'm guessing there will be a compression to five classes in football. The more classes, the more money spent even with more playoff games. If they really wanted to try something different and increase crowds, let everyone schedule whoever they wanted regardless of enrollment or private school, and have the teams winning at least 5 games go to the playoffs. Classify them into five groups, and 2 private school groups, by enrollment of the ones that won 5 games or more. One other not so radical solution to keep games more competitive, go back to 2 year class periods. Something more unusual, go to 1 year schedules and 1 year class periods. Each team would have 5 games at home, required, but it would allow more fluid scheduling on competitive matchups.

Basketball needs 4. All the new magnet or charter schools plus normal growth of new schools has thrown basketball out of whack.

Dropping down to 5 classes would appear to be able to help a lot, even keeping the same amount of rounds in the remaining classes. A 4-6 fourth place team would be much more likely to bring a good crowd 75 miles than a 1-9 team going 150.

To really get into the reasons they need to look at each individual school hosting and the matchups, in every game.

https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/preps/story/2019/jan/11/prep-notebook-football-playattendance-concern/486476/?fbclid=IwAR13Lit-LdVXYOSfNB6ZZVS02g5NVFFtdKkwz5AyQFixeoRDWNuazic8pGg I mentioned Red Bank specifically but was Told I was exaggerating the sparse home crowd.

Would love to see more participation in the Chattanooga area and a bit surprised there isn’t more. Sequatchie has a solid girls number with a dozen or more, seems most of the opponents are Nashville/mid state or Knoxville area.

Is there a limit on number of players from one team in middle school, during the current school year.

I wonder if the soccer team will allow anyone to kick field goals for football?

LV will now be an “open zone” school apparently, with anyone in the county able to go there. Lots of playing time could be available for anyone wanting to move in from a larger school. Could be an up and coming program with a “persuasive” person in charge.

Maybe Witherspoon can a fifth year of eligibility and transfer from NJ.

No. Started off a little out of whack with new starting quarterback, new head coach and some new staff, and some main spots to fill, plus two of toughest games, Meigs and S Pitt were in first month. Things settled in after that and they were playing their best of the year late. Won at York, gave UHS their second toughest game of season after Alcoa, came up 3 points short vs Red Bank. Even with a large roster they didn't have quite the depth needed yet after some season ending and nagging injuries, but it should be there in coming years with more coming out and playing all four years. Losing a tall, talented WR about halfway through hurt more than it may have seemed it would at the time, could have helped quite a bit vs Upperman and Red Bank.

2016 team was strong up front with lots of experienced juniors and seniors. 2015 season may have gone similarly if not for some injuries up front. 1 senior was lost the very first series of the season again South Pitt, before that he'd been an NAIA/Division III type prospect, was getting real attention. Another missed the last half of the season. He did sign with an NAIA team and is still playing. Overall it was a good building season, but a pair of close region losses could have been turned around with a little more push by the line. One good thing about the current coach and staff, more players will begin playing in 9th grade and by the time they're juniors and seniors will be much more advanced. One of the seniors came out this year in 12th, first since 8th, and did well in the secondary but could have been a very good player with more experience. Another, a lineman, among biggest on the team came out this year in 12th and was behind in technique and experience. He was injured and wasn't able to do much anyway, but would have had more of an impact with four years of work (barring injury which can happen anytime).