occhs football

[ocucsf]

Ok, the administration and coaches are doing a fantastic job providing these players with the tools and equipment they need to move this program forward. We are as a community however, lacking one more essential decision to further boost thus program to the next level. Its time to consolidate the middle school programs. I know people don't like this idea for whatever reasons, mostly out of ignorance and lack of research, but its time! There is a reason why every coach that has been halfway successful at OC has pushed for this, BECAUSE its needed! Look at the last 49 years of the programs lack of success, if it doesn't work, have you lost anything??..... sure you might lose a player or two the first year but they have at the high school level when they weren't winning, after OC made playoffs last year kids that quit in the past or Didn't play at all were knocking on the door wanting to play! Admitt it or not its time people, stop thinking of yourself and put the kids first and in a successful situation!!!!

[Purple & Gold Standard]

I agree and play better competition...Looks to me like if they were to do this the county team could play the UCs, Humboldts, Northviews and Three Oaks of the world and not be shellshocked by the level of competition they see when they get to high school...They could have coaches that run the high school schemes and everything...Learn the lingo all that...I agree 100%..The only problem is where and how will all the kids from the corners of the county get to practice ??....

 

They have done this at the pee wee or junior pro or whatever you want to call it level...Do they still have that league??..My older son started in the 3rd grade (1st year of the league) and my younger son started in the 1st grade in this league...This was started by Larry Shanks and was a great idea at the time...If the league isn't playing,or the numbers are down, I'm sure it's because they consolidated the league into one team per age or weight limit...

 

I agree it's needed but I doubt very seriously it will ever happen because honestly, sports aren't that high a priority and the schools don't want to lose their individuality, even though it would be cheaper on the county with one team opposed to four...

[rebelpride04]

In consolidating, do you mean Hillcrest, Lake Road, Ridgemont, and Black Oak coming together on one team? Cause if you are I can understand both sides. I see how teachers think it will ruin some of the school spirit at their schools, since they won't be competing against each other anymore. I also think there is going to be a bunch of kids sitting on the sideline or not playing at all. I mean say you have 30 seventh and eighth graders from each school, you can only play eleven at a time. That is alot of kids not getting to play, or getting touches. I mean some kids are going to mature slower, and aren't going to catch on to the fundamentals as fast as others. And with all of these schools playing on one team then those players will never get a chance, and will probaly get overlooked when they go to high school. Coaches can say all they want that they are starting from zero when you enter high school, but if a coach sees you play in junior high and thinks you are a good athlete and player you are gonna be more likely to play. I know I went into high school at 5'2 and grew eight inches in a summer and was 5'10 by my sophomore season. If a kid sits the bench the whole time in junior high he more than likely will not continue playing in high school, and if he does Union City will probaly have a lot more transfering in. I do think it will hurt numbers alot more than a couple also.

I also see the other side. Consolidating schools will get the kids use to playing together. I also think when consolidating that Oc's offense more than likely will be incorporated in the game plan which will give two extra years for them to know and perfect, if it isn't incorporated I don't see the point. When you have kids coming from four different schools into one high school, it takes the first year for the kids to even like each other noneless win together. I think it will definately build friendships sooner, and get them use to playing together. I am curious to see what everyone else thinks about the situation, and hear everyone else's arguements before I make my final decision on what I think is best.

Edited September 21, 2010 by rebelpride04

[ocucsf]

You wouldn't lose school pride with the junior pro teams, 1st thru 6th still playing at and representing There individual schools. The plan that was laid out last summer had two teams, a seventh and eighth grade team. Playing time wouldn't be a great issue seeing you would have 11 on offense 11 on defense, speacial teams etc... as it stands now you have to have 6th graders playing on the Jr high teams just to have the numbers, alot of them getting playing time. Now a 6th grade kid saying he weighs 70 to 80lb's , have any business playing against or trying to tackle an 8th grade kid say 120 plus?? As it stands now whichever feeder school team has the most 8th grade players has the better chance of making it to the rebel bowl! So you beat up on your fellow teammates of the future, you can't win any games except against another county Jr high and go To rebel bowl. Did you accomplish anything or give these kids a false sense of accomplishment??? And as P&G stated these kids are shell shocked at any speed they see outside of the county and not to mention when they move to high school and play freshman or jv ball! Winning programs are built from the bottom up, alot of these kids have never won a football game in There life, in order to win you first have to learn how to win.

[ocucsf]

Just for kicks, research how many 8th grade players combined there are in all four feeder schools, then you will see you barely have enough to have a seperate offense and defense!

[Purple & Gold Standard]

You wouldn't lose school pride with the junior pro teams, 1st thru 6th still playing at and representing There individual schools. The plan that was laid out last summer had two teams, a seventh and eighth grade team. Playing time wouldn't be a great issue seeing you would have 11 on offense 11 on defense, speacial teams etc... as it stands now you have to have 6th graders playing on the Jr high teams just to have the numbers, alot of them getting playing time. Now a 6th grade kid saying he weighs 70 to 80lb's , have any business playing against or trying to tackle an 8th grade kid say 120 plus?? As it stands now whichever feeder school team has the most 8th grade players has the better chance of making it to the rebel bowl! So you beat up on your fellow teammates of the future, you can't win any games except against another county Jr high and go To rebel bowl. Did you accomplish anything or give these kids a false sense of accomplishment??? And as P&G stated these kids are shell shocked at any speed they see outside of the county and not to mention when they move to high school and play freshman or jv ball! Winning programs are built from the bottom up, alot of these kids have never won a football game in There life, in order to win you first have to learn how to win.

 

When I was in junior high at Union City, we played 7th and 8th grade separate ...It was called "B Team" and "A Team"...Back then UC had many more kids to choose from though....I could see playing 7th and 8th grade separate...Do many teams around here still do that ??..Many of the schools are smaller now than they were back then ??....

 

You hit the nail on the head about false sense of accomplishment....There have really only been a few county teams (since the consolidation to 4 feeders) that could have competed with the type of schedule UC plays in junior high...Hillcrest had a couple of teams (actually blew out UC with the team that had Garrett Grady and Jacob Fulbright and that bunch) and Ridgement had a couple of teams as did Lake Road....

[Purple & Gold Standard]

Just for kicks, research how many 8th grade players combined there are in all four feeder schools, then you will see you barely have enough to have a seperate offense and defense!

 

I haven't been to a county junior high game since my son left from Ridgemont but I did see the jamboree with all four county teams during OC's spring game with Lake County....There weren't many kids on any of those teams...Could have made a decent size single team though....

[rebelpride04]

That changes things alot when you state that they plan on having a 7th and an 8th grade team. As far as the school spirit goes I don't think that really sets in until the junior high level but that is not the issue for me. I much rather have a good county team that we all could be proud of than 4 mediocre teams. I think with there being a seventh and eighth team that there will be plenty oppurtunity for kids to get playing time. I still think we will lose a few but the few we lose probaly won't play in high school anyway. This has been a hot topic in OC for years, and I think it is definately worth a try.

[Purple & Gold Standard]

You would also have to look at who the coaches would be....The head coach would need to be, I think anyway, a member of the varsity coaching staff...If you have a coach that teaches at Hillcrest (just an example) are they going to be prejudiced to play kids from there over a kid from Black Oak ??...The head coach of the junior high team would have to answer to the varsity coach in some way...The varsity staff would have to be involved in some way with the junior high team..I say you would have to have a coaching staff that represents all four feeder schools...

[ocucsf]

True, and I was there when Ridgemont won the rebel bowl, that was a good team, I believe your son was on that team if I'm correct? I can give a good local example of consolidation working. Year before last UC combined its babe Ruth by bringing in the county kids, which I loved, and that first year all age groups of all-star teams made it to the state tournaments. First time in the history of that league that had happened, why? Because all the talent was under one roof! This was all worked out last summer and was going to happen, Then the director of county schools was muscled into turning it down. County commission and some parents complained, didn't want to leave there daddy ball safety bubbles in fear There kids or grandkids wouldn't be "the stars" on the team. Which alot of these kids quit playing when they get to high school because they are no longer "stars"! Winning programs aren't sprouted over night they are built, but we as parents and a community have to be willing to Let that be built at OC!

[ocucsf]

The coaching staff and the whole nine yards was worked out last summer and everything was for the most part ready to go. Till the before mentioned happened. So this past summer all the high school coaches Were able to do was let 6,7,8th grade kids come to field house three days a week and they worked them out with cardio and agility drills. There were football players, basketball players, softball players boys, girls, and even a few moms there working out, all by the high school assistant coaches. Was an awesome thing to see and would bet not many people know how much those coaches were doing for are young people.

[Purple & Gold Standard]

True, and I was there when Ridgemont won the rebel bowl, that was a good team, I believe your son was on that team if I'm correct? I can give a good local example of consolidation working. Year before last UC combined its babe Ruth by bringing in the county kids, which I loved, and that first year all age groups of all-star teams made it to the state tournaments. First time in the history of that league that had happened, why? Because all the talent was under one roof! This was all worked out last summer and was going to happen, Then the director of county schools was muscled into turning it down. County commission and some parents complained, didn't want to leave there daddy ball safety bubbles in fear There kids or grandkids wouldn't be "the stars" on the team. Which alot of these kids quit playing when they get to high school because they are no longer "stars"! Winning programs aren't sprouted over night they are built, but we as parents and a community have to be willing to Let that be built at OC!

 

Right, he was and that was one of the Ridgemont teams I was talking about...A good example of how a junior high running the varsity offense helps can be seen in that Ridgemont team...That year they lost to Lake Road 6-0 in the regular season..For the Rebel Bowl, in the rematch, they put in the veer (Darren Bowling was at OC then) along with the offense that Lance Gray runs..Lake Road couldn't stop the veer Ridgemont put in and the Mustangs won the game easily...That LR team had Chase Bowling as their QB....