The WIAA is considering a number of amendments. #4 & #6 could have a dramatic effect on football. One of the amendments proposes creating a 10 day dead period in June in which absolutely no contact between high school coaches and players would be tolerated, including weight room stuff. The other amendment would effectively end all summer football that involves helmets and shoulder pads. Literally the end of team football summer camps with any kind of contact. No more camp at CWU or EWU etc, not allowing kids to even put on shoulder pads and helmets until the first day of fall practice in August.
Interesting to say the least. I think we'd finally see the explosion of 7on7 football here if this kind of thing passes.
Posted on 2/2 9:23 PM | IP: Logged
They should ask the kids, the people who are actually effected by these proposals what they think about them. I sure as hell wouldn't be down for this. Summer camps and lifting are vital to progressing as a team and preparing yourself for the season. Whats the rational behind this? Does the WIAA think kids are being pushed too hard these days?? BS..
Posted on 2/9 4:09 PM | IP: Logged
To be fair to the WIAA on these amendments, these were proposed by a few schools, not the WIAA itself.
Posted on 2/10 10:58 AM | IP: Logged
for one #4 does not creat a 10 day dead period in june but anytime before football starts. up to each school when that is. rule 6 stops the use of school helments and shoulders pads nothing stops people from buying their own.
Posted on 2/9 12:51 PM | IP: Logged
col-pul one of the problems is that some coaches make it so kids "feel' like they have an obligation to only play one sport, now at big schools that may not be much a big deal but at smaller schools it could. We had a kid out this year who was a good athlete and would have helped us but the baseball coach said playing football would hurt is chances with a scholarship. Now you and I both know thats not the case but a 16-18yo kid doesn't.
As for parents lets not get started on that, way to many parents are living their lives through their kids.
Posted on 2/8 9:29 PM | IP: Logged
Dline, true that. But, I'm not sure how those rule changes mitigate that stuff.
Posted on 2/9 10:32 AM | IP: Logged
No not saying that at all. Kids can work on skills without gear footwork, steps, routes, what have you can be done with out pads.
What I am asking is what is wrong with a dead period. I am pretty sure its not going to pass but when does it stop? Are we going to ask kids to start to specialize in one sport and only one sport with the requirements being placed on kids? If that's the case and we start to ask kids to make a choice about what they play then we hurt all teams.
Posted on 2/7 3:52 PM | IP: Logged
Dline, that's a philosophic question whose answer depends on a) is focusing on perfecting one sport a bad thing and b) does the state have an overriding stake in penalizing or disincentivizing kids from focusing on one sport.
You and I might agree that at the lower classification kids are better served playing multiple sports or even at all classification time off from a sport does more good than harm but shouldn't that be the student and parents’ choice? I don't believe a kid has an obligation in this respect other than to the teams for which he chooses to play. Yes, as fans we wish a great athlete would play football instead of just basketball but the kid doesn't owe either his school or his community a season of basketball just because the basketball team would be better off.
As for pads; I think you play as you practice and I believe in physical football so I think that's the way you practice. Now that doesn't mean full game speed contact 'separate the receiver from the ball' in practice. What I mean is how to get a release or stop a good release in bump and run, power backs getting their shoulders low and head into the hole, pass blocking and rushing and those types of things need protection, with at least helmets, from bumps, bruises and chipped teeth. So I guess my point is light contact should be an option instead of forcing no-contact.
Posted on 2/8 1:19 PM | IP: Logged
There is already a 'dead period for football the 1st 2 weeks of August. Spring practices/jamborees/scrimmages would be eliminated. Kids would have to make harder choices in regard to football, because now there is less time to work around basketball camps and baseball season. Football is a sport that can't just be picked up by a community member/parent to run a club team or open gyms like basketball/baseball. Both proposed amendments will turn the sport more into 'flag football' rather than tackle football. The whole thing is just entirely ridiculous!!
Posted on 2/8 6:51 AM | IP: Logged
"Working on technique does not require pads and helmets and less hits the kids take the better."
Are you suggesting that a)tackling does not require pads and helmets or b)tackling does not require technique?
Posted on 2/7 2:06 PM | IP: Logged
CAmas why are you so against these rule changes? There are other states out there that have the no contact until August, I do think that weight lifting should not be included in that, and they do fine. It seems that football is working itself towards specialization just like baseball and basketball if its not already there i.e. Bellevue. As for camps well you can go to Idaho or Oregon for full contact camps, I believe the 80's were like this in Wa. Working on technique does not require pads and helmets and less hits the kids take the better. Remember these are kids and sports should not take up every waking moment of their day
This post was edited on 2/7 9:51 AM by Dline4life
Posted on 2/6 1:41 PM | IP: Logged
blahblahblahblah-begone Big picture, these decisions seem best left to each school. If a district doesn't want their gear used, that's their prerogative. But there's many schools that are able to make it work just fine. The rule current states: "Use of school equipment, facilities and/or transportation is contingent upon local school district written policy." The amendment adds in just the football equipment part. Leave it up to the schools, not a blanket policy.
Likely all a moot point. Mason Kelley talked to Colbrese about these amendments & others:
Once again, there is an amendment (No. 4) that deals with an added "dead period" during the summer where coaches would not be allowed to work with present or future squad members.
"I don't see much support for it," Colbrese said, noting a similar amendment failed last year.
Yahoo! Sports
