High School cancels football game due to opponent's players size

GaReb770 · Oct 6, 2010

A Rhode Island high school has cancelled a game for this Friday due to the size of the opposing team's players, who are much bigger than their team. The coach is concerned about injuries and therefore prefers to take the forfeit or whatever penalty the division mets out for refusing to play the other team. I don't remember ever hearing of a high school cancelling a league game due to the opposing team's size. 
 
 
<a href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Massachusetts-school-pulls-out-of-game-citing-si?urn=highschool-274799" target="_blank">http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Massachusetts-school-pulls-out-of-game-citing-si?urn=highschool-274799</a>

jcumming · Oct 7, 2010

Good plan. I think a few NCAA teams ought to do the same this weekend.

Ileneforward · Oct 7, 2010

<img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;" title=""> I like it!

the kenyan · Oct 7, 2010

Sometimes I miss my silly state.

kerfwango · Oct 7, 2010

Discretion is the better part of valor.

GaReb770 · Oct 7, 2010

I would agree if this was an out of conference game. But if you are going to participate in a conference, league or whatever, you agree to be bound by the playing agreements of that organization. Just because the other guy is bigger than you does not mean one cannot compete in a sport. If the opposing team was known for being a "dirty" team in its tactics I would be more inclined to agree with the school in its cancellation. But otherwise they should have told the opposing team at the first of the season they did not wish to play them so another opponent could be scheduled.
 
It would be like Georgia Tech deciding they didn't want to play ThugU (University of Miami) because their players are typically bigger than them. It's just not an acceptable excuse without some other circumstances being involved.
 
If I was the Commissioner of the high school league they were in, I would be inclined to tell them yes, they can forfeit the game but they would also have to forfeit all other conference games.
 
ETA: In all fairness to the University of Miami, they actually play like football players these days rather than Thugs as they did a few years ago. When Miami first came into the ACC I would not cheer for them against any team. They are tolerable now.

kerfwango · Oct 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by GaReb770 <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952265"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> I would agree if this was an out of conference game. But if you are going to participate in a conference, league or whatever, you agree to be bound by the playing agreements of that organization.
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Isn't one of those agreements that a team can forfeit a game and chalk it up as a loss?

GaReb770 · Oct 7, 2010

I'm not sure and it probably varies from league to league. I'm not so sure a team is allowed in most leagues to arbitrarily just decide they don't want to play someone with a somewhat more valid reason than size.
 
On the other hand if the agreement does allow a team to simply forfeit a game and chalk it up as a loss, more power to them. But from a team and sportsmanship standpoint I would question what it teaches the team - just surrender without trying?

mmoonptdeux · Oct 7, 2010

How about size of the team in a different meaning? I read one story recently where a high school team started off with less than twenty healthy and/or eligible (academically) players and ended up at halftime with the bare minimum to field a team due to injuries sustained during the game. They were hopelessly behind at the time, but still could've fielded a team for the second half. The coach decided to forfeit right then and there. 
 
Just for the record, IMO this is definitely more valid a reason to forfeit than the Rhode Island coach's reason (i.e. the players are just too big for us), but they both at least claim to have had safety of their players as their primary concern. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by GaReb770 <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952286"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> I'm not sure and it probably varies from league to league. I'm not so sure a team is allowed in most leagues to arbitrarily just decide they don't want to play someone with a somewhat more valid reason than size.
 
On the other hand if the agreement does allow a team to simply forfeit a game and chalk it up as a loss, more power to them. But from a team and sportsmanship standpoint I would question what it teaches the team - just surrender without trying?
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Mrtambalynman · Oct 7, 2010

MrsT delivered first aid services to a local youth football league and was shocked by the number of injuries. Personally I'd applaud my kids choach for looking out for my kids' health and well being. I mean its only HS football.

GaReb770 · Oct 7, 2010

I remember reading about this one and I thought the coach forfeiting the game made sense and was prudent in their case. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by mmoonptdeux <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952303"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> How about size of the team in a different meaning? I read one story recently where a high school team started off with less than twenty healthy and/or eligible (academically) players and ended up at halftime with the bare minimum to field a team due to injuries sustained during the game. They were hopelessly behind at the time, but still could've fielded a team for the second half. The coach decided to forfeit right then and there. 
 

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GaReb770 · Oct 7, 2010

Watching out for injuries is one thing. And part of a coach's responsibility. But just quitting sends the wrong message to student athletes IMHO. If someone is going to play sports, injuries are a part of the sport, even in running. And certainly there are valid times to stop an athletic event but the manner in which the school chose to forfeit this one seems a little suspect to me. 
 
 
<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Mrtambalynman <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952325"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> MrsT delivered first aid services to a local youth football league and was shocked by the number of injuries. Personally I'd applaud my kids choach for looking out for my kids' health and well being. I mean its only HS football. 
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jenna · Oct 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Mrtambalynman <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952325"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> MrsT delivered first aid services to a local youth football league and was shocked by the number of injuries. Personally I'd applaud my kids choach for looking out for my kids' health and well being. I mean its only HS football. 
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During our 2nd game this year (2nd grade) we played a team that was a lot bigger than us. Jackson weighs in at 85 lbs and he is our biggest kid. The other team had a lineman at 175 lbs. Their entire line was bigger than my son. Jax was fine, but we had a kid get picked up and thrown by the large child and our player got a concussion. He went down and had a seizure on the field. He was rushed to the hospital and thankfully was ok. 
 
Now, I don't know what the solution is, but really... 175 lb second grader? He should have played with a higher grade or something. At the least his coach should have taken him out once he injured someone, but he didn't.
 
I hope we don't play them again t his year.

GaReb770 · Oct 7, 2010

This is the flip side of what's wrong with athletics today. The coach should definitely have taken the kid out when he injured someone deliberately. It's gone beyond a game at that point. Back in my day you were taken out of the game for swear words, let alone trying to injure someone. I would think some of the parents would file a complaint, which is legitimate when a coach permits a player(s) to go beyond sportsmanship in a game. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jenna <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952357"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> 
Now, I don't know what the solution is, but really... 175 lb second grader? He should have played with a higher grade or something. At the least his coach should have taken him out once he injured someone, but he didn't.
 
I hope we don't play them again t his year.
 
 

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jenna · Oct 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by GaReb770 <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952380"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> This is the flip side of what's wrong with athletics today. The coach should definitely have taken the kid out when he injured someone deliberately. It's gone beyond a game at that point. Back in my day you were taken out of the game for swear words, let alone trying to injure someone. I would think some of the parents would file a complaint, which is legitimate when a coach permits a player(s) to go beyond sportsmanship in a game. 

 
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 What the kid did was a legal hit. So, there is no complaint. IMHO we were down two TD's and we had a kid go out and we didn't know if he was even going to live (due to the seizures), so none of our kids wanted to play anymore. They were all scared. I wish we had forfeited the rest of the game. We weren't going to win anyway at that point. And the other coach should have taken him out. That would have been the decent thing to do, but, no rules were broken, nothing really to complain about. And you cannot enforce decency in 2nd grade football.

GaReb770 · Oct 7, 2010

As long as the hit was legal, that's life in a football game and I take back my original criticism of the coach and kid <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/blush.gif" style="width:18px;height:18px;" title="">. And I would even agree with the coach not to take the kid out since he did nothing dirty or illegal. The kid would have seen that as punishment for playing the game when he did not deserve to be punished. I don't see why you wouldn't want to play the kid next season. The coach and team just have to be aware of him and practice accordingly.
 
Sports, as does life, carry inherent risks. The vast majority of people go through with no problems. But there are always a few that manage to come up with broken bones, seizures, as well as head and neck injuries. And even a few heart failures each year. The only way we avoid all of those is to simply not have sports, which isn't practical. 
 
ETA: I'm not saying that for a 2nd grade football they might want to consider height and weight restrictions, that's up to the school district or league.
 
<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jenna <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952385"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> 

 What the kid did was a legal hit. So, there is no complaint. IMHO we were down two TD's and we had a kid go out and we didn't know if he was even going to live (due to the seizures), so none of our kids wanted to play anymore. They were all scared. I wish we had forfeited the rest of the game. We weren't going to win anyway at that point. And the other coach should have taken him out. That would have been the decent thing to do, but, no rules were broken, nothing really to complain about. And you cannot enforce decency in 2nd grade football.
 
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4boysmom · Oct 7, 2010

A 2nd grader at 175?! My oldest two (18 and 16yo) barely tip the scale at 140, and they are both over 6ft. You would think that with little kids they would put a size/weight restriction!

jenna · Oct 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by GaReb770 <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952395"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> As long as the hit was legal, that's life in a football game and I take back my original criticism of the coach and kid <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/blush.gif" style="width:18px;height:18px;" title="">. And I would even agree with the coach not to take the kid out since he did nothing dirty or illegal. The kid would have seen that as punishment for playing the game when he did not deserve to be punished. I don't see why you wouldn't want to play the kid next season. The coach and team just have to be aware of him and practice accordingly.
 
Sports, as does life, carry inherent risks. The vast majority of people go through with no problems. But there are always a few that manage to come up with broken bones, seizures, as well as head and neck injuries. And even a few heart failures each year. The only way we avoid all of those is to simply not have sports, which isn't practical. 
 
ETA: I'm not saying that for a 2nd grade football they might want to consider height and weight restrictions, that's up to the school district or league.
 
 
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Yeah, I understand why he didn't take him out. I just don't want my kid to be the next one hurt.

jenna · Oct 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by 4boysmom <a href="/forum/thread/70514/high-school-cancels-football-game-due-to-opponent-s-players-size#post_1952396"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> A 2nd grader at 175?! My oldest two (18 and 16yo) barely tip the scale at 140, and they are both over 6ft. You would think that with little kids they would put a size/weight restriction!
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There is a weight restriction for running the ball. Not for playing in a non- ball handling postion, like a lineman.
 
I should post a pic of this kid. I won't since I don't know him or his parents, but really, he's HUGE!

kerfwango · Oct 7, 2010

That kid should be put in a league where other kids have the same size and ability. Ridiculous and dangerous to have him playing against 2nd-graders. Absolutely irresponsible.

High School cancels football game due to opponent's players size

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