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

<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.</p>

<p>I remember reading about this one and I thought the coach forfeiting the game made sense and was prudent in their case.<br><br>
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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>mmoonptdeux</strong> <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><br><br><p>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. </p>
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<p>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. </p>
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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Mrtambalynman</strong> <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><br><br><p>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. </p>
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<p>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.<br><br>
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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jenna</strong> <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><br><p> </p>
<p>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.</p>
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<p>I hope we don't play them again t his year.</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.   </p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jenna</strong> <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><br><br><p><br>
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<p> 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.</p>
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