8 man football

[Bluebird 17]

https://www.maxpreps.com/m/league/default.aspx?leagueid=3c30ae65-87b5-477c-b7b3-80f5aafeca02&ssid=66439386-7bb5-42f6-9628-ea444a3a2d59

 

They currently have 8 man football in Virginia but not in the southwestern part of Virginia.  If there was 8 man football in southwest Virginia they would need at least 6 to 8 teams in the area to make it work.  Could this be done?

 

 

[redtiger 1,740]

Its been something I think a lot of programs could benefit from, most of the Cumberland and Black Diamond teams would be good fits. With the impending consolidation of Buchanan Co idk if there would be enough programs willing to participate. 

IF it was done I think it would have to be SWVA/EKY/SWV in a regional group. 

[sixcat 2,919]

Galax has been doing 8-man football through the Recreation Department for well over a decade. It's been tremendous in keeping kids involved longer. We have less kids quitting before high school.

[tornado99 345]

19 minutes ago, sixcat said:

Galax has been doing 8-man football through the Recreation Department for well over a decade. It's been tremendous in keeping kids involved longer. We have less kids quitting before high school.

Is this exclusive or in addition to 11-man?

[sixcat 2,919]

1 minute ago, tornado99 said:

Is this exclusive or in addition to 11-man?

Exclusive. Galax hasn't played 11-man football at the recreation level since the year Dixon took over the varsity program in 2010. He was a part of the group that helped develop and put this model into play through the recreation department. 

With 8-man football, Galax Recreation Department can place no more than 10 or 11 players on each team. If a team is shorthanded for whatever reason, they can always borrow from the other team since it's all played in-house. Everyone gets ample playing time. We never see a dozen kids buried on the bench of a roster full of 25 kids. We have offered both Carroll and Grayson to join our "league" numerous times but they continue to make fun of us for playing 8-man. 

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

IMO, it's unlikely to happen unless VHSL takes the lead. This isn't wealthy NOVA schools and parents that have the clout, time, and resources to advocate VHSL to sanction, for example, lacrosse. The small schools that are struggling to field a team are not in a position to develop and organize a new interscholastic sports league. 

[tornado99 345]

35 minutes ago, sixcat said:

Exclusive. Galax hasn't played 11-man football at the recreation level since the year Dixon took over the varsity program in 2010. He was a part of the group that helped develop and put this model into play through the recreation department. 

With 8-man football, Galax Recreation Department can place no more than 10 or 11 players on each team. If a team is shorthanded for whatever reason, they can always borrow from the other team since it's all played in-house. Everyone gets ample playing time. We never see a dozen kids buried on the bench of a roster full of 25 kids. We have offered both Carroll and Grayson to join our "league" numerous times but they continue to make fun of us for playing 8-man. 

That’s great. My biggest criticism of 11-man youth football (unless you have the numbers for several teams of smaller roster sizes) is the tendency for the late bloomers and mediocre role players to be eliminated prior to development. I have observed that your second stringers are covered up already by your starters (justifiably) even if the drop off is ever so slight. More reps plus and unforeseen growth spurt could make those second stringers starters later if they don’t walk away due to lack of playing time. This is not a slight to feeder programs, but a good argument for the 8-man game. 

[Wolf1207 239]

7 hours ago, sixcat said:

Exclusive. Galax hasn't played 11-man football at the recreation level since the year Dixon took over the varsity program in 2010. He was a part of the group that helped develop and put this model into play through the recreation department. 

With 8-man football, Galax Recreation Department can place no more than 10 or 11 players on each team. If a team is shorthanded for whatever reason, they can always borrow from the other team since it's all played in-house. Everyone gets ample playing time. We never see a dozen kids buried on the bench of a roster full of 25 kids. We have offered both Carroll and Grayson to join our "league" numerous times but they continue to make fun of us for playing 8-man. 

Galax has been to nearly every state title game since they played Clintwood in 2011.  
Instead of making fun, they might want to figure out what Galax is doing right. 
We can talk about Graham, RV, Union, Richlands, and all the rest, but Galax has been the best program in the boards coverage area for well over a decade now. 

[Bluebird 17]

Last night I went and saw an 8 man football game and its a pretty good game to watch and worth the admission $5.   All they need is for one team in southwest virginia to take an interest in 8 man football and I feel other teams will join.  The closest 8 man football team to southwest virginia is in Lynchburg which is too far away from southwest Virginia.