First Day of Practice Numbers ‘26

[Sixcat Adjacent]

I don’t disagree. The transfers wouldn’t be choosing to go to Galax or Graham if not for Dixon and Palmer. But Dixon and Palmer wouldn’t have the same level of success without them either. 
 

The dropoff in Galax coincides with the transfer issue. Galax is seeing transfers going out now as opposed to coming in. But the exodus Galax is experiencing now coincides with the departure of Dixon. 
 

My point, without one, you likely never have the other. Either way!

[tornado99]

6 hours ago, Unchained said:

Not to start another thread for this, but Fresh Off The Clock did a great interview with Thomas Jones yesterday. It is worth heading to their page and watching it.

Thanks for sharing this interview. Fresh off the Clock and Mountain Mojo do a great job of covering old and new. 
 

Thomas Jones is still the best high school running back that I have ever seen. 

[tornado99]

3 hours ago, Sixcat Adjacent said:

Both programs have/had one very important thing in common…a consistent flow of incredibly talented out-of-state transfers. 
 

That’s not intended to diminish what Dixon and Palmer achieved. Just stating facts. Without those transfers, neither program would be quite as successful. 

 

3 hours ago, Fairlawncat said:

I think it is spot on that the transfers helped Galax and Graham and both coaches likely would not have achieved the amount of success they had without the transfers. But........I also think there is credible direct link ultimately due to Palmer/Dixon being great coaches. Meaning......great coaches usually get the transfers. Mike Smith for years had the residents of Phoebus screaming. Brad Bradley (initially) had all of them po'd in and around Lynchburg. Even Paul Wheeler at Rustburg and then at Lafayette po'd Bruton and Jamestown. Lineburg at Radtown was getting one or two a year from Pulaski after Hicks left Pulaski. 

My point is that I noticed that this can come off as a chicken or the egg scenario. I no longer think it is. I think it's far about a great coach that has that charisma that draws kids (the transfers) I stead of the coach "out cheating" his colleagues, and I know sixcat you never said this, nor did anyone in this thread. I'm bringing it up because I heard it many times from fans here in the NR Valley.

I didn’t realize Galax had that many transfers, but to both of your points, they are/were great coaches. 
However, not always the case, but sometimes it isn’t always the great coaches getting the transfers. Sometimes the location simply combines with the misfortunes of your neighbors. 
I don’t know enough about Galax, but for whatever reason, before Princeton got good and Bluefield wasn’t Bluefield, Graham got the talent from all over. It goes without saying that the pipeline out of McDowell County has often run south toward Richlands and Tazewell, but more recently down 52 to Bluefield and Graham.

Finally, I don’t know how great a coach Aaron Lowe is or Todd Tiller was, but the misfortunes of Richlands has moved some of that talent to the Tigers.

[Sixcat Adjacent]

9 hours ago, tornado99 said:

 

I didn’t realize Galax had that many transfers, but to both of your points, they are/were great coaches. 
However, not always the case, but sometimes it isn’t always the great coaches getting the transfers. Sometimes the location simply combines with the misfortunes of your neighbors. 
I don’t know enough about Galax, but for whatever reason, before Princeton got good and Bluefield wasn’t Bluefield, Graham got the talent from all over. It goes without saying that the pipeline out of McDowell County has often run south toward Richlands and Tazewell, but more recently down 52 to Bluefield and Graham.

Finally, I don’t know how great a coach Aaron Lowe is or Todd Tiller was, but the misfortunes of Richlands has moved some of that talent to the Tigers.

Everyone knows the football success at Galax coincides with Dixon becoming head coach. That combination coincided with the downturn of Alleghany (NC), Mount Airy, North Surry, Carroll County and Grayson County. Which is where almost all of the transfers came into Galax from. Back in the 2011-2019 timeframe, it was common to drive through the senior parking lot and see more North Carolina license plates than Virginia. Now, those kids are all going to East Surry and Mount Airy. 

[Beaverdad16]

Just from the pictures on Facebook, both the Beavers and G-Men seems to be in the 40-45 range 

[Fairlawncat]

Radford with 47

[Real Sasquatch]

11 hours ago, Beaverdad16 said:

Just from the pictures on Facebook, both the Beavers and G-Men seems to be in the 40-45 range 

I counted 35 for Graham.  Unless they have some on vacation or they were in the weight room.  That is about the same # they had last year.  

[tornado99]

30 minutes ago, Real Sasquatch said:

I counted 35 for Graham.  Unless they have some on vacation or they were in the weight room.  That is about the same # they had last year.  

Do you think this comes from the results of the feeder programs and different strategies for development in the youth programs? 
Some Union fans have kindly shared with me on this board the in-house, shorter season feeder system that keeps more interested and playing for a longer time. This leads to a greater number of players. 
I don’t know about Graham, but seeing them being referred to as the Little G-men, I assume they have the 1 town/1 team that seems to only develop the core of the team and fewer numbers. 
Would this be accurate?

FYI-I know Richlands is down to 1 team at each age level. It used to be 5-6 teams at one time.

[Gridiron60]

56 minutes ago, Real Sasquatch said:

I counted 35 for Graham.  Unless they have some on vacation or they were in the weight room.  That is about the same # they had last year.  

I was a little suspect of 40 especially losing 3 to Bluefield. 35 sounds about right. 

[CPF]

Just now, Gridiron60 said:

I was a little suspect of 40 especially losing 3 to Bluefield. 35 sounds about right. 

I counted 38

[Gridiron60]

19 minutes ago, tornado99 said:

Do you think this comes from the results of the feeder programs and different strategies for development in the youth programs? 
Some Union fans have kindly shared with me on this board the in-house, shorter season feeder system that keeps more interested and playing for a longer time. This leads to a greater number of players. 
I don’t know about Graham, but seeing them being referred to as the Little G-men, I assume they have the 1 town/1 team that seems to only develop the core of the team and fewer numbers. 
Would this be accurate?

FYI-I know Richlands is down to 1 team at each age level. It used to be 5-6 teams at one time.

The little league program in Bluefield VA isn’t what it used to be. Like many programs, it’s not about fostering a love , knowledge, and basic football skills but the almighty meaningless trophy. 

[Gridiron60]

2 minutes ago, CPF said:

I counted 38

Hey, I’ll take 38 over 35 any day. They’ll have several two way starters. Depth & injury is my concern. Skill positions are solid IMO. 

[Real Sasquatch]

2 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

Hey, I’ll take 38 over 35 any day. 

Same.  I'm wondering if they have a few on vacation, also.  Sometimes there will be some to show up after the 1st day.

[Real Sasquatch]

5 minutes ago, CPF said:

I counted 38

Cool.  I was just going off of the pictures on the internet that Beaverdad16 was referring to.

[Gridiron60]

5 minutes ago, Real Sasquatch said:

Cool.  I was just going off of the pictures on the internet that Beaverdad16 was referring to.

Have you heard official numbers for Tazewell or Richlands from today? 

[Real Sasquatch]

1 minute ago, Gridiron60 said:

Have you heard official numbers for Tazewell or Richlands from today? 

Not Yet.  

[Real Sasquatch]

Counted 41 in the team picture for Central.   

Seems awfully early for a team picture....Gotta see who quits during 2 a days first...

Also counted 40 in rhe Ridgeview team photo for media day.

[cityofRaven]

11 hours ago, tornado99 said:

Do you think this comes from the results of the feeder programs and different strategies for development in the youth programs? 
Some Union fans have kindly shared with me on this board the in-house, shorter season feeder system that keeps more interested and playing for a longer time. This leads to a greater number of players. 
I don’t know about Graham, but seeing them being referred to as the Little G-men, I assume they have the 1 town/1 team that seems to only develop the core of the team and fewer numbers. 
Would this be accurate?

FYI-I know Richlands is down to 1 team at each age level. It used to be 5-6 teams at one time.

The current downfall of Richlands football can be mostly blamed on the destruction of the midget league system some 10-15 years ago. 

Some of these folks, who never won anything feel that a pee wee title is so important that cutting teams, thus cutting playing time for a lot of kids, is the way to go. 

[Clippers#1]

Mountain Mojo does a great job . He puts a lot of time into this articles. Fresh off the Clock is a lot of AI generated content. 

[redtiger]

I had not followed Mountain Mojo due to not liking the content of Fresh off the Clock(for the reason you mentioned), I will have to follow him.

[tornado99]

37 minutes ago, cityofRaven said:

The current downfall of Richlands football can be mostly blamed on the destruction of the midget league system some 10-15 years ago. 

Some of these folks, who never won anything feel that a pee wee title is so important that cutting teams, thus cutting playing time for a lot of kids, is the way to go. 

How do you suggest reversing the trend?

(Not being smart here, sincere question.)

Some Union fans and Galax fans in the past had some good suggestions, but it would take some buy-in.

Some of those include in-house, shorter season, working with the varsity coaches, and 8-man or some other version that helps with more/smaller teams with more playing time for everyone 

[Sixcat Adjacent]

5 hours ago, tornado99 said:

How do you suggest reversing the trend?

(Not being smart here, sincere question.)

Some Union fans and Galax fans in the past had some good suggestions, but it would take some buy-in.

Some of those include in-house, shorter season, working with the varsity coaches, and 8-man or some other version that helps with more/smaller teams with more playing time for everyone 

8-man youth football concentrated on everyone getting playing time, teaching fundamentals, and keeping kids participating doesn’t boost egos of middle aged adolescent dads but it does build a quality feeder system for high school football. 

[SwvaOG]

Go flag football until Middle School. This is happening in the cities.  Under Armour sponsors Under The Lights flag football.

Under Armour Flag Football - Start A League

 

[Minj3]

23 hours ago, cityofRaven said:

The current downfall of Richlands football can be mostly blamed on the destruction of the midget league system some 10-15 years ago. 

Some of these folks, who never won anything feel that a pee wee title is so important that cutting teams, thus cutting playing time for a lot of kids, is the way to go. 

This was around the time of Aaron Lowe’s heavy influence in the system.

[Stelley]

Been hearing Lebanon has 24