Should Arkansas consider six-man football league?

[NEark tigers]

I was just reading on Fearless Friday and found out that Midland, who is a new member of 2A football, just forfeit their game this week to Cross County. Midland now has only thirteen players. Two were injured last week. But a thought came to my mind. Should the AAA consider six-man football for 2A teams that field less than twenty players...It is very successful in the state of Texas.

Tell me what you think....

[Ball Hawk]

Something, anything.

If there are schools that would play, get it going Arkansas.

If the kids would play, honestly we should do whatever to get it done.

[Bodyguard]

Considering the smaller schools that only have Basketball and a few other sports it may be a good idea to get them involved in gridiron but then a new factor will emerge, distance the teams would have to travel to get a ball game. Unfortunately at the rate that rural schools are being closed in the state of Arkansas because of enrollment requirements, it's safe to say that if your school is struggling to keep enough players on the field to support 11 man football, your school may be targeted for consolidation in the near future anyway. I doubt this state is interested in spending funds on 6 man football when it appears the financial agenda is to close as many small schools as possible.

[WonderWartHawg]

Considering the smaller schools that only have Basketball and a few other sports it may be a good idea to get them involved in gridiron but then a new factor will emerge, distance the teams would have to travel to get a ball game. Unfortunately at the rate that rural schools are being closed in the state of Arkansas because of enrollment requirements, it's safe to say that if your school is struggling to keep enough players on the field to support 11 man football, your school may be targeted for consolidation in the near future anyway. I doubt this state is interested in spending funds on 6 man football when it appears the financial agenda is to close as many small schools as possible.

Yep.  It's a shame that many good small schools have been forced to close, schools that maybe couldn't offer as wide a range of classes, but produced good academic results otherwise.  I forget the name of the small school in east or northeast Arkansas that was forced to consolidate, when the standardized test scores of their students was superior to the school they were forced to consolidate with.
And for a lot of students, a smaller school is a better choice.

As it is, our educational system is an assembly line system and it's all about herding as many children through as efficiently (dollarwise) and hurriedly as they can.

It's all about the money.

So, back to the subject - 6 man football - years ago it would have been a viable and good option, now though, the dwindling numbers of small schools and travel would make it unfeasible.  Would loved to have seen it happen though.

[Mustang Fan]

In Nebraska all smaller schools play 8 man football. There are several players on the university of Nebraska from these 8 man teams.  This would be something class 1A schools to play. Midland is a 1A school forced to play 2A due to no 1a football schools.

[playmaker04]

I like the 8 man idea.

[Mustang Fan]

I heard a group of small schools had spoke with AAA about 8 man football. Their response was if they could find 40 schools willing to play then they would think about starting it.  AAA doesn't understand starting something new?

[mtindian42]

either this or the schools that don't have football need to start programs...Bic comes to mind. riverside and bay  that's 3 schools from this area alone that could start a team...

[Hornet4ever]

Wouldn't say much for six man, maybe 8 man football like some of the Oklahoma teams do around here.

[wiseguy]

In Nebraska all smaller schools play 8 man football. There are several players on the university of Nebraska from these 8 man teams.  This would be something class 1A schools to play. Midland is a 1A school forced to play 2A due to no 1a football schools.

There are currently 8 schools smaller than Midland playing 2a football.

[Blue]

Very few of your smaller schools who are "basketball schools" would be interested in football at any level. They are so deep in tradition of their basketball ways I doubt very many if any of them would give effort to football. They cost of fields would be a major block and they start basketball about week 6 or football season. Cossatot River is a new consilidated school I believe they are 3A combined or Wickes, Cove and maybe another school but they didn't even try to start a football program. I don't think the geographics would make it possible for schools struggling to field 11 man football teams able to play each other, it would take a large number of the non football schools. I would like to see it myself but lots of obstacles will prevent it from happening

[HorseFeathers]

Very few of your smaller schools who are "basketball schools" would be interested in football at any level. They are so deep in tradition of their basketball ways I doubt very many if any of them would give effort to football. They cost of fields would be a major block and they start basketball about week 6 or football season. Cossatot River is a new consilidated school I believe they are 3A combined or Wickes, Cove and maybe another school but they didn't even try to start a football program. I don't think the geographics would make it possible for schools struggling to field 11 man football teams able to play each other, it would take a large number of the non football schools. I would like to see it myself but lots of obstacles will prevent it from happening

There's a private christian school league that sponsers 8 man football.Conway Christian was in it before joining the AAA....Wickes and Vancove merged to form Cossatot River High, Umpire is also in the school district but remains open right now.

[Juco soldier]

I heard a few schools got together to petition the idea of 8 man to the AAA a few years ago. Norphlet was one of them, bc they could see their numbers as far as athletics dropping. I think dermott and norphlet both have ceased football, and now norphlet was consolidated into smackover. Its sad that these schools who used to be football schools lose out when there are options but the AAA refuses to work for small schools in general. They will go out of their way for the larger classifications. I can see it would be a transition, but in the long run the AAA could have benefited from adding a class A football as an 8 man league, with 2 year cycles that teams could move in or out depending on numbers.  I would like for someone to post on here the schools who have either consolidated or lost football as a sport since 1990. I bet the number would surprise us.

[HorseFeathers]

just since i've been posting on here...sparkman, el do westside, hartford is closing this year, norphlet, caddo hills, hughes, parkin, turrel, gillette, eudora, altheimer, and elaine have all closed or dropped football....el do westside posters were hilarious cause they thought they were big shots for scoring 20 on junction city in 2003...they gave up 72 lol

[OB11]

Someone mentioned this in an earlier post; but I think the sheer cost of starting a program (equipment, fields, lights) would all be a deterrent.  As a district, you would have to really buy in to starting a new program and I just don't see a lot of the smaller schools wanting to commit. 

[HorseFeathers]

i wonder if midland not having a field this year,  even after 2 years of jv ball had anythilng to do with them seeing if the program would stick or not..

[WPWells]

Schools I can specifically remember:

Gillette
Norphlet
Altheimer
Now Hartford

[tacklethis...]

just since i've been posting on here...sparkman, el do westside, hartford is closing this year, norphlet, caddo hills, hughes, parkin, turrel, gillette, eudora, altheimer, and elaine have all closed or dropped football....el do westside posters were hilarious cause they thought they were big shots for scoring 20 on junction city in 2003...they gave up 72 lol

Caddo hills? I didn't know they were in trouble, also Kirby is struggling to keep enough.

[Lions84]

YES, YES, YES  I Been saying this on this website since I got on over 10 years ago.

[HorseFeathers]

caddo hills dropped football not closed the school...kirby actuallyj gained a few students this year they were at about 352, think they went above 360 this year

[Lions84]

6-8 man would be great.

[Mustang Fan]

i wonder if midland not having a field this year,  even after 2 years of jv ball had anythilng to do with them seeing if the program would stick or not..

maybe somewhat true. We actually purchased some property and started on one. Then there was a superintendent change and few school board changes   Think everyone on board now and hopefully start seeing some work on new field begin soon

[MustangMomma1]

Midland not having a field is due to many factors.  New Superintendent (who thankfully backs our football program), school board member changes, and to be honest the interest isn't there in the higher grades due to, I believe a fear of injury and not much support.  We have been a basketball school in the past, so the venture into Football has been an uphill battle.  I have 2 boys that both play football, basketball, and baseball. Some of the parents I sit by at a basketball game can't wait to bash football for various reasons.  There is a small group of supporters for our football program.  I would be open to any suggestions to help build support. 

[birddawg1986]

Got to start with a youth program to teach basics then get more in Jr. High playing. I thought Midland Jr High looked great in uniform but the expierence just isn't there yet. Hope for good things in the future for Midland.

[dragondad]

I agree, your support will come if you get a good youth program started from 3rd grade up to 6th grade. Get the high school players involved as much as possible to help out where they can. Those young kids look up to the high school boys and having them involved creates a circle of passion for the game that will carry forward through the years.

[Lions84]

Youth Football the way to build it.   Pappa Frank did that when he came to Barton and we all know what he did down at Walnut Corner.

[MustangMomma1]

We have football starting in the 4th grade.  But I hope and pray that the numbers continue to grow.  I know that the sooner it can be introduced the better.  My son who is the center helped with the peewee boys last year and loved it.  I just hope our numbers continue to increase and that as time goes by we continue to improve and gain the needed experience.

[xcat]

Mississippi's independent school association sponsors 8-man football and has, as of 2014, 20 schools participating. Their new classifications for 2015-2017 will be coming out in January and some indications are that they may have nearly 30 teams playing 8-man. 

If you build it, they will come....

[Mustang Fan]

Mississippi's independent school association sponsors 8-man football and has, as of 2014, 20 schools participating. Their new classifications for 2015-2017 will be coming out in January and some indications are that they may have nearly 30 teams playing 8-man. 

If you build it, they will come....

AAA needs to hear this info

[xcat]

Louisiana will start 8 man football in 2015 - see link.http://lhsaa.org/news/general-news/eight-man-football-update-clinic-details

More classifications = more playoffs/more championships/more revenue for AAA.

[Lions84]

The AAA seems to only care about money any way so why not start 6-8 man Football.  Tons of schools who had Football still got those facilitates just sitting there.

[Juco soldier]

almost too late in that dept, so many schools that had to drop football bc of numbers ended up having to consolidate bc imo not having football killed the school.  Many of the schools that never had football or facilities are basically basketball oriented and usually in control of AD's or basketball coaches who don't want football to interfere with their players/seasons.   

[mtindian42]

The AAA seems to only care about money any way so why not start 6-8 man Football.  Tons of schools who had Football still got those facilitates just sitting there.

lol maybe so 84. I know Turrell's old football field and gym is a farm now.