Bluegrassrivals

Does anyone else have any issues with asking a bunch of student athletes to travel and play a collision sport six times in only a two week period?

Don't forget the semifinals and finals are back to back days. It is better than the first year when you played the semifinals and final on the same day almost back to back for one team

The concept of a state tournament is fine. But this is not basketball or baseball. Kids need time to recover from a game. I don't know if there are a lot of injuries during this two week period, but it seems dangerous to me.

I know that basketball creates the time crunch to get in the tournament, but at what point do we need to take a step back.

I agree two games in two days is tough in football.

Looking at the brackets, I don't see where anyone has to play 6 games in 15 days? I see 5 games total to win a state championship. Some teams only play 4. Correct me if I am wrong?

For the most part, teams have at least 3 days between all games with 7 days between Regionals and Semi-finals.

Check your middle school's schedule. This is not uncommon for teams to play on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the same week.

You're right...it has to be hard on these kids.

KMSFA2 Wrote:Looking at the brackets, I don't see where anyone has to play 6 games in 15 days? I see 5 games total to win a state championship. Some teams only play 4. Correct me if I am wrong?

For the most part, teams have at least 3 days between all games with 7 days between Regionals and Semi-finals.

Check your middle school's schedule. This is not uncommon for teams to play on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the same week.

I think perhaps the person who started this post MAY (I'm guessing here) know of situations like one I am aware of, where at least one 6th grader I know of plays on his school's 5th/6th grade team, then also plays on the middle school/junior high team. And I believe that is wrong for safety reasons, both for the younger kids he plays against, and for him. If a kid has the talent to play up, good for them, but I think they should pick one and stick with that for their health and safety. Anyway, to the original point, if they are playing for two teams, it is VERY possible, with playoffs, etc. to play that many games in that time span.

i agree that it is tough on the kids but extending the season by 2 or 3 more weeks would really cause hardship on some of the basketball programs waiting for football to be over...kinda of a no win situation...

5 games in 15 days. 3 games in 7 days and then 2 games in 2 days.

Well the games only last 24 minutes right? Most of the teams will be practicing full pads anyway. I have saw more players over the years getting hurt worse in practice as compared to actually games at the gradeschool/middle school level. Yeah thats a lot of football games though and its dangerous. But they should be getting a lot of experience. Theres good and bad of this I guess. Someone better have a lot of money if they have a large family and have to travel to all the games. JEEZ

easy task!

ole_blue_sack_15 Wrote:easy task!

What?

Also games are 32 minutes long. Add in the travel during the school week and it can be tough. Bell Co I am fairly sure would of won the first year had they not had to play the 2nd game so close. They cramped the entire game and were just wore out by the title game. The team they lost to received a 2 game break compared to Bell's one.

Bodies are not built to do this type of playing in short periods of time.

KMSFA2 Wrote:Looking at the brackets, I don't see where anyone has to play 6 games in 15 days? I see 5 games total to win a state championship. Some teams only play 4. Correct me if I am wrong?

For the most part, teams have at least 3 days between all games with 7 days between Regionals and Semi-finals.

Check your middle school's schedule. This is not uncommon for teams to play on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the same week.

It could be some teams had conf. finals to play before the tourny started. That could account for more games.

I looked at one of the 8th grade divisions and saw 6 games, the others yes only have 5 but still. My main point is this. If they can not make the tournament work in a more realalistic time frame then why are we having it at all. It seems like be are trying to push this round peg into a square hole.

warmachine Wrote:Well the games only last 24 minutes right? Most of the teams will be practicing full pads anyway. I have saw more players over the years getting hurt worse in practice as compared to actually games at the gradeschool/middle school level. Yeah thats a lot of football games though and its dangerous. But they should be getting a lot of experience. Theres good and bad of this I guess. Someone better have a lot of money if they have a large family and have to travel to all the games. JEEZ

You can not possibly compere game time conditions to those at practice.

THE KIZER Wrote:I looked at one of the 8th grade divisions and saw 6 games, the others yes only have 5 but still. My main point is this. If they can not make the tournament work in a more realalistic time frame then why are we having it at all. It seems like be are trying to push this round peg into a square hole.

You never saw 6 games in any division. It only takes 5 games to win it in the current format. I believe you may have the wrong peg.

If there is one thing I have learned from my coaching experience, it is that no matter what you do...someone will find something to complain about. After reading some of the opinions of the state tournament format and realizing the attitudes with which they were written, it is no surprise that we see these same types of negative, self-centered, self-serving attitudes from athletes on the fields of play. Many student athletes live with these types of attitudes everyday at home.

We complain about travel, ticket prices, too many games, not enough games, which schools are in which division, game times, seedings, which schools get to host games...and on and on and on. Instead of complaining incessantly about how unfair things are and how "everyone" is against your school, why not teach these athletes that, just like in life, there are adversities that must be overcome and they will be better individuals for having met these adversities head-on.

Those involved with the planning, organizing and running of the state tournament do a great service for our middle school football players. They give them the opportunity to experience higher levels of competition and to compete on a state-wide level, which students never before had the opportunity to do.

I appreciate the efforts of those involved in the KYMSFA and I am thrilled that my son has this opportunity to compete against the best in the state.

Nobody is making you play in this tournament! So if you dont like it stay home and quite complaining. Only the teams that are winning have to deal with it. Sounds like a good problem to have .

It also teaches toughness. The teams left are among the toughest in the state. When your mentally and physically out of it, you keep pushing. That's the difference between good teams and great teams.

Pulaski is going to be tough to beat.

well put khs gamenight i couldnt agree more , i am so proud my son has the oppertunity to play in these playoffs and hopefully he will be playing next sunday oct.30th!!!! go jcms eagles!!!

My son is in 6 th grade and plays on the middle school team and he also decided to play on the 5th and 6th grade team as well. He said he did not want to let his friends in the 6th grade down. He played 5 games in 6 days and had a blast. I think that it all depends on the kid. There are also 2 other players are doing the same thing and all three have improved greatly.

Jacket fan Wrote:My son is in 6 th grade and plays on the middle school team and he also decided to play on the 5th and 6th grade team as well. He said he did not want to let his friends in the 6th grade down. He played 5 games in 6 days and had a blast. I think that it all depends on the kid. There are also 2 other players are doing the same thing and all three have improved greatly.

I have noticed these kids playing up on the middle school team. They seem to be having a lot of fun playing with the older kids and have been able to use what they have learned to help them in the 6th grade games. They are bigger kids for their age group so that might be the difference in them being able to play for middle school team at younger age.

khsgamenight Wrote:If there is one thing I have learned from my coaching experience, it is that no matter what you do...someone will find something to complain about. After reading some of the opinions of the state tournament format and realizing the attitudes with which they were written, it is no surprise that we see these same types of negative, self-centered, self-serving attitudes from athletes on the fields of play. Many student athletes live with these types of attitudes everyday at home.

We complain about travel, ticket prices, too many games, not enough games, which schools are in which division, game times, seedings, which schools get to host games...and on and on and on. Instead of complaining incessantly about how unfair things are and how "everyone" is against your school, why not teach these athletes that, just like in life, there are adversities that must be overcome and they will be better individuals for having met these adversities head-on.

Those involved with the planning, organizing and running of the state tournament do a great service for our middle school football players. They give them the opportunity to experience higher levels of competition and to compete on a state-wide level, which students never before had the opportunity to do.

I appreciate the efforts of those involved in the KYMSFA and I am thrilled that my son has this opportunity to compete against the best in the state.

I don't think anyone was complaining about the KMSFA, I think perhaps it was not properly worded in that the original poster may be concerned about how young, still developing bodies are impacted by this many games in a tight time span. Perhaps there is more to the story than I know, maybe the original poster has made other complaints or whatever that I am not aware of. But in just reading the post, that's how I took it.

You are right, many people DO complain (Lord knows I have). And you can never please everyone, don't even try. Just do what is the best you can do for the kids, focus on that, and let the rest be white noise. I think the KMSFA sounds like a great organization, good luck to you all.

PHSForever,

My post was meant as a general response to all of the criticism of the KYMSFA and the State Tournament format, of which I considered the original poster to be part. This is the post that prompted my response.

THE KIZER Wrote:I looked at one of the 8th grade divisions and saw 6 games, the others yes only have 5 but still. My main point is this. If they can not make the tournament work in a more realalistic time frame then why are we having it at all. It seems like be are trying to push this round peg into a square hole.

Even after it was made clear that teams would not play 6 games, the original poster still would not admit he was mistaken about the number of games played in the State Tournament. The poster went on to say that if "a more realistic time frame" could not be figured out, then it should not be held. Also, he had posted this in another thread which generated very few comments.

The KYMSFA had taken a beating on this site from other posters concerning the integrity of the organization because they did not answer the question a poster asked...when it was of no concern to him.

After a while, it just gets to the point that the complaining becomes tiresome, childish and predictable. Those who work with the KYMSFA, among whom I am not, don't deserve the criticism and accusations being levied at them. They work too hard and do too much good for our middle school student athletes for us to constantly complain.

the people in charge of the championship tournament are to be praised,,,not nit-picked by every sideline parent or couch potato fan who have opinions on everything but would not lift a finger to run such a large undertaking as this...with over 100 schools participating in three divisions of 8th grade and one division of 7th.... i say good joband thank you

5 games in 15 days. I just looked at it again, my eyes are not quite as good as they used to be. I am sorry It was misleading. If I knew how, I would change the post title.

Let me just say this... Many of you are right, as a coach or parent I do not have to enter my team or allow my son to play in the tournament.

I have no problem with the state championship for middle schools. Maybe my words did not potray my feelings acurately. I just feel like the tournament schedule for the tournament may be a little tight. I posted the question becasue of the possible injuries from fatigue the players may be subject to.

As a coach, and a parent I struggle with at what point are we pushing too much. The point of this post was to ask others what their opinions of the time frame of the tournament was.

Aren't there quite a few non sanctioned tournaments after the season for all star and "select" teams that require 3-4 games in a weekend? whats the difference?

There is only a few games left, parents and coaches need to focus on getting their kids to the state championship instead of gripping.

I am not sure I would compare a game every 3 to 4 days tournament to a 3 to 4 game weekend tournament. I knew they had all star games but I was unaware of the weekend tournaments.