[SKINNYPIG]

I actually thought the creation of the middle school would help football. I thought it would allow the players to fully become involved in the "system" and allow for them to have access to better facilities and coaching. I also thought, incorrectly, that it would allow for more kids to play, as I figured the coaches would be told to platoon and use different players on special teams. I thought with the numbers available players would stay with their grade and not play up. More coaches also would equal more individual instruction on fundamentals.
I agree that there should be coaches in the building at both the high school and middle school. No better way to keep players involved than being involved.
As for elementary football, the high school coach should be directly in charge of the entire program, from playbooks to coaches.
Transportation will always be an issue in rural county school systems. some provide it, some don't. Just my opinion, but somewhere along the line parents and players have to take a personal interest in the program. Getting to practice is an individual responsibility. Football is an extracurricular activity.
When it comes right down to it, whover gets this job has to change the culture of the program, which is going to be a monumental job. It can be done but not by one man alone. As many have stated, it will take an entire community to get this going.

I've always looked at it like this WW...prior to the middle school we had 8 grade schools playing football and basketball. That meant coach Kieth could have 8 point guards coming to freshman practice to compete for the starting spot. Coach Hensley could have 8 QB's, 40 lineman and 16 linebackers fighting for a spot on the freshman team. Of course ALL the players didn't come out for the freshman team but, there certainly was more competition without the middle school. Now we're lucky if key players on the MS team even play at HS. When they do play freshman ball it seams like there's no competition to EARN your spot, it's in stone from the 6th grade on who the freshman point guard and QB will be.

We used to weed our athletes out when they were freshman, now we weed them out at the 6th grade. Just think how many good players we might not have had in the 70's & 80's if the middle school had been in service.