[HeartOFaChampion]

Well since basketball has middle school kids playing for them why shouldn't the football promgrams have middle school kids on there teams? It just don't make since to me.hh:

[Lattimer_99]

No, unless you want someone killed.

[jchsrulz]

Absolutely NOT!!! Strength is not there.:wieghts:

[Falcons#23BS]

i think depending on how big the kid is and if he is stong enough to handle it then yes i think they should be allowed to play cuz right now i can think of one player that played for sfms last yr that i know could have been able to play varsity for them

[Tomcat68]

Ashland (Matt Thomas) and Russell (Josh Gross and possibly Michael Gabbard) both have had middle school players who played freshman football. All of which started varsity their freshmen year and didn't play freshmen their actual freshmen year.

I know Ashland had problems with playing Thomas against Fairview beacuse Fairview has sophmores and juniors on their freshmen team because of their sheer lack of numbers for the football program.

[SVHSFootball]

I think if you are in middle school, you should be playing middle school football, the strength is the main factor these kids shouldn't be thrown onto the varsity fields..another factor is the speed. High school football is a LOT faster than grade school football, athletes can't just jump levels of competition like that.

[Ridge Runner]

Well since basketball has middle school kids playing for them why shouldn't the football promgrams have middle school kids on there teams? It just don't make since to me.hh:

Well, here KHSAA's ruling on the matter:

Case BL-4-6- What restrictions are in place forstudents below grade nine (9) to participate on thehigh school level? Can students below grade nine (9) participate for a highschool team? Provided that the elementary school,middle school or junior high school where the student is enrolled is under the direct administrative supervision of the same board of education as the member school the student desires to represent, the student may participate without limitation in all sports except for football, soccer and wrestling. If the local Board of Education has an adopted and enforced defined feeder pattern for its middle/junior high school students, participation at the high school level is restricted to the schools within that pattern (feeder school). Can a local school board place restrictions and limits on participation in sports other than football, soccer and wrestling? KRS 156.070 (2) bans the KHSAA or Kentucky Board of Education from implementing any prohibition on 7th and 8th graders participating in high school sports, and as interpreted, leaves that determination to the Local Board of Education and/or SBDM Council. However, that same statute and subsequent Attorney General Opinions specifically ban a prohibition against students playing on more than one school-sponsored team at the same time. Specifically exempted from this statute are the sports of football, soccer and wrestling, whose participants may be restricted if they are enrolled below grade nine. Students enrolled below grade nine (9) may not participate at the varsity level in football or soccer, and students below grade seven (7) may not participate in wrestling at the varsity level. Further definitions concerning “varsity level” in football, soccer and wrestling are contained in these interpretations. Is there a special academic rule for those students below grade nine (9)? Yes, Bylaw 5, Section 4 contains specific language relative to the participation of students below grade nine (9). Can a repeating student represent a KHSAA member school under any conditions in interscholastic athletics? Student-athletes may not represent a member school as a participant at any level if they are repeating a grade. What restrictions are in place in football and soccer for students below grade nine (9)? [size=2]Students below grade nine (9) within a feeder school and/or within the local system may not participate in any activity (practice, scrimmage or game) designated by either team as “varsity (first team)” in football or soccer. Students below grade nine (9) may not participate (practice, scrimmage or play) on non-varsity (freshman, junior varsity, etc.) level teams in football or soccer if any member of the team they are representing or the team they are competing against is enrolled in any grade above grade ten (10). It is the obligation of the school desiring to allow the grade school (below grade nine) student to participate to ensure compliance with this provision.



Well, thought this may help alittle. Must say I agree. Football, Wrestling and Soccer has just to much contact and kids below the 9th grade are just not mature enough to handle this. I don't care how big they are. They are still just kids. I witnessed this first hand one envening after watching a 8th garde foorball game. I was leaving and the Freshman game was kicking off. And WOW! I had to stop and look, because the noise level from the contact was unreal compared to what I had just watch.
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CASE SITUATIONS
CASE SITUATIONS FOR

BYLAWS

[truefan]

No way. Strength and muturity is just not there. Russell had Gross start when he was a freshman but not while he was in middle school. Good way to get a kid hurt. Even if a kid has the size most of the time he has not matured mentally yet. Let the kids play where they should.

[Pirate Pal]

I'm not trying to dig on Virgie....BUT has anyone seen the size of these kids???

I know that almost all of them has been held back at least 1 year, if not 2. Yes, these kids could play high school ball and do very well at it.

Now, if a child is of NORMAL MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, which is 11/12/13/14, then NO! If the child is of NORMAL HIGH SCHOOL AGE, 15/16 and still in middle school, then yes..they are maturally ready.

[Dont Take It Away!]

nope

[football dad]

[QUOTE="Pirate Pal"]I'm not trying to dig on Virgie....BUT has anyone seen the size of these kids???

I know that almost all of them has been held back at least 1 year, if not 2. Yes, these kids could play high school ball and do very well at it.

Now, if a child is of NORMAL MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, which is 11/12/13/14, then NO! If the child is of NORMAL HIGH SCHOOL AGE, 15/16 and still in middle school, then yes..they are maturally ready.[/QUOTE
]Why would a kid wanna give up his senior year..that is what he"d do if he played varsity in the 8th grade..and as far as Virgie being big yea they were this year but talented,not really I know thats gonna piss some people off but I watched Grundy play them with 5 7th graders and 2 6th and 2 8th graders on the field and they gave them all they wanted... the run is over for Virgie... just hope
Newsome hangs around to get some of that what comes around goes around he"s got coming to him for beaten up on the little guys in Pike conty like he has..

[brotherinarms]

i cant see how any coach could be so hard up for players that he has to draft from a middle school. At most schools around the state if the football program has any little tiny bit of hope the student body is behind the program all the way and players want to be a part of that. I could see how coaches need players but i cant see how a coach needs players so bad that he has to go to a middle school. It would take a true prodigy to make that large jump and be a truly effective player.

[BelfryJustice]

I agree with Pirate Pal on this one. There are limited cases but most shouldn’t.

chemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />:bow:

[BC75]

i really don't think so, because this almost caught me up. when i was in grade school i had several chances to play on the varsity level for betsy layne, but something always came up an i never got to. thank god, because my last minute decision to go to prestonsburg would of sucked, i would of lost a year of eligability. so i say keep your options open young guys!

[DEVILOLOGIST]

Seth Harvey of Russell was 13 years old and in the 8th grade when he played for the Freshman team BUT he was 6'5" and around 290 at that time. NOW at Russell we have changed our little league football to Pee-Wee JFL at age 7 to 10 years old. These ages are split into 2 teams, A and B. B team is 7and 8 year olds, A team is 9 and 10 year olds. OUr league has 4 teams currently in this division and wil be expanding to 5 teams this year. Last year we had around 40 - 7 year olds sign up and this year will be the same. We have changed the next level to 6th ,7th and 8th grade teams. If you are in the 6th grade, you play 6th grade ball and so on. Our problem is that when we travel to play other teams in the area our kids seem to be playing kids OLDER than themselves. You have to rely on the coaches being fair, but good luck.

[Nascar99]

"Can a repeating student represent a KHSAA member school under any conditions in interscholastic athletics? Student-athletes may not represent a member school as a participant at any level if they are repeating a grade."...............If i understand this right.........then an 8th grader that has been held back cannot play on a Freshman team.........right or wrong? Just asking.

[Carver08]

most middle school players are fast and strong to be in there age group but would get killed in high school

[truefan]

NO WAY! Kids are just not physicaly and or mentally ready. Russell very seldom does. And even the Harvey kid. Even though his physical presence looked dominering. At that time he only had 1 or 2 yrs of football and mentally it would have helped him to play middle school ball instead o freshman. You will find out that most of the time it is the parents wanting there child moved up. Just to be able to say my kid plays up how bought yours? Not with Harvey. He has great parents. Let the kids play where they are suppose to and grow and muture.

[WOW]

"Can a repeating student represent a KHSAA member school under any conditions in interscholastic athletics? Student-athletes may not represent a member school as a participant at any level if they are repeating a grade."...............If i understand this right.........then an 8th grader that has been held back cannot play on a Freshman team.........right or wrong? Just asking.

I think it means if you are repeating 8th or 7th grade (which ever the case may be). - you cannot play HS sports twice in the same grade. Say an 8th grade student played HS ball- the next year he stays back in 8th grade again- he cannot play HS ball that second year.

Of course I'm no lawyer- and I think you need one to interpret KHSAA by-laws. LOL

[t-cat07]

I think if they are amazingly huge for there size. then maybe

[~Big Bo~]

it mainly depend on there size...if there big enough to hang with the big boys then yeah....but for most 8th graders Definitely not

[footballdaddy10]

8th graders should not be able to go out there and get knocked around with the varsity players. I dont see a problem with them playing for freshmen or jv teams but they are usually not physically and mentally ready to compete in the varsity games.

[KentuckyHillBilly5321]

I am taking the question for what it is . . . . .

No.

If you are talking about 7th, 8th graders playing freshman--that needs to be judged on a case by case basis. And--handled correctly. Some kids of that age can handle it.

I don't think that anyone YOUNGER than the 9th grade needs to be playing in a jv or varsity game. Things are a little too nasty on that level. I would be more worried about emotional maturity than physical maturity. Things could be real nasty.

[BruteForce01]

They are no different then 1st year players

[syoung]

I don't think that boys that age are mature enough mentally or physically to compete at a high school level. Too much pressure.