Just wondering about what people see at other schools. Watching film on a few schools out west it looks like some pretty good sized 8 man schools having numbers troubles. Hemingford and Bayard for example look to have less than 15-16 kids suited up. Morrill as well. We all know about Kimball's trouble too. My question is, what does everyone see for participation percentage in their schools. We have always been pretty fortunate to get 90% or better out. I've been places where that wasn't the case. I am assuming the schools listed above and many others might be less than 50%. Is that something others are seeing around the state. I realize tradition plays into this, but Hemingford was winning titles not long ago.
Football Participation
- Thread starter Power_I_82
- Start date
I don't know the exact percentage but where I am at we have roughly 30-35 kids out on a C1 school.
It seems like there are more boys running cross country this year. I’ve been to meets with 125-150 boys in the field. About twice the number of girls.
I know everyone always says "kids are different now" (and I agree), but it has to be super frustrating to be struggling with numbers and see kids walking the halls that don't do anything.
My son plays for a 6 man school in southwest Nebraska. We have just under 50% participation from boys in the school. Of the 12-14 boys that aren’t out the good news (or bad) is that only one or two should be out. What I mean by that is that they are athletic and would see playing time and would help the team. The bad news is, it’s only going to get worse as long as the NSAA continues to allow schools to drop down in class (11 man to 8 or 8 to 6) when they have an unfair numbers advantage. Now schools with 60 plus boys can get their 22 best out for football and compete in 8 man against schools with 28 total boys in school, 16 of which play football and only 4 of those that can compete at the level of the school with 60 plus boys. More and more kids get discouraged and end up not playing.
I think he’s talking about the Class C schools dropping down to 8-man. Madison comes to mind but I don’t think that has proven to be an advantage for them.
For Some schools they have no option but to Opt Down. You have schools where (Just like you are pointing out) maybe they have 11 or 12 boys that are even willing to go out for football. Some schools are going to have to consider it this next cycle because they are having to forfeit their season away (Kimball is a good example, don't know if they will though).
There are some schools that shouldn't be able to opt down due to they just aren't that competitive. I can only think of a couple that are this way as most are in the situation mentioned above.
2021 Playoff Ineligible Teams
CLASS B
South Sioux City
CLASS C1
Nebraska City
Schuyler
CLASS C2
Valentine
CLASS D1
Conestoga
Madison
Palmyra
Wakefield
=============================
2021 Mid-Cycle Eligible Teams
CLASS C2
Gibbon
Gordon-Rushville
CLASS D1
Ravenna
CLASS D6
Franklin
Harvard
==============================
2021 Eligible Teams in 2-Year Exemption Period
CLASS D1
Ainsworth
Amherst
Arcadia/Loup City
Atkinson West Holt
Lutheran High Northeast
Nebraska Christian
Tri County
Wisner-Pilger
CLASS D6
Deshler
McCool Junction
Silver Lake
I remember in 1977 Kimball was a Class B School !!!
