Alco cancels freshman football season

[TDHelmick]

Due to a lack of numbers, Allegany HS will not field a freshman football team this fall. This became official today. Fort Hill is now the only school in Garrett, Allegany, Washington and Frederick County that has a freshman program. Although I have heard through the grapevine that Middletown was going to field one based on private funding. Not sure how true that is but it's interesting.

FH needs games September 6, October 10 and October 31. Will have to play JV teams or travel far. Already have a game at Manchester Valley (2 hour 19 min drive). That's what it has come to.

 

[Seasoned Lettuce]

Fort Hill Freshman may have to play Fort Hill JV in a game.

 

[Red Dude]

Sorry to hear that!!!

 

[TDHelmick]

JV schedule is full.

 

[camper21502]

wow thats sad...

 

[TDHelmick]

Middletown does not have freshman football. No one in Frederick County does. FH is it west of Frederick.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Middletown does not have freshman football. No one in Frederick County does. FH is it west of Frederick.

Yep, last year Linganore and Middletown were the only 2 Frederick County teams with freshman football and that was only because the parents were willing to fork out more money in their participation fee. The BOE was going to readdress the issue for this year and I am not sure if they nixed them all together (ie not giving the option of the increased participation fee) or if Linganore and Middletown just decided not to do it this year.

 

[Harleydeuce]

How many kids does Fort hill have on each freshman and JV team?

 

[bigdawgrefwmd]

I've never figured out why the Schools in Cumberland that are 1A would want to have Freshman football in the first place.
The better 10th graders could go up and help the varsity and The 9th and 10th graders would play JV Football. It always seemed like a waste of money to me.

 

[FHHSAHS]

I've never figured out why the Schools in Cumberland that are 1A would want to have Freshman football in the first place.
The better 10th graders could go up and help the varsity and The 9th and 10th graders would play JV Football. It always seemed like a waste of money to me.

Good point, but I do think...at least historically, playing the freshmen as their own team has given them a lot more game time experience that is valuable to them as varsity. By combining the two underclassmen teams, you limit the field time that some players may see as 9th graders. And that extra year of field time might help them develop to be starters on the varsity.

 

[BoyznBlue]

I've never figured out why the Schools in Cumberland that are 1A would want to have Freshman football in the first place.
The better 10th graders could go up and help the varsity and The 9th and 10th graders would play JV Football. It always seemed like a waste of money to me.

I agree 100% with this statement. I think the freshman squads are more about tradition than anything else. I think over the next few years we'll see more schools drop freshman football.

 

[ed r forshey]

Call Morgantown, WV

How far are you willing to travel to play a freshmen game.

Parkersburg and Wheeling Park needs games

 

[FHHSAHS]

I agree 100% with this statement. I think the freshman squads are more about tradition than anything else. I think over the next few years we'll see more schools drop freshman football.

The teams that drop their freshmen programs will continuously decline in productivity too, in my opinion.

 

[towpath94]

How many kids does Fort hill have on each freshman and JV team?

around 50 total

 

[4R341]

I agree 100% with this statement. I think the freshman squads are more about tradition than anything else. I think over the next few years we'll see more schools drop freshman football.

So you think freshman kids should sit the bench and not play, all because you have some hangup over "tradition"? It benefits the JV and varsity teams for these kids to get playing time. However, ultimately, it benefits these kids who just want to play. This is what matters most.

 

[TDHelmick]

Freshman football is a definitive advantage if you have the numbers to do so, couldn't disagree more that it is irrelevant. Most of the frosh would be spending time on the bench if combined (see QB position as a prime example as FH has two really good ones on both squads). At FH they have 3 coaches on both JV and freshmen, which leads to a great deal of teaching in a smaller classroom setting. Unless you believe getting experience with playing time in an actual game is counter productive, then OK. I'm not saying that teams without frosh football are not as good, just stating that frosh football definitely helps in terms of development and experience. I would think that is just simple logic.

 

[TDHelmick]

Call Morgantown, WV

How far are you willing to travel to play a freshmen game.

Parkersburg and Wheeling Park needs games

FH has played Morgantown almost every year on either JV, freshmen or both. They are on the JV schedule this fall and I have tried for frosh but they are full, at least for the dates needed. FH already traveling 2 hours to Manchester Valley for a game. Now working on a private school from Baltimore...so yes at this point it's either travel far or play other JV teams. And I'm not having luck finding local JV teams with a date open either. JV games are tougher to find because everyone has a JV team. I think Parkersburg is too far, Wheeling might not be. You just don't want kids getting back after midnight on a school night.

I also got a call from John Champe HS in Virginia. They needed a JV game because Spring Mills folded their freshman/JV program. But for the life of me I cannot find out what that deal is with Spring Mills (no return calls). Did they cancel just frosh or JV or both? Also found that Washington (WV) folded their JV program.

 

[FHHSAHS]

I still say that unless you really have not enough players to field a team at all (less than 12 or 13), you should at least try to have the team. Numbers are pretty high right now on the hill, but in the last few years FH has had frosh and or JV teams with 14 or 15 players. It gets a little squirrelly if you have a few injuries, but still.

If I'm not mistaken, last year's senior class 2016, had a very small freshman team when they were younger. Last years senior class in general had low numbers all around in athletics...but as freshmen, I'd be surprised if they had more than 15. If that team had combined with the JV's...I don't think some of those players...especially the linemen..May, Watts, etc...would've had all that valuable game time experience..which they carried with them into their senior year and a title. Would FH still have won a title if those teams were combined? I dunno, maybe? But I still think that extra year of experience (even getting beaten, which the 2016 seniors did when they were frosh) is invaluable.

 

[hamspear]

Freshman football is a definitive advantage if you have the numbers to do so, couldn't disagree more that it is irrelevant. Most of the frosh would be spending time on the bench if combined (see QB position as a prime example as FH has two really good ones on both squads). At FH they have 3 coaches on both JV and freshmen, which leads to a great deal of teaching in a smaller classroom setting. Unless you believe getting experience with playing time in an actual game is counter productive, then OK. I'm not saying that teams without frosh football are not as good, just stating that frosh football definitely helps in terms of development and experience. I would think that is just simple logic.

This is exactly true, Freshman Football was eliminated in Frederick County , VA about 5 or 6 years ago, and all four high schools have seen a decline not only in quality of football, but team numbers are down county wide. Worse mistake ever if you want to maintain a level of play that you accustomed to.

 

[ed r forshey]

Todd,
Parkersburg could schedule Fort Hill freshmen for a Saturday afternoon.

 

[TDHelmick]

Parkersburg is a 3 hour drive. I could probably find those games in Baltimore/DC areas which is closer. Not sure principal likes to send kids that far for frosh game for several reasons.

 

[Red Neck]

FH has played Morgantown almost every year on either JV, freshmen or both. They are on the JV schedule this fall and I have tried for frosh but they are full, at least for the dates needed. FH already traveling 2 hours to Manchester Valley for a game. Now working on a private school from Baltimore...so yes at this point it's either travel far or play other JV teams. And I'm not having luck finding local JV teams with a date open either. JV games are tougher to find because everyone has a JV team. I think Parkersburg is too far, Wheeling might not be. You just don't want kids getting back after midnight on a school night.

I also got a call from John Champe HS in Virginia. They needed a JV game because Spring Mills folded their freshman/JV program. But for the life of me I cannot find out what that deal is with Spring Mills (no return calls). Did they cancel just frosh or JV or both? Also found that Washington (WV) folded their JV program.

Champe would be a good add, but a bit of a hike to Aldie (Rt 50 eastern Loudoun County). A new facility; their varsity had an unexpected one loss season in 2015. They got beat last week by a strong Woodgrove team out of Purcellville. Might want to grab this one, as I assume they're searching since SM dropped them late and other teams have their schedules set.

 

[mccoke]

I just saw the Red Huddle's post of team photos on Facebook. Just counting heads, FH has 30 on the JV squad and 26 kids on the Frosh squad. Those a fine numbers for 1A football.

 

[TDHelmick]

FYI...Fort Hill freshman picked up a game to replace Allegany on Tuesday at 5:00. They will play the Keyser JV team.

Tuesday - September 6
FROSH: Keyser at FH - 5:00 pm
JV: Allegany at FH - 7:00 pm

Thanks to Keyser AD Lori Wilson and the Keyser JV coaches for making this happen. The FH JV game against Keyser on October 24 is now moved to Keyser. All schedules are up to date on FortHillFootball.net

 

[OneRing]

So you think freshman kids should sit the bench and not play, all because you have some hangup over "tradition"? It benefits the JV and varsity teams for these kids to get playing time. However, ultimately, it benefits these kids who just want to play. This is what matters most.

What do you think happens when those kids are juniors on varsity? They sit the bench and don't play.
By your logic we need two varsity teams, just so every kid gets playing time.
Northern hasn't had a freshman program in forever and is as good as they've ever been. Keyser doesn't have a freshman program and is fine.
How many times has one of the area schools called up a JV quarterback as a backup and he sits the bench for two years, and is still fine his senior year.
Sorry, but playing freshman ball is not going to turn a bench player into a contributor.
It's basically a participation trophy team.

 

[TDHelmick]

Like I stated earlier...if anyone thinks playing in games and getting game experience isn't worthwhile then OK.

 

[ed r forshey]

One thing Freshmen sports does do is keep players active in a sport.
Some would never come out if they knew in advance they would never see the playing field until they were JRs if it wasn't for Freshmen and JV sports

 

[ed r forshey]

Parkersburg, WV has 35 players on its freshmen team,
I'm welling to bet, that 25 of them wouldn't have even came out if it wasn't for knowing they could see the playing field as freshmen.

 

[Red Neck]

The flip side of this is VA (and I'm sure other areas) has the option to play down their less skilled juniors on JV to give them playing experience. In Fairfax County there could be 20 juniors playing JV for the bigger schools. The argument is then 'it takes playing time away from the sophs...' Perhaps, but its more like the old Taxi Squad in the NFL grooming the kids to play varsity. I've seen it work in favor of the juniors many times.

 

[theprocessworks]

freshman sports and playing time is a good thing but its not essential. development in a strength and conditioning program and a will to compete are the most important components that make a good high school varsity athlete.

 

[FHHSAHS]

What do you think happens when those kids are juniors on varsity? They sit the bench and don't play.
By your logic we need two varsity teams, just so every kid gets playing time.

I think that's the debate I have though, is if they play as freshmen and sophomores, that and sit as a junior while on varsity..they still have 2 years under their belt and will possibly get their 3rd when they are seniors. But sitting as freshmen and juniors with only JV as an option they come in as seniors with possibly only a year experience.

I don't know that playing that extra year changes them to be better than they already had the capacity to be; inasmuch as it gives them game time experience that you cant get, regardless of how many scrimmages or practice squads you're on. And it gives them the incentive to get better and better. It doesn't hurt.

Northern hasn't had a freshman program in forever and is as good as they've ever been. Keyser doesn't have a freshman program and is fine.

"As good as they've ever been" and "fine" aren't necessarily terms that indicate a very high bar. Especially when it comes to playoff time. I'm not naive enough to think that simply having a freshmen team means that Northern would suddenly be racking up 1A titles. But I don't see it hurting them either.

The more you play, the better you get. My golf game is indicative of that. I only play twice a year...and it shows.

 

[towpath94]

did Alco think they dropped JV football as well? They were down 34-0 to FH at halftime.