Talked to a coach from Canton last night and their game against Velma Jackson is at 7 tonight. Feels like it should have been a mandate rather than counting on coaches to agree. I can 100% see a prideful coach not wanting to look "weak", or thinking his team is in better shape and has an advantage, and thus not agree to push to 8PM. Don't know that it has happened, but my experience in football indicates that it is possible unless coaches have changed dramatically over the years...
You're spot on.
Back then a lot of the schools didn't have air conditioning (mine included), which is why they started later. But football always started around labor day as I recall.
We always started school the week before Labor Day. Seems like first game was the Friday after Labor Day.
You recall correctly. First day of school was Tuesday after Labor Day. First football game that Friday night.
Games between teams located fairly close (think metro Jackson teams) shouldn't be an issue starting an hour later but for teams traveling a long distance it makes a big difference. If I was a coast team playing in central ms an extra hour may make me think twice about starting an hour later based on what time you would make it back.
I had relatives who went to Eupora, I've been to dozens of games at that field. Alway brought my own chair and sat on the hill in the (west?) end zone. That was 20ish years ago. There were some great Eupora v Ackerman games back then.
Never let facts get in the way of perfectly good outrage
I should have prefaced this by saying that when asked about later kickoffs due to heat, this was the excuse given.
Been in high school coaching for the last 2 decades along with being the devil, and any coach that thinks like your are describing should be immediately fired. Just my two cents.
Did not mean to imply that you were wrong, but being a coach has changed dramatically from the salt tablet days from legal liability to just a better understanding of safe practices stand points. To me it has always been simple, and this does not apply to a particular era. If you are doing anything that puts your players' safety at risk that could be avoided, then you should be shown the door. Winning is important. Having a advantage is important. But not as important as a kid's life, given that less than 3% of the kids that ever put on a high school helmet will go to college or make a living playing ball.
Starkville HS had Midnight Madness on the 12th, they had a shooting about 12:30 a.m. somewhere on the campus. Nothing good happens after midnight........
In GA, stoppages come down from GHSAA guidelines. Everyone goes off of wet bulb readings. It’s a better indicator than heat index. All the coaches have to record field level, wet bulb readings before they conduct a practice. To make it worse, we have turf fields. Our fields are awesome but, it’s hotter than the 7th level of hell on them right now. A few weekends ago, some private lacrosse club was practicing in the middle of the day on the fields. They had sprinkler/mister system set up. One of the coaches temped a black line on the field at 138 degrees.
There was an old man we called, "Foots" at all the games. He frequented the west end zone and the visitors sideline.Ya gotta get there early with your chair to get them premium hill spots
Since 1980 was 43 years ago, perhaps you can forgive the 20 million who are too young to remember that, and forgive the 180 million who werent even born yet.
I was out this morning training in a hazmat moon suit. if I can do that then kids can play a little football.
When I was in school we didn’t observe Labor Day.
