Letter sent to Phil Rollins and Authur Shepherd

[smilin]

After ten years in kiddie football and two leagues, I can't believe it never ends. Thank goodness for high school ball.
Pigskin always weighed in before every game. What's the deal? The head of the Raiders, Chris Pixton never had a problem questioning any weight.
Sounds like sour grapes looking for an excuse or just growing pains.
Fix it, get over it, wait for the next complaint.

 

[Pete]

I believe the Braves team did file a protest and paid the fee. The parties involved were supposed to meet with R&P last night I think.

well if they paid the fee and weighed the kid and he was over I am not sure what the problem is.

This is my problem with weighing every game.

1. First off age and weight parameters are fine. A pound here or there doesn't make THAT much difference but rules are rules. I dislike people who pull the "Safety" card because a 77 pound kid running headlong into a kid is literally no different than a 78 pound kid running headlong into someone People play the weight game trying to get key players disqualified off opposing teams to make it easier to beat them. Simple as that. I have seen kids who weigh 110 completely destroy and hurt kids that weigh 140 based on ABILITY. That is a 30 pound difference not the 1 pound the OP is whining about.

2. So you have a weight limit, a weekly growth allowance. Good for you. You also have scales that are 15 years old, stored in a metal container box 365 days a year in the heat, cold, dirt, grime and they are abused, knocked over, have crap stacked on them and they are calibrated by a guy who drops a 5 pound weight on them and makes adjustments with his pocket knife. I have seen times when there were 2 in there and both give different weights.

3. So you have a pad allowance. Good for you. What about all the other pads they buy and wear? Are you going to have them strip and weigh without pads? That means you now have to strip off pants, flack jackets, rib pads. I mean 6 ounces is 6 ounces.

4. So you have a kid who meets weigh in in August and practices with his team for a month, makes weight for 3 games but is 1 pound over on the growth allowance in week 4. What do you do with that kid? Take him off a team he has been on for 2 months and move him up to a new team? Do you leave him and hope the next week he will make weight? What if he doesn't? Now he has been out for 2 weeks. You ready to look him in the face and watch a tear well up and tell him he can't play because he is 16 ounces too heavy as revealed on your rusty worn out 1981 Hobart scale that has bee in the shed for 6 years?

I think the way Calvert does it and ST Mary's seems to have adopted is fine.

Weigh them once in August. If they pass they are in. If they make playoffs they weigh them again with the growth factored in. If someone *thinks* a kid is too heavy at any period go ahead and protest. Pay the fee and take your chances. Weigh the kid with the growth allowance up to that point.

 

[LoveGodAlways]

I agree, I have always believed the kids should be weighed before each game, this will make it so no one can complain. I also believe the real birth certificate should be shown, not a copy. This is a kids sport and too many times adults put their personal feelings into it not realizing they are only hurting the kids.

 

[Pete]

I agree, I have always believed the kids should be weighed before each game, this will make it so no one can complain. I also believe the real birth certificate should be shown, not a copy. This is a kids sport and too many times adults put their personal feelings into it not realizing they are only hurting the kids.

I think they should take it a step further you should pay a contractor who does precision measurement to set up a trailer that is meticulously leveled, calibrated, and climate controlled. A certified weight ticket printed and issued to each kid. Also DNA and retina scans should be performed. I mean you can get a fake birth certificate anywhere. How do we REALLY know that the 60 pound pipsqueek linebacker for the Hornets is REALLY Bobby? It could be a 7 year old Ronnie Lott clone some one snuck in.


The is no way possible to make it so no one can complain.

 

[Zguy28]

well if they paid the fee and weighed the kid and he was over I am not sure what the problem is.

This is my problem with weighing every game.

1. First off age and weight parameters are fine. A pound here or there doesn't make THAT much difference but rules are rules. I dislike people who pull the "Safety" card because a 77 pound kid running headlong into a kid is literally no different than a 78 pound kid running headlong into someone People play the weight game trying to get key players disqualified off opposing teams to make it easier to beat them. Simple as that. I have seen kids who weigh 110 completely destroy and hurt kids that weigh 140 based on ABILITY. That is a 30 pound difference not the 1 pound the OP is whining about.

2. So you have a weight limit, a weekly growth allowance. Good for you. You also have scales that are 15 years old, stored in a metal container box 365 days a year in the heat, cold, dirt, grime and they are abused, knocked over, have crap stacked on them and they are calibrated by a guy who drops a 5 pound weight on them and makes adjustments with his pocket knife. I have seen times when there were 2 in there and both give different weights.

3. So you have a pad allowance. Good for you. What about all the other pads they buy and wear? Are you going to have them strip and weigh without pads? That means you now have to strip off pants, flack jackets, rib pads. I mean 6 ounces is 6 ounces.

4. So you have a kid who meets weigh in in August and practices with his team for a month, makes weight for 3 games but is 1 pound over on the growth allowance in week 4. What do you do with that kid? Take him off a team he has been on for 2 months and move him up to a new team? Do you leave him and hope the next week he will make weight? What if he doesn't? Now he has been out for 2 weeks. You ready to look him in the face and watch a tear well up and tell him he can't play because he is 16 ounces too heavy as revealed on your rusty worn out 1981 Hobart scale that has bee in the shed for 6 years?

I think the way Calvert does it and ST Mary's seems to have adopted is fine.

Weigh them once in August. If they pass they are in. If they make playoffs they weigh them again with the growth factored in. If someone *thinks* a kid is too heavy at any period go ahead and protest. Pay the fee and take your chances. Weigh the kid with the growth allowance up to that point.

I agree with what you wrote here Pete. ^^

 

[Pete]

I agree with what you wrote here Pete. ^^

This is why I never held it against Kemp for being an a-hole. He had to listen to this crap for 20+ years.

 

[Zguy28]

This is why I never held it against Kemp for being an a-hole. He had to listen to this crap for 20+ years.

True that. I dealt with it last year, and that was enough drama for me.

But, like I said, there have been 37 other games this season with no problems that I know of. That's still pretty good.

 

[sdm]

The writer of this letter is not the one who posted it and may not know it was even posted. The letter was posted because the public needs to know what is going on within parks and recs. This letter was written by someone who is on the outside looking in and who doesn't have a kid playing for the league. They signed the letter but the name was removed before posting. As far as the kids having fun, it is hard for them to have fun if the team can not play, this hurts both teams.

All I can say is Wow! I can't believe I am reading this on a public forum. This is a departmental issue and should be addressed within the department -- not on a public forum. I will definitely bring this to the attention of the department heads.

 

[Otter]

The writer of this letter is not the one who posted it and may not know it was even posted. The letter was posted because the public needs to know what is going on within parks and recs. This letter was written by someone who is on the outside looking in and who doesn't have a kid playing for the league. They signed the letter but the name was removed before posting. As far as the kids having fun, it is hard for them to have fun if the team can not play, this hurts both teams.

All I can say is Wow! I can't believe I am reading this on a public forum. This is a departmental issue and should be addressed within the department -- not on a public forum. I will definitely bring this to the attention of the department heads.

My work here is done.

 

[Pete]

True that. I dealt with it last year, and that was enough drama for me.

But, like I said, there have been 37 other games this season with no problems that I know of. That's still pretty good.

And all last year with no problems about weight and crap.

There are plenty of complaints, I even have one.

I wish if they were seriously interested in improving the program they would look into the time keeping and officiating. Last year the officials would speed up or disregard the clock depending on various conditions IE: behind schedule, weather, lopsided game.

Just last week we were winning and they ended the first quarter. We went out in the second and ran 4 plays and had 1 penalty and mysteriously the 2nd quarter ended. The worst was at the end of the game they gave us the 2 minute warning right after the opponents turned the ball over on downs on their own 15 yard line. (yea stupid coaching on their part) We got one play and they called the game to keep us from scoring again.

The point is the boys practice 3 times a week hard. They are dedicated and expect to play a "full game" not "just enough to win". We have a lot of kids we have to cycle through.

 

[Zguy28]

And all last year with no problems about weight and crap.

There are plenty of complaints, I even have one.

I wish if they were seriously interested in improving the program they would look into the time keeping and officiating. Last year the officials would speed up or disregard the clock depending on various conditions IE: behind schedule, weather, lopsided game.

Just last week we were winning and they ended the first quarter. We went out in the second and ran 4 plays and had 1 penalty and mysteriously the 2nd quarter ended. The worst was at the end of the game they gave us the 2 minute warning right after the opponents turned the ball over on downs on their own 15 yard line. (yea stupid coaching on their part) We got one play and they called the game to keep us from scoring again.

The point is the boys practice 3 times a week hard. They are dedicated and expect to play a "full game" not "just enough to win". We have a lot of kids we have to cycle through.

Wow. Like I said, I'm glad I'm not an administrator this year.

 

[Pete]

Wow. Like I said, I'm glad I'm not an administrator this year.

Eh, see those guys see it as a job they get $30 or whatever for. We were winning handily, not a blow out, but comfortably. They are thinking "they don't need to score again, this game is over. It is only 2 minutes they will lose if i end it now, no biggie."

2 minutes could be 5-7 plays and is a lifetime for a kid who practiced all week.

I hate the running clock. I hate that the ref keeps the time and we can't see it too.

 

[Zguy28]

Eh, see those guys see it as a job they get $30 or whatever for. We were winning handily, not a blow out, but comfortably. They are thinking "they don't need to score again, this game is over. It is only 2 minutes they will lose if i end it now, no biggie."

2 minutes could be 5-7 plays and is a lifetime for a kid who practiced all week.

I hate the running clock. I hate that the ref keeps the time and we can't see it too.

You'll get no disagreement from me on that.

It certainly would be nice to have a nice big clock on a scoreboard for everybody to see.

 

[Pete]

You'll get no disagreement from me on that.

It certainly would be nice to have a nice big clock on a scoreboard for everybody to see.

We can't get grass to play on a clock might be a stretch.

 

[greytux]

I also am aware of the game in question, and know the Braves coach personally.

And as a former youth coach I agree with the spirit of what you are saying.

But, when coaches, league administrators, or parents break or attempt to circumvent the rules it:

1. Does not set a positive example for the kids.
2. Takes away the fun of the game.
3. Damages the integrity and reputation of an organization and the person in question.

I can respect your opinion ZGuy28. You take the time to rationalize before you type. We can both agree that it is sad that this came up in public. It stains the sport in the county yet again iregardless of fault. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and those in authority will deal with each other with any issues and move on. We can only optimistically hope that.

 

[Zguy28]

We can't get grass to play on a clock might be a stretch.

We'll get there. The clubs have some good guys at the top and hopefully, within time the High School AD's will start realizing the value of a good youth football program and be willing to invest in it and work alongside future HS players.

I've said this before, it would be awesome if a school like Chopticon would host a youth game on a Friday night before their varsity game. Make it a big spirit night and have all the Chopticon fans/parents come out early and cheer the Braves youth team. Same for L'town, Great Mills, or Ryken.

 

[hollywood33]

I agree with what you wrote here Pete. ^^

Crazy story to go with this is....although ALL the coaches know the county weighs the kids in and it is considered "offical", we had one opposing coach still screaming "85lb's my butt" everytime one of our players was running against his team. Sad thing is he was yelling it right in the kids direction.

 

[Zguy28]

Crazy story to go with this is....although ALL the coaches know the county weighs the kids in and it is considered "offical", we had one opposing coach still screaming "85lb's my butt" everytime one of our players was running against his team. Sad thing is he was yelling it right in the kids direction.

I would send an email to R&P just to let them know about it. Then, let the guy pay the protest fee if he really thinks the kid's too big.

 

[struggler44]

The rule book allows a 10lb "blow-up" rule for players.

But they have to be on playbacker status.

Glad they are trying to accomodate growth; I believe we had a .5 lb a week allowance. As far as Kemp goes............. Never figured out why he did the sport if he was such a miserable SOB all the time. He was dedicated though....

 

[Zguy28]

True that. I dealt with it last year, and that was enough drama for me.

But, like I said, there have been 37 other games this season with no problems that I know of. That's still pretty good.

Well, maybe I was a little off?

According to a person present at the protest meeting Thursday night, a 2nd Raiders team staff showed up in support of the Braves protest against the 1st Raiders team and accused them of stacking 2 of the Raiders Peewee teams. That was not enough evidence though according to R&P.

Why can't it be about the kids folks? Why does it have to be about the coaches and their egos? The drama continues...