PIAA- All 9th Graders to High School Football

[Skippy]

Section 2. Eligibility of Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Grade Students to Participate in Senior High School Interscholastic Athletics.
A. Students in the 7th or 8th grade who have not attained the age of fifteen years before July 1, and students in the 9th grade who have participated in one season in that sport during that school year, may neither Practice nor compete with students in the 10th, 11th or 12th grades.
Students in the 7th or 8th grade who have attained the age of fifteen years before July 1 and students in the 9th grade, who have not participated in one season in that sport during that school year, may, with written approval of the high school Principal and the junior high/middle school Principal, Practice with, participate in a maximum of two Inter-School Practices or Scrimmages, and compete with students in grades 10, 11 and 12. The option to compete at the senior high school level of competition (grades 10-12) or at the junior high/middle school level of competition (grades 7-9) is exercised when the student participates in a Contest. If the student first participates in a junior high/middle school Contest, the student is committed to that level of competition in the sport involved for the entire school year. If the student first participates in a senior high school Contest, the student is committed to that level of competition in that sport for the entire school year. If the student does not participate in a Contest, the option to compete at the junior high/middle school level of competition or senior high school level of competition must be exercised not later than 21 days after the student begins Practice. Once this option is exercised, it may not be changed in that sport for the entire school year.


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[guru1]

The ICC did NOT mandate this. NBC and Mo Valley became teams that went to it. This mean there were 4 who didn't plan to do it. Those schools weren't forced into it, but if they wouldn't have done it they would have struggled to find schedules. That's my take on it anyway.

Bellwood
Mt Union
Juniata Valley
Williamsburg

Those teams hadn't make the decision to do it yet. Unfortunately, youth football causes problems at schools like JV and Williamsburg. Instead of playing JH football as a 7th grader, age plays a factor and kids will play youth instead of JV.

What kid wouldn't want to play youth though?  They have a super bowl under the lights and a trophy and all that good stuff that JH doesn't offer.  I'm being sarcastic by the way. The school sport should take precedent over the youth league for parents and players alike in my opinion.

I hope you're right but my information that the ICC said it was mandatory came from two members on the coaching staff at one of those four schools you just named so I kind of believed them. As far as the 7th graders playing Peewee I agree with you 100%... The Peewee program is to get them ready to play for the school. However what you're failing to keep in mind is the mentality of a 12 year old kid. The Lure of winning a trophy and playing Under The Lights vs. Playing an afternoon Junior High schedule certainly is attractive to some kids at that age. Even if it doesn't make much sense... ( and for the record... I'm not saying I agree or support that I'm just saying I've seen it)

[dadw/2sons]

Bill, this is  blanket policy for schools that are in conferences that have mandated it. Your choices as a ninth grade football player in the ICC, WestPac, and LHAC is to play up or not to play at all. I know it is NOT mandated by the PIAA. There are schools in the ICC that will not play a junior high game against a school that has ninth graders in it even though it is acceptable by the PIAA guidelines. These same schools think it is okay for ninth graders to play against some juniors at the JV level, but not seventh graders against ninth graders. that is what i don't understand. So if a school allowed just 1 ninth grader to play at the junior high level then they wouldn;t be able to play some ICC schools at the junior high level. That is crazy. IMO

[Blueandwhitefan]

The heritage has been moving all 9th graders to Varsity for a few years now. Also the pee wee is through 6th grade. 7th graders cannot play in pee wee.

[lhacfan63]

BG has been doing this for years. It is a wonderful idea you learn so much from the older kids. your coaches can only teach fundamentals they cant teach you the things that the older kids can. When your a 14yr old freshman you look up to the seniors and the become more like your big brother than anyone else. The memories I have from when I was a freshman and played with the seniors are some of the best memories that I have from all my years of playing football

[Steve92]

BG has been doing this for years.  It is a wonderful idea you learn so much from the older kids. your coaches can only teach fundamentals they cant teach you the things that the older kids can.  When your a 14yr old freshman you look up to the seniors and the become more like your big brother than anyone else.  The memories I have from when I was a freshman and played with the seniors are some of the best memories that I have from all my years of playing football

I don't want to diminish the points you raise--freshmen do look up to and learn a lot from the upperclassmen.  But it's also intimidating as all get out for a 14-year-old, 140 lb. incoming freshman to even imagine lining up against a 250 lb. senior.  I'm seeing kids balk on 9th grade football for that reason.  A few may return later, but we may lose some too.

[Coach]

Some of you guys don't get it. A 140 year old freshmen isn't going up against a 250 pound senior in 99% of cases.

[dadw/2sons]

Steve that is my point exactly.   Coach, the only way to make it 100% that it won't happen is not to force ninth graders to move up. Let the policy the way it is where on an individual basis a coach and and a parent can make that decision not the league or the school.

[CoffinCorner]

I totally disagree with the idea that it should be parent based on where they play, sure every dad who is reliving their glory days is going to want to keep little Johnny down at the 9th grade level, so they can be the big man on campus.  The pulling up of 9th graders is for the betterment of the 10, 11 graders.  For example, FH only had 6 juniors in 2015, some of whom did not play JV, without 9th graders there would not have been JV.  Then the 10th graders get no varsity time, no JV time so they quit, this in turn kills the program.   
How much change in body size is there from 9th to 10th grade?

[Skippy]

Wasn't 2013 the first year pulling up 9th graders at FH which would have been that 2015 junior group....did this perhaps cause only 5 juniors that year?


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