Greatest Individual Game In Iowa History

[HawkGold]

That's not a one size fits all proposition. Parents/administrators/coaches/boosters/players all have to be on board and that almost never happens. It's been tried numerous times in NW Iowa and it gets derailed over one or more of transportation, funding, naming, locations, you name it.

Several years before I came back to coach here our team was going to join with a local 1A school. Everything was great, coaches were on board, parents were good with it, but our superintendent said all games had to be played at our field rather than 50/50 and that killed it in an instant. This isn't some 30,000 population district where you're going to get people working hard lobbying for stuff like this. It just dies out.

Also, you won't get spring ball happening here other than Legion and there aren't fields to support legion (the only fields around here whatsoever are school-owned) You have to travel a hell of a long ways. The weather in NW Iowa doesn't allow it, and you'd have nowhere to practice. Right now guys on my team who're playing legion ball are going south 55 miles Mondays and Fridays to practice, and playing games in Nebraska. No school is going to pay for that.

Fall ball will never work because football is 10 times more popular here and there isn't the population to support both. Not even close.

If Iowa does anything it will be to de-sanction it like a lot of states and leave Legion ball to fill the void.

Legion is dead in IL. I really like playing into yhe summer in Iowa. Coaching in March can be...cold. A school I coached at had about 550 kids in the hs and didnt play football. Basketball and baseball powerhouse.

Blows my mind how Iowa avoids consolidation. India schools are even bigger than IL.

 

[HuckFinn]

That's actually exactly what I do. I talk to those guys and their parents if need be and luckily I've had no issues. I don't make it out to be, "Hey, we're sending you out to get your ass kicked because we're going to lose anyway," but I talk about going out there and being the guy your team needs him to be right now. Whatever I do, I don't hide from it because that'd be the worst thing trying to lie to guys about what you're doing.

I had that with pretty much my whole team last year because I had a pile of freshman starting. My kid's grad was the only one that had any numbers and they're pretty good, but maybe weren't quite ready for varsity at that point yet. Surprisingly they kept a great attitude and enjoyed themselves because I think they were realistic with themselves. Hell, where else do you get to be a four year starter unless you're a ridiculous stud? Might as well enjoy it. Go out there, play your ass off, and don't fricking worry about it...it ain't gonna change anything.

I just have to add to this thread that Central Lyon (Rock Rapids, George, Little Rock) just followed their State Championship in football by beating Hull Western Christian for the State Championship in basketball. Their women were runner’s up. West Lyon was right there also. The kid from CL that will join the Hawks in 2023 was a man among boys Go Lions!