How good will these roots make MD football

[RM7]

With the addition of Overlea, Randlestown, Middle River, and Pikesville Mid Maryland youth football is now one of the strongest and best youth programs in the state and maybe the east coast. With the backing of Howard County Parks and Recs I only seeing it being a matter of time before it’s the only youth football league in the state. With what looks like a deal to add three turf fields to public schools with Parks and Rec controlling them now gives Mid MD a total of 11 turf fields at their disposal. With Linganore, Damascus, Reisterstown, Oakdale, Randallstown, and Catonsville programs already having turf fields (might be missing a couple) that number jumps to 17. This is going to make MD football right at the top in a couple of years I believe. With the ability to play no matter what the weather is and accommodate so many games is huge. Add in the fact you have some many of the best programs in the state now in one league competing against one another on every Saturday. I’m not sure how it will play out but in the A division you could have Overlea, Warhawks, Columbia Ravens, Bowie, South Germantown, Middle River, Randallstown, Elkridge, Ellicott City, and Pikesville. That is going to be some great football to watch on any Saturday. This is going to have a huge impact on High School ball also and I see all the big boys out their hanging around the parks even more now. Being associated with Mid MD for almost 10yrs I can’t believe it has come so far. With the backing of Parks and Recs it should continue to be a well-run, organized, and disciplined league. I might be missing one or two teams but here is who’s in Mid Md.

Columbia Ravens, Warhawks, South Germantown, Overlea, Randallstown, Ellicott City, Elkridge, Middle River, Linganore, Damascus, Urbana, Olney, Oakdale, Pikesville, Maplewood, St Francis, Laurel Steelers, HC Terps, CCC, Poolesville, Bowie, Winfield, Clarksburg, TJ, Silver Spring, Arbutus, Hampstead, Catonsville, Reisterstown, Sykesville, North Carroll, and Westminster.

[ECF]

I still dont see it helping the HS out, when you still have 9th and 10th graders still playing Rec. ball instead of competing at the high school level...

[A Mom]

How come MD doesn't have middle school sports? Growing up in Florida all our middle schools had sports teams. All of the South - the middle schools field sports teams. As you can see the SEC dominates football. I doubt the turf fields has or will have much to do with success at the high school level. Youth football leagues tend to be exclusive by nature and can not compete with the ease of attracting talent that middle school sports do.

[aacountyfootball]

The MAFL is a new statewide travel league that will be the league for the top rising 8th grade talent. They will also have a 11U and 12U division. Teams from all of the major powers including Hamilton, Upper Marlborough, Harco, Red Lion, Pasadena Chargers, Dundalk, Calvert County, Laurel, etc. will all be involved.

Unlike the traditional "rec" leagues, the league will be age only and the games will all be played at local private high schools so that coaches can see all of the top talent in one place.

This is a good thing for the "rec" leagues like Mid-Maryland and others and it is a good thing for the programs that have a more travel type of focus. The AAU/Travel concept coming to middle school football was inevitable and it is now finally here.

I agree that real middle school football is the answer, but that is an entirely different topic and would never happen here.

[j towne]

Other leagues are going to age only. The teams that want to hold on to the OBL's will merge to MM.

Upper Chesapeake will go to age only next year.
This year they only have OBL's in 10u, 11u and 12u, 14u is no obl, unlimited weight but the kids cant be in high school.
There is a unlimited weight Tackle to Tackle in all age groups.

[sparky1]

It sounds like a good start but I think the way to go is for the youth football to go to a grade level system. That would mean that you have an 8th grade league, 7th, 6th,and under that you can have clinics or mixed ages. No high schoolers shoudl be playing rec football. they can find a place on a high school jv or freshman team.

there is little that helps a boy who conistently plays down in age against younger kids, or who is forbidden to play because he is too big. my experience in coaching both rec and high school is that the majority of kids play out of position in age/ weight league, and some of the best kids in high school were never allowed to play football in middle school.

so, by all means organize the leagues better, play in better facilities, but the key is to get all kids to play against the competition and in the positions they will face in High School.

[Ray52]

With the addition of Overlea, Randlestown, Middle River, and Pikesville Mid Maryland youth football is now one of the strongest and best youth programs in the state and maybe the east coast.

LOL. Overlea, Randlestown, Middle River joined the Harford County league for something better and said it was the biggest and best in the state until they ruined a good thing and that league fell apart. They tried to do their own thing for the last few years but that fell apart as well. Now, they're on to MM. Well, good luck with that MM. You're going to need it.

MAFL? These guys complained for years that the OBL leagues were excluding big kids with real futures in football. So, they started the age-only thing (no OBLs and no high school kids) and proclaimed it "Select" and a level above rec. This made their egos feel wonderful and they shouted about Private school scholarships from high school and D1 college aspirations. Now youth rec leagues are finally going age-only which was all those guys wanted. But now MAFL comes along, once again proclaiming "Select" and "Club" and "TraveL" as a level above rec but governed "better".

Harford County has it right; age-only, governed by the recs with established high school connections and relationships. MALF will be costly, over-blown and watered down. As more rec programs transition to age-only, MD HS football will improve.

[A Mom]

The age and weight limits do a disservice to most kids like mentioned. All the small running backs who were stars in the youth leagues are suddenly disheartened at high school because they can't compete. All the bigger kids are disadvantaged, because they are playing catch up on all the positions that are now open to them. Agreee with all of that..

Then there are the academics issues. If they play in middle school they understand much quicker the link to grades and success at sports. Too many times I've seen outstanding athletes at the youth leagues (in other sports too) not playing high school ball because they are ineligible. They never learned that playing time on the field equates to getting good grades at school.

[pmore108]

A suggestion i have always had for rec sports is linking the report card with playing time. Can these leagues do that? Is there any reason they can't or won't?

[A Mom]

It all comes down to money. When you pay to play, you are not going to want your kid to be sitting the sidelines because of grades. Coaches can't overule a parent's decision regarding grades. Plus Coaches don't really want to. THey don't walk the talk.

[ECF]

The age and weight limits do a disservice to most kids like mentioned. All the small running backs who were stars in the youth leagues are suddenly disheartened at high school because they can't compete. All the bigger kids are disadvantaged, because they are playing catch up on all the positions that are now open to them. Agreee with all of that..

Then there are the academics issues. If they play in middle school they understand much quicker the link to grades and success at sports. Too many times I've seen outstanding athletes at the youth leagues (in other sports too) not playing high school ball because they are ineligible. They never learned that playing time on the field equates to getting good grades at school.

Not sure about the city schools or other counties, but in Balt.Co this fall with the new 2.0 rule that incoming freshman will be eligible to play fall sports. Lets hope parents, teachers/coaches continue to stress to the kids about maintaining a 2.0 or greater. This also might cut back freshman football players from going back to play Rec.football since they will be able to play off the jump.

[pmore108]

It all comes down to money. When you pay to play, you are not going to want your kid to be sitting the sidelines because of grades. Coaches can't overule a parent's decision regarding grades. Plus Coaches don't really want to. THey don't walk the talk.

That is why, in my perfect world, the Parks and Rec would make the rule. In other words, "you have kids under a 2.0, you are ineligible on our fields." No reason a kid should be playing sports with grades that low anyway. I am sure they could demand a report card check with little to no cost and no more access to personal information than they already have.

[A Mom]

pmore, I see you just joined in Feb. I recently joined also. I also discovered last night this issue has already been talked about a lot in another thread. I recommend reading the thread "what MD public school football needs to change" interesting stuff.

and ECF, I don't understand what you mean by 2.0 and incoming freshman? THey have to at least have a 2.0 to play as fresh?

[ECF]

pmore, I see you just joined in Feb. I recently joined also. I also discovered last night this issue has already been talked about a lot in another thread. I recommend reading the thread "what MD public school football needs to change" interesting stuff.

and ECF, I don't understand what you mean by 2.0 and incoming freshman? THey have to at least have a 2.0 to play as fresh?

Previously incoming HS freshmen couldn't have more than 1 E on their final middle school report card in the 4th qtr to play a fall sport in Balt.Co.... Now incoming freshman will automatically be eligible to play walking in the door. A lot of times kids that are ineligible for their local HS would go back to play rec ball because the grade issue wasn't enforced.

[pmore108]

Previously incoming HS freshmen couldn't have more than 1 E on their final middle school report card in the 4th qtr to play a fall sport in Balt.Co.... Now incoming freshman will automatically be eligible to play walking in the door. A lot of times kids that are ineligible for their local HS would go back to play rec ball because the grade issue wasn't enforced.

That sounds like it is lowering the standard. Again, kids failing classes shouldn't be playing sports at ANY level.

[ECF]

That sounds like it is lowering the standard. Again, kids failing classes shouldn't be playing sports at ANY level.

Check PM...

[j towne]

They cant even get some recs to use a scale that is correct do you think you can trust them to check grades.
The thing about coaching rec teams you have to get voted in every year and if you are not winning you might not be able to get a team next year. It is all about the record.

[thor_apa]

LOL. Overlea, Randlestown, Middle River joined the Harford County league for something better and said it was the biggest and best in the state until they ruined a good thing and that league fell apart. They tried to do their own thing for the last few years but that fell apart as well. Now, they're on to MM. Well, good luck with that MM. You're going to need it.

MAFL? These guys complained for years that the OBL leagues were excluding big kids with real futures in football. So, they started the age-only thing (no OBLs and no high school kids) and proclaimed it "Select" and a level above rec. This made their egos feel wonderful and they shouted about Private school scholarships from high school and D1 college aspirations. Now youth rec leagues are finally going age-only which was all those guys wanted. But now MAFL comes along, once again proclaiming "Select" and "Club" and "TraveL" as a level above rec but governed "better".

Harford County has it right; age-only, governed by the recs with established high school connections and relationships. MALF will be costly, over-blown and watered down. As more rec programs transition to age-only, MD HS football will improve.

HAMILTON FOOTBALL 2012 SEASON IS STARTING!
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