Des Moines Public Schools Football
After listening to Murph and Andy discuss the Lincoln v. North (86-28) game last Friday, I wanted to know what people see as possible solutions to improving the quality of programs within the city. To begin, I don’t blame Lincoln for the score, its sounds like the coaches made the right substitutions early.
I have taught and coached (not football) at two Des Moines High Schools. Our problem is not from a lack of athletes. We have big athletic kids everywhere and all of us try to encourage them to join all athletics and activities, not just football.
Some of these varsity squads have as little as 20-25 varsity players showing up to an average practice. This is with a student population around 1400. Many of those varsity players would be on a sophomore or JV team at a suburban school.
All the coaches that I know are quality guys and dedicated coaches.
The discussion on Murph and Andy moved from the discussion of the unequal score, to the amount of poor kids and immigrants we have. That is an obstacle, but Omaha has the same problems as us but they seem like they have some great football and are a regular recruiting area for Nebraska, ISU and others. Besides the occasional A-Rob, we don't really send many players to the next level.
With the population of Des Moines, with five high schools combined, we should be sending at least a couple every year to a D1 school.
I really don’t know the solution and would like some outside input. We have a loser’s mentality and it needs to stop. The most frustrating part of my day is seeing 30 kids out on the practice field and 100 kids loitering around the building.
I should also say I’m writing this during my lunch not neglecting your kids.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tricehill 
I should also say I’m writing this during my lunch not neglecting your kids.
At legends, i presume? :jimlad:
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
The biggest problem is the lack of Jr high football. I played football in the DSM school system, and the biggest problem I saw was that most kids were 2 years behind everyone in the suburban schools, where they have Jr high football programs. Freshman (including myself) showed up with no football experience. If DSM were to enact an active Jr high football program, I think you would not only give kids the experience they need, but also get more kids interested in playing football before they become influenced by other "activities".
I know people who are Jr high coaches for tiny rural schools, and it has always blown my mind how they could offer it, but the DSM school district couldn't.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Cedar Rapids is in the same situation with Jefferson High School. Longest losing streak in 4A and has 1500 students. What did Waterloo East do to change their course? They are 4 - 2 right now...used to be a laughingstock.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
alarson At legends, i presume? :jimlad:
I was, then the manager kicked me out and told me not to come back. I think I'm going to start an email campaign to boycott.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Doesn't look like Lincoln is having any problems.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Isn't there youth football offered that isn't through the school? I hadn't even heard of middle school sports until I moved to Iowa as most of our youth sports in Florida was through the city or the Boys Club.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Lack of youth football/middle school sports, and uninspired kids to participate in high school athletics.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Lincoln isn't having any problems because their boys play Little All-American football before their school program starts in 8th grade. The DSM teams are attempting to address this by starting a Youth Sports Foundation league for boys in 5-7th grade. This is year 2 for the league and there are 11 teams in the 5-6th grade division (3 from Roosevelt, 3 from Lincoln, 2 from North/Hoover, 2 from Saydel and 1 from East).
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GoCy The biggest problem is the lack of Jr high football. I played football in the DSM school system, and the biggest problem I saw was that most kids were 2 years behind everyone in the suburban schools, where they have Jr high football programs. Freshman (including myself) showed up with no football experience. If DSM were to enact an active Jr high football program, I think you would not only give kids the experience they need, but also get more kids interested in playing football before they become influenced by other "activities".
I know people who are Jr high coaches for tiny rural schools, and it has always blown my mind how they could offer it, but the DSM school district couldn't.
Outside of Iowa, football starts as early as Grade school. And most of these schools are pretty tightly knit with the local high school. I've been saying it all along. The biggest problem with Des Moines is not a lack of athletes as much as a lack of a quality football program from Little league on. The biggest problem putting these kids in D1 programs is that kids from other states are years ahead of high school kids in Des Moines. So it usually takes an exceptional athlete that programs are willing to take a chance on.
It's really frustrating seeing the programs they have here in Illinois starting as early as they do. It's a completely different world from start to finish here than it was when I was growing up in Iowa.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Clonefan94 Outside of Iowa, football starts as early as Grade school. And most of these schools are pretty tightly knit with the local high school. I've been saying it all along. The biggest problem with Des Moines is not a lack of athletes as much as a lack of a quality football program from Little league on. The biggest problem putting these kids in D1 programs is that kids from other states are years ahead of high school kids in Des Moines. So it usually takes an exceptional athlete that programs are willing to take a chance on.
It's really frustrating seeing the programs they have here in Illinois starting as early as they do. It's a completely different world from start to finish here than it was when I was growing up in Iowa.
There's tackle football in Iowa for as young as 3rd grade. Just need some adults with ambition and the right motives to get it rolling.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
I grew up in Bettendorf and we had flag football starting in elementary school (5th grade maybe?) and tackle football starting in 7th grade. I know the tackle football was school-sponsored and I think the flag football was too. That eased the financial burden on parents.
I guess I thought that's the way it was everywhere in the state.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Senolcyc There's tackle football in Iowa for as young as 3rd grade. Just need some adults with ambition and the right motives to get it rolling.
Here in lies the problem..
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Senolcyc There's tackle football in Iowa for as young as 3rd grade. Just need some adults with ambition and the right motives to get it rolling.
If the program is not tightly integrated into the school system, Parents have to go looking for the opportunity for the child to take part. Unfortunately, I think there are many parents don't have that much ambition.
Re: Des Moines Public Schools Football
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GoCy Unfortunately, I think there are many parents don't have that much ambition.
And some of the ones that do have a serious attitude problem. I reffed youth football in central Iowa and there was usually one coach a game that had a problem.
