NG game and open enrollment Q

[green_beans]

I was at the LC-NG game.. in all honesty it was over in the first Q... I have a question for the board.. this is not to re-hash the debate about open enrollment or recruiting but a legitimate question.. first I want to take out the kids that are true "blue chip" players that choose a school for sports reasons from this conversation..

.. and leave in the average players that make up most teams... do you think that letting players in the city play at any city school vs the one they live near going to kill football (or any sport) for the PPL and PCL. Where I am going with this is.. If a school like NG has 2 or 3 true difference makers (not blue chip players but above average and choose to play a crosstown at another.. will other kids decide that they will travel else were vs playing for their neighborhood school or not even play at all?.. I'm not sure if I'm explaining the question correctly.. what I am trying to say is.. will letting kids in the city play at any city school begin to kill football at averages programs in Philly?

 

[RCH13co18]

I don't believe it will kill football at all. You'll always have your strong teams no matter the rule. I personally think there's too many schools with programs in the PPL. They should consolidate some schools in order to be competitive.

 

[tulla]

I was at the LC-NG game.. in all honesty it was over in the first Q... I have a question for the board.. this is not to re-hash the debate about open enrollment or recruiting but a legitimate question.. first I want to take out the kids that are true "blue chip" players that choose a school for sports reasons from this conversation..

.. and leave in the average players that make up most teams... do you think that letting players in the city play at any city school vs the one they live near going to kill football (or any sport) for the PPL and PCL. Where I am going with this is.. If a school like NG has 2 or 3 true difference makers (not blue chip players but above average and choose to play a crosstown at another.. will other kids decide that they will travel else were vs playing for their neighborhood school or not even play at all?.. I'm not sure if I'm explaining the question correctly.. what I am trying to say is.. will letting kids in the city play at any city school begin to kill football at averages programs in Philly?

You've got to take some other things into account: 1) Overall declining enrollment in many schools, including many Catholic high schools like N-G, McDevitt, Bonner, WC. Some may be up a bit this year but the overall trend has been way down. In looking at N-G's overall numbers I'm not surprised their football team has only about 25 kids, including a few freshmen. 2) There really are no more try neighborhood high schools in the PCL or, in many cases, the PPL. Open enrollment has been both a survival strategy and a response to families' demands. The genie will never go back into the bottle. 3) Fewer kids from some demographic groups, e.g.,kids from upper-middle class families, are playing football. That's partly because other sports are increasingly popular, because parents are worried about head injuries, because "football culture" turns off some people, etc.

Overall result: the pool is shrinking. Schools have to decide if they're going to make the football program a priority--or not.

 

[green_beans]

Tulla.. you bring up some good points.. Thanks for the reply

 

[lilromeo]

I was at the LC-NG game.. in all honesty it was over in the first Q... I have a question for the board.. this is not to re-hash the debate about open enrollment or recruiting but a legitimate question.. first I want to take out the kids that are true "blue chip" players that choose a school for sports reasons from this conversation..

.. and leave in the average players that make up most teams... do you think that letting players in the city play at any city school vs the one they live near going to kill football (or any sport) for the PPL and PCL. Where I am going with this is.. If a school like NG has 2 or 3 true difference makers (not blue chip players but above average and choose to play a crosstown at another.. will other kids decide that they will travel else were vs playing for their neighborhood school or not even play at all?.. I'm not sure if I'm explaining the question correctly.. what I am trying to say is.. will letting kids in the city play at any city school begin to kill football at averages programs in Philly?

Its been going on for some time . Using my old HS as an example McDevitt, there have been numerous good football players that lived within apprx. 5 or so miles of the school that chose to attend Wood, and Roman. This is excluding Imhotep, LaSalle ,Prep and the Inter-Ac schools. Some schools clearly benefit while others really take a hit.

 

[6daystosaturday]

McDevitt, Bonner, Springfield Montco, Wissah,, Norristown, HH, U Dub, Abington, Cheltenham, PW and every pub in Philly gets crushed. Just because NG cancels a few games doesn't make it new. This board is all about making PA the SEC of HS football. Lets not throw out a hankie and be surprised when programs find they just can't field a team. I give NG credit for hanging in as long as they did. Hope next year they get better.

 

[TDjones22]

What about Wood 19 Freshman on the Team, Judge No JV, Ryan No JV, Now NG Varsity Quitting. CE 35 players on Varsity, Catholic league is not in a good place right now. Other then Prep, LaSalle, Roman, West, LC, OHara, Maybe Bonner and ill throw Carroll on there cause i think Connor will get that program in order in time.. I see one big Division in the next few years possibly.

 

[6daystosaturday]

Casualties of war TD....casualties of war.

 

[paul from philly]

I don't believe it will kill football at all. You'll always have your strong teams no matter the rule. I personally think there's too many schools with programs in the PPL. They should consolidate some schools in order to be competitive.

Very good point. I'll use the feeder schools that used to populate La Salle's lineup. In the beginning.......go right to the good book.......In the beginning all the parish schools did field their own teams. But now St. Genevieve CYO football is made up of 5 parish teams (St. Philip's, St. Mary's, St. Alphonsus, St. Anthony's, St. Gen's). Maybe a view of the future!!

 

[TDjones22]

IHM Steelers is the Same made up of 5/6 Schools that Feed Roman, LaSalle, Prep, CHA, every year and great talent i might add.

 

[Gang $$ Green]

The whole school system is in trouble. These sports programs are some of the last things left to attract kids to the schools. In the city throw in Charter schools and problems like NG really get exasperated in football.

One thing I have a major problem with in this whole thing is the premise they might play again later in the season. The idea that you cancel two games and then might come back and play a non league game and Thanksgiving. That's a slippery slope. You can't pick who you want to play. Especially when your league is already divided by enrollment. If you can't make a go of it then wrap it up for the year a la Springfield Montco. What prevents someone in the league in basketball saying hey we just aren't going to play NG but we will play McDevitt. Can't have that type of nonsense or you have no league.

A lot of factors as to why the Catholic League has become what it is today. Too many factors to even discuss. Cost, open enrollment, issues within the church etc, etc. However a long time ago in football long before PIAA participation the wheels of this were set in motion with Red/Blue. Wasn't necessarily what was good for the league but what was good for certain schools and certain individuals in terms of on field success.

So when people say things today like isn't it a shame that Carroll has to play the schedule they play I look at it differently. What goes around, comes around. Shame for the current players and coaches. But everyone soon forgets Carroll beating teams 77-0 15 years ago when they didn't belong in the Blue and refused to play up to the detriment of the league as a whole. Different world. A lot of factors. Also a ton of self inflicted wounds for this league that has it in the situation it is on league wise.

 

[00shoe]

I predicted on this board 5 years ago that the PCL would be done by 2020 and for football I still beleive that. The only way for PCL teams to survive is to find public league schools to join (LC in the Pioneer where they were before and happy) and cut Prep and laSalle loose. Who is next after NG?

 

[ramgreen]

here in the suburban league it looks like the enrollment is starting to tick upwards. Pennridge numbers are way up, Souderton #'s up and from what i hear the CB schools all have good numbers. The concussion thing sure took a toll

 

[green_beans]

CB just reported that the enrollment is projected to head down over the next 5-10 years..

 

[Burrs5]

GG, fair point about picking who you want to play and not play. I don't think D12 is going to let that fly. In fact, I heard there is an emergency meeting about it tomorrow. Can't create that precedent. I understand what NG is thinking, but I don't think D12 should let it happen. It sucks that your numbers low and there is a higher risk of injury, but you either cancel all games or none of them.

 

[CYOBALL1]

This is unfortunate for the kids. I agree with Huck, I don't see district 12 allowing NG to cancel their last two regular season games and still play on Thanksgiving.
Anyone on here know what type of college interest #2 Emil Moody is getting? 6'5 225 TE. I seen him play in grade school, he's a very good athlete.

 

[CYOBALL1]

Scratch that.. I see he's committed to Temple.