High School Football

[Saint3333]

As the NCHSAA is making a big deal about ASU-WC playing a game on a Friday and the revenue it would take from there high school gate I'm interested to see how many college football fans go to high school games.

[SideLine Shooter]

As the NCHSAA is making a big deal about ASU-WC playing a game on a Friday and the revenue it would take from there high school gate I'm interested to see how many college football fans go to high school games.

I have been shooting HS football every Friday night for 39 years and then College on Sat. I go to JV on Thurs. also and NFL on Sun. when Panthers are at home. My whole fall schedule is around FOOTBALL. Whether I am shooting it or not. My whole family is the same way. Football is KING.xnodx xnodx xnodx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx

I do have a life. We just love Football..xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[813Jag]

I follow my favorite high school team, unless I'm taking a road trip to see Southern. I attend most games including the playoffs.

[andy7171]

I used to coach HS football after my Towson days. Then I moved 40 minutes away from the school and stopped coaching. I went to one or two games a year afterwards to watch my brothers in law play, but the last one graduated in '07, so it's been over a year since attending one. HS football in MD just isn't what it is in PA, and those Southern states.

[ngineer]

Used to go all the time when my kids were in school. Now I only get there 1-2 times/ year

[Mountain Panther]

Remember how "cool" it was as a freshman in college to go back to your high school football game drunk? xnonono2x

"You know what I like about high schools girls? They get older, I stay the same age."
http://buzznet-53.vo.llnwd.net/media-cdn/jj1/headlines/2006/10/matthew-mcconaughey-dazed-and-confused.jpg

[Cocky]

I've probably only missed about 3 or 4 of my high school's games since 2years old. I even made most my first year of existences. My mother could say the same for about 60 years. I also go to other Thursday, Saturday, and Playoff games if my HS isn't playing. Haven't kept track but somewhere between 20 -30 states I've attended a HS game.

Pee Wee and Jr High games are also fun to watch and played on Mondays and Tuesday alot.

[appfan2008]

since i graduated from high school i have made one game in four years...

[gophoenix]

You're asking us, most of whom follow our alma mater to the death basically.

If you want a real sample, you need to be asking the fickle fans and locals who make the games that aren't tied to the university.

[bandl]

Where's the "I haven't attended a high school football game since I graduated HIGH SCHOOL" (15 years ago) option...

xeyebrowx xeyebrowx xeyebrowx xeyebrowx xeyebrowx

ALTHOUGH....I do think that friday nights should be reserved for high school football. No college or pro football should be played on friday night. xreadx

[chrisattsu]

I went to a state playoff game a couple years back, but I have not been back to my High School (or watched my HS) since I graduated nearly a decade ago. I just can't justify driving 200 miles, to visit a town that closes at 8pm, has nothing to do, and you can't buy any kind of booze for 30 miles.

EDIT-- I guess I could hang out with those guys from High School that never left town. We could go trolling for High School girls. I mean that's what they are doing now anyways..

[jcf5445]

I love high school football more than any other level of football. I have only missed 1 game from my high school since 1994 (that's as far back as I can remember, as I was only 11 then), and that was this past season when a buddy of mine was getting married. That includes my days in college 90 miles away. I still live 90 miles away and I still run the chains every home game and probably will until all my brothers are done playing which will be another 6 or 7 years. In my opinion, there's nothing better than high school football in the fall, and I know a lot of people that feel the same way. But then again, I also live in the state that was voted as the best high school football state in the country, so that could have something to do with it, lol.

I've had to make the choice between attending my high school's game and my college's game on the same night before, and I've chosen my high school every time.

[danefan]

My brother is the head coach at our alma mater which is about 45 minutes from where I live. I travel to every home game and some of the closer away game and of course playoff games.

He lets me on the sideline and my job is not let him get any flags thrown for unsportsmanlike conduct. He's a little intense.xlolx xthumbsupx

Plus I BS the refs before the games as I know them all from my playing days in the same league.xthumbsupx Its usually good for a few extra holding calls. xlolx

[Eaglesrus]

........[/B]but I have not been back to my High School (or watched my HS) since I graduated nearly a decade ago[/B].

I can say the exact same thing except that I have to substitute 4 for the "a" and add an s to decade and in the statement bolded above. I did go to my son's high school games in the mid-90's, but a couple of playoff games since then.

[Eaglesrus]

......but I have not been back to my High School (or watched my HS) since I graduated nearly a decade ago.

I can say the exact same thing except that I have to substitute 4 for "a" and add an s to "decade". I did go to my son's high school games in the mid-90s, but it's just been a couple of state playoff games since then.

[HiHiYikas]

The closest I've come to a HS football game since 1997 is when my mom calls me to tell me about the latest felony committed by a young person back in my home county, and asks "wasn't he on the football team?"

[OhioHen]

I've attended all home games and selected road games for the local high school the past 4 years and will do so for the next 2 years as well. Why? Not for the football, but because my kids are in the Marching Band and I work with the Pit Crew.

Prior to my kids being involved, I had been to exactly one HS game since graduating High School in 1981.

[neersnbeers]

Haven't been to one since i graduated high school.

[Tod]

Remember how "cool" it was as a freshman in college to go back to your high school football game drunk? xnonono2x

"You know what I like about high schools girls? They get older, I stay the same age."
http://buzznet-53.vo.llnwd.net/media-cdn/jj1/headlines/2006/10/matthew-mcconaughey-dazed-and-confused.jpg

I think you got your movie quote just a bit confused. Perhaps you were dazed? ;)

[Tod]

As the NCHSAA is making a big deal about ASU-WC playing a game on a Friday and the revenue it would take from there high school gate I'm interested to see how many college football fans go to high school games.

Why would one of your options be "I haven't attended a high school football game since I graduated college"?

[grizband]

I attended 18 high school games last year; granted I am a referee here in Montana. Before I became a ref, though, I attended less than 5 total high school games in the 6 years after graduation.

[JoshUCA]

Where is the option...I've never attended a high school football game....my high school didn't have football!

[AZGrizFan]

Remember how "cool" it was as a freshman in college to go back to your high school football game drunk? xnonono2x

"You know what I like about high schools girls? They get older, I stay the same age."


Ahhh....David Wooderson logic. Love it. xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx

[SideLine Shooter]

I've attended all home games and selected road games for the local high school the past 4 years and will do so for the next 2 years as well. Why? Not for the football, but because my kids are in the Marching Band and I work with the Pit Crew.

Prior to my kids being involved, I had been to exactly one HS game since graduating High School in 1981.

Been there, done that. The football is a BONUS..xnodx xnodx xnodx

[MDFAN]

I think you have to ask the local "townies" how many college games have you attended. Those are the folks you draw away from High School games.

[OB55]

Only one since my son took his game to college. Maybe get back into going in the future. Fall, however is my most active outdoors season. :o

[poly51]

My brother in law is a high school football nut so every week he picks what he thinks will be the best high school game in the area and we go. We usually go early and catch the JV game also. 12 high schools within 30 miles. I went to my first high school game in 1950. My first Cal Poly game in 1951.

[401ks]

I'm a high school football coach. I coached Junior All-American football for seven years before joining the high school staff as a walk-on coach at the freshman level. (I love teaching and introducing football to the young guys, many of whom have never played football before.)

My older son is just about to graduate from High School after playing four years of football (three as a starter on the varsity) there. He'll be at Butler next season.

My younger son will be a (6' 3" 215 lbs.) starting linebacker as a Junior on his High School varsity football team next season. He was on the varsity squad with his older brother last year.

We are a "football family" every year from mid-August through the beginning of December. I often attend three high school football games a week.

I'm sure that I'm not typical of the posters on this board, however.

[CCU97]

I haven't been to a game since High School....and we have a great team....if I want to keep up with them that is what the paper is for....give me college football or give me death!

[Cap'n Cat]

Only been to one HS game since I left HS. Was recruiting for Fort Lewis College and attended a Farmington (NM) game.

HS FB provides no thrill for me.

[EKU05]

I make it to as many games as I can. I graduated from Kentucky football powerhouse (Louisville) St. Xavier who spent much of last season in the national top 25. Even those who don't follow the team on a week to week basis at least make it out to the annual showdown with cross town rival Trinity at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium which routinely draws over 35,000. Most will think this statement an exageration, but I sincerely believe it to be the greatest and most intense rivalry in sports...period.

For a group of people that follow what most would see as an alternative level of college football I'm a little surprised to hear so many flat out rejections of the High School game. But everyone should watch what they love.

[Cap'n Cat]

I make it to as many games as I can. I graduated from Kentucky football powerhouse (Louisville) St. Xavier who spent much of last season in the national top 25. Even those who don't follow the team on a week to week basis at least make it out to the annual showdown with cross town rival Trinity at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium which routinely draws over 35,000. Most will think this statement an exageration, but I sincerely believe it to be the greatest and most intense rivalry in sports...period.

For a group of people that follow what most would see as an alternative level of college football I'm a little surprised to hear so many flat out rejections of the High School game. But everyone should watch what they love.


You're not wrong, 05. I hated high school because I transfered from a great one, St. Charles (IL), to a brand new one, Victor Andrew, in Tinley Park, IL, at the end of my sophomore year. It sucked.

I haven't the patience for hs level football talent. It ain't their fault, it's just me. Disliked my coaches at the second hs, too.

[JohnStOnge]

My last kid is graduating from high school so I might not go to as many now. But pretty much always I've liked to go to high school playoff games. I'll pick a game that ought to be good and/or have a good atmosphere and go to it.

What's cutting into me doing that more than college football played on Friday night is that they televise high school football. Nowdays, when playoff time comes around, there's pretty much always an interesting playoff game to watch on TV. There's also a couple of games on TV every Friday night throughout the regular season and they usually try to pick interesting games. Like Cox Sports has a game of the week. That kind of thing.

[catamount man]

I go to maybe 1-2 a year and not even my old high school. I haven't seen my old high school play in 4 years. I just don't like getting around that environment. I was miserable after my senior season was over and counted down the days to leave. When I got my diploma in my hand, I was relieved to be leaving that place.

In fact, what high school games I do attend, are usually my old high school old rivals or a team or two in western NC.

Plus, I hated the way some alums and boosters treated my old high school coach after we all left. He played at The Citadel and was tough as nails and I still respect him to this day, but after we left, a new administration took over and 3 years after going 10-2 and being a perennial playoff team, he got canned and administration actually let parents who didn't support him bring signs to the games showing their displeasure. Local coffee shop yokels had a lot of influence as well.

It was not a good way for my old coach to go out. Granted, he rubbed some people wrong as well, but that was him. An old grizzled Citadel Bulldog who didn't take crap from nobody.

[Ivytalk]

I go back to 1 or 2 of Junior Ivy's old school's games every year -- usually with him. Male bonding!xthumbsupx

[appsfan]

When my daughter was in high school, I went to 11 or 12 HS games a year (she was a varsity cheeleader all four years and I went to every game the school played.) The season after she graduated, I went to seven or eight and went to about the same number of ASU (had a couple weekend conflicts like weddings which is why I didn't have season tix that year) games. Last year I went to zero HS games (I went to 11 ASU and 11 Carolina Panthers games.)

Going forward, I might go to a local HS game, if the team is having a good year. My wife and I decided that something had to give and it was the HS games. It was too much to do when you have to drive 2 hours one way for college and 1 1/4 hours one way for NFL. BTW, I haven't missed a Panthers home game since 1996. I have been very blessed with a wife who loves football as much as I do.xthumbsupx

[Grizaholic17]

I follow my favorite high school team, unless I'm taking a road trip to see Southern. I attend most games including the playoffs.

same here. high school football in montana is really a pretty big deal i think. I live in helena and we have one of the biggest crosstown games in the state. and it packs in 8,000 people every year. which is a considerable amount considering helena's population.

Everyone in Montana loves football no matter what form it's in!
GO BENGALS!

[Cap'n Cat]

When my daughter was in high school, I went to 11 or 12 HS games a year (she was a varsity cheeleader all four years and I went to every game the school played.) The season after she graduated, I went to seven or eight and went to about the same number of ASU (had a couple weekend conflicts like weddings which is why I didn't have season tix that year) games. Last year I went to zero HS games (I went to 11 ASU and 11 Carolina Panthers games.)

Going forward, I might go to a local HS game, if the team is having a good year. My wife and I decided that something had to give and it was the HS games. It was too much to do when you have to drive 2 hours one way for college and 1 1/4 hours one way for NFL. BTW, I haven't missed a Panthers home game since 1996. I have been very blessed with a wife who loves football as much as I do.xthumbsupx


Any pics, Dad????

xeekx xeekx xeekx xeekx xeekx xeekx xeekx xeekx


:D :D xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx ;) ;) ;)

[Eyes of Old Main]

Aside from the recruiting angle, who cares about high school football except high school students and their families?

[OhioHen]

Been there, done that. The football is a BONUS..xnodx xnodx xnodx

SOMETIMES the football is a bonus. Often the football is a bore (one team or the other dominates).

Last fall, fans of our school were heard to comment "at least the band is still good." The school's sports teams moved to a new league this year and the football team went from dominating the old league to being dominated in the new one. The kids in the band rephrased the comment to be "at least we won halftime again."

[SideLine Shooter]

Aside from the recruiting angle, who cares about high school football except high school students and their families?

Where I am, we still have a lot of pride in H.S. football. I'm sorry that other people don't feel that way. With so many transplanted yankees in the south now that could give a flip. They don't know the town pride or the tradition of HS football.

We had a new photographer join the local newspaper fresh out of college and he was from Conn. The first game of the year I was talking with him and he could not believe the crowd for HS football. He said when he was in HS that he never went to a HS football game..xsmhx

Must have been a soccer fan.:( :(

[SideLine Shooter]

SOMETIMES the football is a bonus. Often the football is a bore (one team or the other dominates).

Last fall, fans of our school were heard to comment "at least the band is still good." The school's sports teams moved to a new league this year and the football team went from dominating the old league to being dominated in the new one. The kids in the band rephrased the comment to be "at least we won halftime again."

That happens in college and pro also. I will take football any way..xnodx xnodx xnodx

[Cobblestone]

I always attend a high school game on Thanksgiving morning. It may be my old team or my hometown team but as long as I get to a game I'm happy since Turkey Day football is a big tradition here in RI.

[andy7171]

I always attend a high school game on Thanksgiving morning. It may be my old team or my hometown team but as long as I get to a game I'm happy since Turkey Day football is a big tradition here in RI.

Nice! Here in Baltimore the Turkey Bowl rivalry is televised, Calvert Hall vs Loyola. The last 3-4 years they've played it in M&T Bank Stadium.

[SideLine Shooter]

I always attend a high school game on Thanksgiving morning. It may be my old team or my hometown team but as long as I get to a game I'm happy since Turkey Day football is a big tradition here in RI.

Sounds great!!! I love to here about times like that.xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[jcf5445]

Where I am, we still have a lot of pride in H.S. football. I'm sorry that other people don't feel that way. With so many transplanted yankees in the south now that could give a flip. They don't know the town pride or the tradition of HS football.

We had a new photographer join the local newspaper fresh out of college and he was from Conn. The first game of the year I was talking with him and he could not believe the crowd for HS football. He said when he was in HS that he never went to a HS football game..xsmhx

Must have been a soccer fan.:( :(

Exactly. I'm surprised to see the number of votes in this poll by people that haven't attended any high school games since they graduated. Here in Mississippi, there would be few football fans that could say that. The high school football team represents the town, and has done so for 80 years or more in many places. You walk into a place to have breakfast in the fall and what are folks talking about? Last night's ball game. No it's usually not parents. It's the same group of guys that have been going for years and years. Don't get me wrong. We love our college teams as well as we're able to support 2 SEC schools in a state with less than 3 million people, but high school football has a special place here. And I know it's that way in Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas as well.

There was a kid who transferred to my high school from Indiana, and he played football there. He said he could not believe how much people talked and cared about the football team. He said in his old high school, that it was no more popular than a tennis match or track meet, lol.

[813Jag]

Where I am, we still have a lot of pride in H.S. football. I'm sorry that other people don't feel that way. With so many transplanted yankees in the south now that could give a flip. They don't know the town pride or the tradition of HS football.

We had a new photographer join the local newspaper fresh out of college and he was from Conn. The first game of the year I was talking with him and he could not believe the crowd for HS football. He said when he was in HS that he never went to a HS football game..xsmhx

Must have been a soccer fan.:( :(
Here in Tampa, high school football is king. On any Friday you can find a stadium full of fans. There's a rivalry of new schools that draws 15-20K at Raymond James.

[Cobblestone]

You wanna talk high school football? Let's talk about this guy...

*note: I never knew this guy played high school football until HIU posted this link before. As good a QB as this guy was, I think if I was a college coach that I'd have recruited him as a DB; dude could hit and intercept a pass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGSPihhTWrs

[UMass922]

Where is the option...I've never attended a high school football game....my high school didn't have football!

Same here. I've never been to a high school football game in my life. My high school didn't have a football team when I attended (though it does now).

[BearsCountry]

I try to make it back to the old stomping grounds once or twice a year normally when MSU isnt home on a Saturday. Its kind of cool bc my senior year we had the greatest season ever at our school, so my old teammates we get treated like royalty at home games.

[RadMann]

I haven't attended a high school football game since I played football in high school.

[Mountain Panther]

I think you got your movie quote just a bit confused. Perhaps you were dazed? ;)

Oops....must have been in a hurry to get to work. "I get older, THEY stay the same age."

[Mountain Panther]

Only been to one HS game since I left HS. Was recruiting for Fort Lewis College and attended a Farmington (NM) game.

HS FB provides no thrill for me.

What about when Lt. Cat starts playing?

[McNeese_beat]

It would be interesting to break it down by region. I think most McNeese fans, being primarily from Texas and Louisiana where high school football is still an important community activity, go to games. Other parts of the country where high school football isn't a big deal, probably not.

As for me, I still go to games, but it's part of my job. If I didn't have to...I'd probably still go to games, but not as many.

[rudy1648]

I agree that the number of people attending a high school football on Friday nights varies greatly from one region of the country to another. Here is North Carolina, where this controversy has originated, the high school stadiums are not filled to capacity every Fri night. There may be an occasional revalry that will bring in the crowds, but on a whole, the games are not that widely attended. In Charlotte for instance, where one team had won 4 or 5 straight state championships, were ranked nationally and suffered their first defeat in like 6 years,,the stands are still not filled. The local TV stations would show recaps of the games,,and the visitor's sides would be almost empty on most nights. At our local high school, it is parents of players, band members, cheerleaders, teachers who have to attend and the same old boys who never miss a game no matter if they have kids playing or not. The students usually cannot tell you who they are playing or who won after the game is over. They congretate at one end of the stadium around the concession booths and socialize. From my view point, high school football is not that big a deal.

[McNeese_beat]

I agree that the number of people attending a high school football on Friday nights varies greatly from one region of the country to another. Here is North Carolina, where this controversy has originated, the high school stadiums are not filled to capacity every Fri night. There may be an occasional revalry that will bring in the crowds, but on a whole, the games are not that widely attended. In Charlotte for instance, where one team had won 4 or 5 straight state championships, were ranked nationally and suffered their first defeat in like 6 years,,the stands are still not filled. The local TV stations would show recaps of the games,,and the visitor's sides would be almost empty on most nights. At our local high school, it is parents of players, band members, cheerleaders, teachers who have to attend and the same old boys who never miss a game no matter if they have kids playing or not. The students usually cannot tell you who they are playing or who won after the game is over. They congretate at one end of the stadium around the concession booths and socialize. From my view point, high school football is not that big a deal.

Here in Louisiana, the city schools have trouble packing them in, but the small town teams — particularly the small towns close enough to metropolitan cities to become suburbs — still fill the stadiums, for reasons easy enough to figure out.

When you look at the city schools in McNeese's town (Lake Charles) there has been a transition. One school (my alma mater) closed. The old south side of town school (LaGrange) has gone from being mostly white to mostly black. The white graduates' kids go to the "newer" (opened mid-70s) school (Barbe) and the black LaGrange parents still generally have loyalty to the historically black school (Washington-Marion).

So all these divided loyalties change the dynamic. Barbe parents went to LaGrange and the grandparents went to Lake Charles High (closed). LaGrange parents went to Boston (closed) or Washington-Marion. Washington-Marion has lost enrollment as people move out to LaGrange. St. Louis Catholic parents have condos rented in Baton Rouge for the LSU game on the weekend (i.e., it's the money school)...

Having said that, the typical Barbe High game outdraws some teams in the Southland Confererence and many teams McNeese has played out of conference.

As for the outlying towns, the town of Sulphur packs them in every night with probably 5-6k for a typical game and 8-10k playing a local rival. ...these are Sulphur kids whose parents went to Sulphur and whose parents went to Sulphur...so there is a much stronger sense of community with the school. It's very Friday Night Lights-esque there.

[Seawolf97]

Havent been to a game in years. I expect now that my nephew will be playing Freshman ball this Fall I will catch a my share of games.

[Tribe4SF]

I live in the 757, where high school football is pretty good. I attend a game every week I'm home.

[Hoyadestroya85]

I should go to more games.. but they're hard to get into at the local high school after a recent string of success

[813Jag]

I like to go to high school games to get a look at kids that could someday be good football players. It also helps to be able to provide some insight to fans who haven't got a look at new recruits.

[Death Dealer]

Actually, there wasn't an option that fitted my situation, so I picked the last one. I haven't attended a HS FB game since I moved back to SC ten years ago. We lived in TN while I was a resident and for a few years after that, and one of our very close friends had a son who played HS ball. So we regularly went to watch him play. I also made my alma maters games whenever possible when I was in college and dental school (2-3x/season). But I have no particular attachment to any of the HS's in the area where I live now, and they pretty much suck @$$, so I just can't get too excited about them. Plus, Friday nights are for getting all the shyt for the day long tailgate ready for Saturday, or travel night if we are playing away (unless away is Wofford, which is a day trip).