Randy Hedberg

[Gully]

Semi related so dropping this here. My alma mater HS of Parshall has cancelled football for this year, I can't imagine it'll make a recovery (as Parshall being the main town anyway as we've been coop for 30+ years) in today's environment. Ever since they lost the Plaza-North Shore coop to Berthold hear that they've struggled to field enough kids to make a team. That field turf named after Randy sitting idle after one year of use. May be able to restart as 6man?? Or coop with New Town, although that was attempted here in emergency request not sure what happened there.

Somewhat saddens me as Parshall did have a pretty good history in football considering it was predominantly a small school after the boom of the 60s missile silo construction. They only marginally gained a bit with the oil boom.

Friday nights were exciting in Parshall while I was growing up to see that completely disappear in a generation just shows where this game is going...

https://www.kfyrtv.com/2021/08/23/pa...ason-canceled/

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL on a bullet train from Hillsboro.

Played against PPNS in HS....they were known for double and triple reverses, LOL. Good times.

[OrygunBison]

A big problem is the parents. Yep, there is risk in football just like there always was and will be. Yet, parents now are a bunch of pansy asses; oh I can't let little junior get hurt.

I think that's a bit harsh on parents but I definitely get your frustration.

I grew up playing 9-man football in the Minot area in the 80's. For us, football started at 7th grade because there were no options for earlier than that. Now I'm a dad and I have developed concerns about the game over time. My wife had never been around sports before I showed up in her life so she was definitely concerned. In fact, it started as a hard no for her letting our son play. I didn't ever push the game on him but he really wanted to play, starting at age 6. My wife was totally fine with flag football at that age (Why shouldn't she be?) so we signed him up and I got roped into being head coach for the next 2 seasons. As this went on, we continued to talk about tackle football as a family. As I came to refine my own thinking, something particularly important became clear to me: At some point in our son's life, we would not feel right to say no to activities that he would like to do. (Other than cocaine and hookers, of course.) For us, we decided that once our kids were freshman in high school, we'd give them much more freedom to choose their own path, to make some of their own mistakes and learn more than if we were holding their hands the entire time. Once my wife and I committed to that line of thinking, we began to realize that it wouldn't make sense to only then allow him to play contact ball...with kids that have been doing it since they were in 3rd grade and know how to hit, etc. My wife was convinced on one condition: she required me to help coach so that I could watch over him, etc.

I started coaching youth football when my son was in 3rd grade. Because of how I arrived at letting my own son play, the coaching staff always had me talk to parents, mostly moms, about the logic behind letting their son (and some daughters) learn early. Youth coaches go through lots of training to make the game safer, not just from contact but from heat and other things. We teach them how to be safe BEFORE the contact really starts getting aggressive. Frankly, most of the injuries that you see when the kiddos are in 3rd and 4th grade are from 2 kids not seeing each other and running into one another accidentally...and those are generally more embarrassment and hurt feelings rather than actual physical injuries. It isn't until 7th and 8th grade when the hitting gets more real. There are exceptions, of course, but having watched hundreds of kids play over the years, I'm comfortable with the generalization.

Anyway, more often than not, if we got to the point that a parent was directly talking to us about their son's potential participation, we had a very high rate of success getting them to join. When I started coaching, we were concerned about dwindling numbers but I'm glad to report that at least in our little sphere of influence, we have better numbers now than when I started. In 8 years of coaching, I had one broken wrist (He was still very proud to have made the tackle!!), a broken ankle, a few sprains, a few bumps and bruises, and one case of overheating that was a bit concerning. We haven't had a single concussion.

My son played through his freshman season and then decided to not continue. He was educated and experienced enough to know that the game just wasn't right for him.

So, yeah, parents are concerned and rightfully so. If we answer their questions with understanding and compassion, and a ton of direct honesty, they can often find the path toward the game. I agree with others that say that there's so many other competing year round sports and it is causing conflicts with scheduling, etc. Eventually, those other domineering sports will have their reckoning and football will still be here to pick up the pieces. There's just too many good lessons that kids can get from the game.

[Twincitybizon]

I love how some people have decided they're tired being infectious disease specialists, and have moved on to being traumatic brain injury specialists. The knowledge on this board is tremendous!! I'm humbled to be in your presence!!!

[No_Skill]

[GreenfieldBison]

I love how some people have decided they're tired being infectious disease specialists, and have moved on to being traumatic brain injury specialists. The knowledge on this board is tremendous!! I'm humbled to be in your presence!!!

You just remember that brother. You got a problem? We can solve it here. The expertise amassed here is unfathomable to the typical human.

Really. I mean you just need to develop that “twitch” like a newb NFL QB. “I feel pressure” - Bisonville. “Big decision” - Bisonville. “High of low?” - Bisonville. “Shares or options?” - Bisonville.

We got ya man. Just lay back and relax.

Meanwhile, please stop interrupting me while I’m enjoying an extended tribute to Charlie Watts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tjbison]

Semi related so dropping this here. My alma mater HS of Parshall has cancelled football for this year, I can't imagine it'll make a recovery (as Parshall being the main town anyway as we've been coop for 30+ years) in today's environment. Ever since they lost the Plaza-North Shore coop to Berthold hear that they've struggled to field enough kids to make a team. That field turf named after Randy sitting idle after one year of use. May be able to restart as 6man?? Or coop with New Town, although that was attempted here in emergency request not sure what happened there.

Somewhat saddens me as Parshall did have a pretty good history in football considering it was predominantly a small school after the boom of the 60s missile silo construction. They only marginally gained a bit with the oil boom.

Friday nights were exciting in Parshall while I was growing up to see that completely disappear in a generation just shows where this game is going...

https://www.kfyrtv.com/2021/08/23/pa...ason-canceled/

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL on a bullet train from Hillsboro.

https://www.inforum.com/news/educati...7M-discrepancy

[Twincitybizon]

You just remember that brother. You got a problem? We can solve it here. The expertise amassed here is unfathomable to the typical human.

Really. I mean you just need to develop that “twitch” like a newb NFL QB. “I feel pressure” - Bisonville. “Big decision” - Bisonville. “High of low?” - Bisonville. “Shares or options?” - Bisonville.

We got ya man. Just lay back and relax.

Meanwhile, please stop interrupting me while I’m enjoying an extended tribute to Charlie Watts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow gotta prep me before dropping the charlie watts news like that. Amazing they lived that long but sad. First Dusty Hill, now this

[IndyBison]

Which is silly because little kids are slow and the hard hitting doesn't start until about that age.

My kids only played tackle football in elementary school. I remember thinking "how is anyone going to get hurt here. They just run into each other and fall down." It wasn't completely injury free but the kinds of things that cause serious injuries are usually middle school or higher.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[1998braves64]

Played against PPNS in HS....they were known for double and triple reverses, LOL. Good times.

Hah yeah coach had a lot of counter plays and pulling guards too. Usually didn't have anyone of any size so was all speed orientated. Liked to make the big fellas from the other schools get wore out running sideline to sideline. Always seemed like from late 80s to when I graduated have a couple decent running backs in backfield helped out those reverse plays too.

FB coach from late 80s on just retired a few years ago so he had a pretty good run.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL on a bullet train from Hillsboro.

[1998braves64]

https://www.inforum.com/news/educati...7M-discrepancy

Wow that's not cool appears to be unintentional but still makes people a bit leery. Timeframe must have to deal with the construction of the new high school perhaps? Their football "recruits" has been shrinking ever since I graduated. Think most we ever had when I played was 24 or so that's with 1/3 or a bit more coming from plaza-North shore.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL on a bullet train from Hillsboro.