Marion Local Football 'The Elephant In The Room'

[radiodavel]

Marion Local Football 'The Elephant In The Room'
https://statelinesportsnetwork.net/2024 ... n-the-room

[Bumpy]

Some folks over on the Yappi site are shaming ML for winning so easily, some say they should be competing in a larger division. Those kids are home grown and the school doesn't fudge enrollment numbers either (CB of 1). This senior class went 64-0, hard to wrap the mind around that, congrats to Flyer nation.

[14U]

Some folks over on the Yappi site are shaming ML for winning so easily, some say they should be competing in a larger division. Those kids are home grown and the school doesn't fudge enrollment numbers either (CB of 1). This senior class went 64-0, hard to wrap the mind around that, congrats to Flyer nation.

Why? If ur good ur good and it’s not ML fault that the other teams can’t stop them, right? Also u don’t tell ur players to quit because nobody can stop you as a team. U put ur subs in to get experience and playing time thats why they’re so good, next man up every year. I’m from southern Ohio and used to travel to MAC country back in the late 80’s and 90’s to watch good football. Worth the travel

[14U]

Now coldwater has running clock on Kirtland, 31-0 4th

[14U]

31-7 late

[MTSWNGRVSG]

Maybe it is time for other schools to look at what the MAC schools do! I

[greygoose]

Maybe it is time for other schools to look at what the MAC schools do! I

If it were that easy, D7 school with 66 kids on the team would lead me to believe they’re a rare D7 school that can field 7th, 8th, 9th, JV and varsity that’s a ton of experience gained. Be hard pressed to find another if any other D7 has that capability when you have 80-90% of your boys playing football. Each school can probably look in the hallways and see at a minimum a dozen guys that would help the team but they never play. For the MAC and kids in that area they eat, sleep and live football.

[Izladoom]

Lots of people are bashing them but they do not have any say in what division they play in I understand that they are just to good and no one has a chance against them in d7

[teach1coach2]

I can't remember if it was Marion Local or Coldwater, but about 8-10 years ago one of those coaches was speaking at a clinic and a football coach I know said the coach told them they can't duplicate what he has. He said 2/3 of the boys in the school play football, all his players are from solid traditional families (biological dad and mom married - no player on team with divorced parents), and most players are sons of former players or at least graduated from that school. It's a culture. Lots of German heritage and strong Christian faith.

[Da Bears]

I was at a clinic where Coach Goodwin was speaking at. Not sure it was the same one teach1coach2 was referring to. Anyway, I simply asked him if I could visit and talk some football. So a few weeks later, I drove over to Maria Stein and talked with him for almost 2 hours. Later that year I went and watched them practice for a first round playoff game. As I type this I am reading off of the notes I took . . . that particular year Marion Local had 95 boys in the school and 72 of them played football. Of the 72 boys 68 had both mom and dad living in the home. The poverty rate was just under 3%. They don't have pee wee football. Said he doesn't want it. HIs quote was, "we don't have to undo 3 - 4 years of bad daddy coaching." All of his kids lift year round either at 5:30 am or after school. They don't get and don't want any transfers. Said that he knows he has kids that could go to some neighboring schools and start as underclassmen. They stay, develop, and have great Junior and Senior years. If I remember right their CB was 1. Not too many state champions can say that. Anyway, it was a great conversation. The MAC has it rolling. I for one congratulate them, and wish them continued success.

[madpolecat]

I was at a clinic where Coach Goodwin was speaking at. Not sure it was the same one teach1coach2 was referring to. Anyway, I simply asked him if I could visit and talk some football. So a few weeks later, I drove over to Maria Stein and talked with him for almost 2 hours. Later that year I went and watched them practice for a first round playoff game. As I type this I am reading off of the notes I took . . . that particular year Marion Local had 95 boys in the school and 72 of them played football. Of the 72 boys 68 had both mom and dad living in the home. The poverty rate was just under 3%. They don't have pee wee football. Said he doesn't want it. HIs quote was, "we don't have to undo 3 - 4 years of bad daddy coaching." All of his kids lift year round either at 5:30 am or after school. They don't get and don't want any transfers. Said that he knows he has kids that could go to some neighboring schools and start as underclassmen. They stay, develop, and have great Junior and Senior years. If I remember right their CB was 1. Not too many state champions can say that. Anyway, it was a great conversation. The MAC has it rolling. I for one congratulate them, and wish them continued success.

[madpolecat]

I was at a clinic where Coach Goodwin was speaking at. Not sure it was the same one teach1coach2 was referring to. Anyway, I simply asked him if I could visit and talk some football. So a few weeks later, I drove over to Maria Stein and talked with him for almost 2 hours. Later that year I went and watched them practice for a first round playoff game. As I type this I am reading off of the notes I took . . . that particular year Marion Local had 95 boys in the school and 72 of them played football. Of the 72 boys 68 had both mom and dad living in the home. The poverty rate was just under 3%. They don't have pee wee football. Said he doesn't want it. HIs quote was, "we don't have to undo 3 - 4 years of bad daddy coaching." All of his kids lift year round either at 5:30 am or after school. They don't get and don't want any transfers. Said that he knows he has kids that could go to some neighboring schools and start as underclassmen. They stay, develop, and have great Junior and Senior years. If I remember right their CB was 1. Not too many state champions can say that. Anyway, it was a great conversation. The MAC has it rolling. I for one congratulate them, and wish them continued success.

There are portions of this argument that I have been making for years.

Mind you, I don't have enough experince with larger urban or suburban schools to comment comfortably, but I feel that It applies well to the type of schools in SEOhio (and rural Ohio, generally).

1. Every staff I have been part of would rather have NO pee-wee football than pee-wee football with coaching that doesn't 100% align with the varsity program. It is truly easier to teach a HS kid something new than to unf**K the bad habits picked up when younger, because in a stressed sitaution, kids tend to revert back to what they have done the longest untill you have throuroughly cleansed the bad habits.

2. Poverty... dear Lord. Having to worry about money detracts from family stability.

And family stability means that a kid can count on being taken to early lifting year-round until he gets his driver's ed done, which ain't cheap. And stability and having enough money means that a kid doesn't have to work his arse off at jobs to keep that car on the road.

Kids (and people in general) want to commit and be part of something... when it's possible.

Money tends to trump every thing.

3. Population density helps too, especially for smaller schools. Proximity aids in participation. One small caveat to that is in places like Flat Ohio with large farms. One acre of that farmland is more valuable than an acre of woods an hills in SEOhio. A farm of several hundred acres is a large business. Those ain't "poor farm kids."

Again... when all things are equal, money trumps everything.

.................

(Minor gripe with a point I see coming up... "divorce" is cited a as a factor. I would say that divorce is something that can contribute to a lack of stability and poverty. But there are also lots of good shared parenting situations where both parents commit to making sure the children have a good quality of life,)

[efarns]

I was at a clinic where Coach Goodwin was speaking at. Not sure it was the same one teach1coach2 was referring to. Anyway, I simply asked him if I could visit and talk some football. So a few weeks later, I drove over to Maria Stein and talked with him for almost 2 hours. Later that year I went and watched them practice for a first round playoff game. As I type this I am reading off of the notes I took . . . that particular year Marion Local had 95 boys in the school and 72 of them played football. Of the 72 boys 68 had both mom and dad living in the home. The poverty rate was just under 3%. They don't have pee wee football. Said he doesn't want it. HIs quote was, "we don't have to undo 3 - 4 years of bad daddy coaching." All of his kids lift year round either at 5:30 am or after school. They don't get and don't want any transfers. Said that he knows he has kids that could go to some neighboring schools and start as underclassmen. They stay, develop, and have great Junior and Senior years. If I remember right their CB was 1. Not too many state champions can say that. Anyway, it was a great conversation. The MAC has it rolling. I for one congratulate them, and wish them continued success.

There are portions of this argument that I have been making for years.

Mind you, I don't have enough experince with larger urban or suburban schools to comment comfortably, but I feel that It applies well to the type of schools in SEOhio (and rural Ohio, generally).

1. Every staff I have been part of would rather have NO pee-wee football than pee-wee football with coaching that doesn't 100% align with the varsity program. It is truly easier to teach a HS kid something new than to unf**K the bad habits picked up when younger, because in a stressed sitaution, kids tend to revert back to what they have done the longest untill you have throuroughly cleansed the bad habits.

2. Poverty... dear Lord. Having to worry about money detracts from family stability.

And family stability means that a kid can count on being taken to early lifting year-round until he gets his driver's ed done, which ain't cheap. And stability and having enough money means that a kid doesn't have to work his arse off at jobs to keep that car on the road.

Kids (and people in general) want to commit and be part of something... when it's possible.

Money tends to trump every thing.

3. Population density helps too, especially for smaller schools. Proximity aids in participation. One small caveat to that is in places like Flat Ohio with large farms. One acre of that farmland is more valuable than an acre of woods an hills in SEOhio. A farm of several hundred acres is a large business. Those ain't "poor farm kids."

Again... when all things are equal, money trumps everything.

.................

(Minor gripe with a point I see coming up... "divorce" is cited a as a factor. I would say that divorce is something that can contribute to a lack of stability and poverty. But there are also lots of good shared parenting situations where both parents commit to making sure the children have a good quality of life,)

All good points. The Marion Local coach is, obviously, a great high school coach. But what if he went to, for example, Logan? Logan would be a lot better, but would they have a nation-leading winning streak and multiple state championships? i believe not. Logan has had some really good football there in the past, but they're also a sprawling district with a lot of the challenges you mentioned. The "State Championship or Bust" mentality kills me.

[Mole Master]

Trying to build a little Marion into Marietta if I can just get some help