Big Decisions to Make

The registration deadline has come and gone.  It seems at most every grade level, there is something that needs a decision to make.

Grade 2/3.  Nothing out of the ordinary here.  There are four on the waiting list.  Will need to let those parents know that we did not get enough to form a second team.

Grade 4.  In addition to 20 on the roster, we have 6 on the waiting list.  After consulting with the Irondale and Mounds View commissioners and having the coaches discuss it among themselves, we are seriously considering forming two teams. 

With 13 on a team, we are a little concerned that we will be spreading the talent too thin on these teams.  But in the spirit of giving the boys a chance to play and develop their skills, it's best to involve ALL those who want to play football.  Having a 26-person team for 9-man football is impractical.  So, we're checking in with all the waiting list players to see if they are still interested.

Grade 5.  No major decisions here.  We did allow one player from outside the district on the team as the 25th player.  The June 30th deadline has passed, and no one else was on the waiting list.  So this was a fair thing to do.  We may get some flack if a resident wants to sign up now, but we were very clear about the deadline.

Grade 6.  Not all of the 5th graders from last year have come back, and we were short of 5th graders last year.  This is really tough.  We have ten players.  We are not going to get enough to fill a team.  Too bad, because we have the coaches.

Grade 7.  A pleasant surprise is that 15 are signed-up.  Many of them are coming back after last playing in 5th grade, when they had a very difficult, losing season playing against kids a year older than they were.

Unfortunately, this team does not have a head coach.   Yes, a possibility is to move the 6th graders up, because they do not have enough and they have a coach.  A couple years ago, the 5th grade played up with the 6th grade, and it was a disaster.

So the decisions are:

1)  Call every possible person and ask if they want to coach the 7th grade team and disband the 6th grade team.

2) Combine the 6th and 7th grade teams.

3) Disband both 6th and 7th grade teams.

Grade 8.  12 or 13 are signed up now.  They are trickling in.  I think we will have enough, but it looks like there will be not be too much depth on the bench.