With the focus being on football this past weekend, there was ample opportunity to review the "state of the game" across America. One article caught our attention from USA Today. If you are curious about the national conversation, it is a good read.
In Westfield, we have prided ourselves in being on the forefront of the needed changes within the game. We have pioneered new tackling techniques within the state, as well as employed cutting edge methods for diagnosing and treating head trauma. It has been our hope that, by doing our jobs as coaches and learning how to teach the safest techniques that science can offer for the protection of our players - by keeping player safety at the forefront of our minds - that government intervention will be seen as completely unnecessary, at least in our neck of the woods. We also hope that any parents out there trying to decide whether to allow their child to play football or not can find confidence in putting their child into our hands; that we will always do our utmost to return them in even better condition than when we found them.
We believe very much in our sport and its role within our community. We take our jobs a educators seriously with respect to player safety. If, as a parent or player, you ever have any question about how we accomplish all of this, please do not hesitate to contact us one way or another (there is contact information on this page as well as our various social media outlets), especially if you are on the fence about the role football could play in your child's life. We are very proud and confident to be Rocks.
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Thursday, February 19, 2015
New Classifications Out
It's around this time, every two years, that the IHSAA reclassifies its football teams. Just a handful of years ago, they changed from straight enrollment, to a more complicated system that takes a success factor into account. Because of Westfield's rapid rate of growth, we're always paying attention to these reclassifications. Top three are:
It is interesting to note that our neighbor to the south, Carmel, is more than double the school size of Westfield. 600 students is the size of a large class. They have an entire extra CLASS of students on top of the next highest school, who has an entire CLASS of students on the rest of the state. That's crazy!
Also, we won't get the opportunity to square off against Cathedral, as they've bumped up to 6A due to the success factor (with 1292 enrollment).
Another interesting view: The low number in 5A is Munster with 1511 enrollment (New Pal got bumped up due to success factor, so they are smaller, but I'm not including that here). The difference between #1 in 5A (Castle 1940) and Munster is 429 students. Yes, the difference in the entire 5A class enrollment is smaller than between #1 Carmel and #2 Ben Davis. So it's not like being #3 in 5A gives us a huge size advantage over all of the smaller 5A schools. Not when you consider the Indy Metro "mega" schools, anyway.
Size isn't everything, but one could argue it might have a little to do with sustained success. In the last 10 years, one of those top 3 enrollment schools have appeared in the state final a staggering 8 times (winning 7), with 4 contests being between two of them. Not to take away from any of them. They put on pads just like every one else. The odds just might be slightly in their favor.
Odds aren't everything. By any means.
Westfield has been on the losing side of the size battle quite a bit. We've taken our lumps as the smaller school for many years. Often, it seemed like every time we'd be near the top of a classification bracket, we'd jump right up a level.
We have at least a couple more years in 5A, and need to earn all the success we can. Nothing is given in this game. When we eventually grow to be 6A, we want a strong foundation of success to launch from.
- Carmel 4830
- Ben Davis 4220
- Warren Central 3602
It is interesting to note that our neighbor to the south, Carmel, is more than double the school size of Westfield. 600 students is the size of a large class. They have an entire extra CLASS of students on top of the next highest school, who has an entire CLASS of students on the rest of the state. That's crazy!
Also, we won't get the opportunity to square off against Cathedral, as they've bumped up to 6A due to the success factor (with 1292 enrollment).
Another interesting view: The low number in 5A is Munster with 1511 enrollment (New Pal got bumped up due to success factor, so they are smaller, but I'm not including that here). The difference between #1 in 5A (Castle 1940) and Munster is 429 students. Yes, the difference in the entire 5A class enrollment is smaller than between #1 Carmel and #2 Ben Davis. So it's not like being #3 in 5A gives us a huge size advantage over all of the smaller 5A schools. Not when you consider the Indy Metro "mega" schools, anyway.
Size isn't everything, but one could argue it might have a little to do with sustained success. In the last 10 years, one of those top 3 enrollment schools have appeared in the state final a staggering 8 times (winning 7), with 4 contests being between two of them. Not to take away from any of them. They put on pads just like every one else. The odds just might be slightly in their favor.
Odds aren't everything. By any means.
Westfield has been on the losing side of the size battle quite a bit. We've taken our lumps as the smaller school for many years. Often, it seemed like every time we'd be near the top of a classification bracket, we'd jump right up a level.
We have at least a couple more years in 5A, and need to earn all the success we can. Nothing is given in this game. When we eventually grow to be 6A, we want a strong foundation of success to launch from.
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