Thread by @CoachFore, Club football thread:I watched about 5 minutes of a club football game [...]

Club football thread:
I watched about 5 minutes of a club football game earlier today.
Then about 10 minutes of another game.
In between errands, and hanging out with my kiddos.
Christmas Break is rad for that reason, 2 weeks off!

I've watched this current game now, I wanted to sit and watch a half as my kids have their hour of screen time for the day.
Why?
Because I love football!
Because I'm very curious to see what it is like.

Should they be playing club football right now amidst rising COVID numbers?
Not in California. It's been made very clear by California Department of Health that youth sports are not legal right now.

But no county department of health offices seem to care too much as these club teams are practicing all over CA right now. And not just these football club teams, but many youth sports are happening, combines are happening, etc. etc.

So, I'm not a fan of club football operating against California Health Department guidelines, and that's been my stance from day 1 on this thing. I'll say that first and foremost.

But now, let's take COVID out of the discussion.
How long would it have been before we saw this club football world come to the surface here in CA?
It hit me when I was coaching in 2014 when we had kids missing our own 7 on 7 for Club Football 7 on 7.
Hit me right then & there!

California High School Football as we know it is in "trouble."
This was my first thought.
We have kids missing their own high school events for Club.
Then I thought long and hard about why.
Why do kids make this choice?

For many, many reasons. Many reasons.
And in some communities they do not. Ever.
But in some communities they do.
And I started talking then, 6 years ago, about how we would one day see club tackle football here in CA.

And I started saying that we would one day in CA see kids NOT play for their high school in lieu of playing for their club. And for some kids, this might be a good thing. Let's face it, not all high school coaches are in it for the kids, and not running great programs.

That's why kids go to clubs. They started abandoning their own high school sports many years ago, 10-20 depending on the state and the sport.
In 2010, our best girls soccer player opted to play club instead of for her high school team.

In Texas, club girls volleyball has created a deficit of 25% of high school basketball players the last 5 years!
So, club sports have given kids options that their high school hasn't given them for YEARS!

But football has always been immune to that for the most part. However, with the onslaught of national 7 on 7 events on ESPN, and National recruiting coverage turning 7 on 7 events into made for TV events, we've seen an explosion of club football.

Simply put, if you didn't see club tackle football coming one day soon, your head has been in the sand. That's as simple as I could put it. So many people have had so many excuses of why it could NEVER happen.

These people simply don't understand parents, teenagers or disruptors very much at all to be honest.
Parents will spend whatever they need to.
Teenagers will go where they want.
Disruptors are creators and think outside of the box.

So this COVID situation has seen those three groups emerge to make club tackle football what it is today.
1. Parents have put out the money
2. Teenagers are playing
3. Disruptors have found ways to make it happen; traveling to NV for instance

To me, it's fascinating to sit here in California and watch a team from the Long Beach area vs. a team from the Pasadena area playing football in Nevada. . . . . . Fascinating.

I've had folks on here telling me to "stop promoting club football" and folks publicly and in DM blast me for talking about it. And that's fine. I've been saying for 6 years that this day would come. It's happening about 4-5 years before I thought it would, due to COVID.

People said they wouldn't be able to afford helmets, or uniforms, or have facilities, etc. But it's all happening . . . .
Should it be happening during COVID?
I already answered that. NO!

BUT, those people who will come after me for "promoting it during COVID" are missing the bigger picture of why I've been bringing attention to Club Football.
It. Is. Happening.
How will Club Football impact High School Football in California?
We have no idea.

I've been saying for years now that in some communities, club football will negatively impact their local high school football program. In a variety of ways. Some kids will transfer due to a kid or coach they met on their club team, just like every other sport.

Some kid will just opt NOT to play for their local high school, and just play club, just like every other sport we've seen this happening. Some kid will tear up his knee in a March club football game, and not be able to play for their school in August . . . .

So, we really have no idea what will happen in the future.
But Club Football is here in California, like it or not.
Will it stay once we are back to "normal?"
My guess is yes, it will.
It will be a Spring league is my guess.
Might be wrong. Hope I'm wrong. But that's my guess.

Now, it's up to high school football coaches in California to figure out what their next step is . . . . . .
Or if there is to be a next step.
Or how to support their players who play club.
Or . . . . . ?????
That's my two cents about club football.

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