Which school will be next to get a P5 invite?

[NickyNewark]

Pensacola boy....my family went to Destin in the mid 50's when it was a small fishing village. We stayed right on the lagoon in an old fishing cottage owned by the McKenzie Oertings (Aunt's husband's family). I grew up in a sleepy Florida before Disney and the migration of the rust belters. Gulf Breeze was deserted and nobody wanted to live at Pensacola Beach...My coming of age revolves heavily around the deserted beach between Pensacola and Navarre.

That sounds more like the Florida I dreamed of as a kid!Wide open spaces,miles of nice beaches and what was the name of the show starring the dolphin?

 

[NickyNewark]

I think we have a Naval Air Station in Pensacola?I almost went aviation guarantee in the Corps but ended up a teletype operater!I loved MCRD in Dago!

 

[billybud]

Hollywood Marine, weren't ya?

I went to PI...started out as an 0311...then moved on to Force Recon.

 

[billybud]

I loved San Diego as well...I was at the UDT base on Coronado for a while being trained by UDT....it never rained. Tijuana, the Chicago Club...oh man...the stories of a teenage Marine!

 

[SouthronCross]

Me too as I remember in NJ about half the town's of Belleville and Nutley would show up at our yearly rivalry usually Thanksgiving and fights would break out ANYWHERE!!Even after the games were over if you were over 12 and under 26 or so and waving a maroon shirt,pom pom or anything maroon at us (esp to the loser) we'd rip car antennas off cars and thump!!Both towns populations were about 35G and 12/15G(which is pretty good in the NE) would be at the games and many were even related!Friday night games were the wildest though as drinking was more prevelant(even among HS kids)!When I was coming up though (50s/60s) Saturday was customary(obviously excluding Thanksgiving Day)!It was all about town and HS pride!

LOL...thats a great story, too.

You know, it doesn't matter what region...South, west, north, east...when two small town high schools get together, alcohol and fights seem to go hand in hand. And, if they're league rivals, its that much more intense.

 

[SouthronCross]

Just my own opinion; but, I like high schools around 1,000 to 1,500 students, which is actually large for the Northeast. Big enough to offer everything (sports, marching band, AP classes, etc.); but not overwhelming.
My high school at the time was about 1,200. We had 2 guys in my class play D-1-FBS football (Virginia, Army) and 2 more went the following year (Syracuse & ND [the ND kid apparently confused the lucky four leaf clover with too much of a different green plant and washed out ,guess he should have gone to Florida). I played soccer; but, was not good enough to play at UConn.

I think high schools should top out at between 1,500 and 1.750 students. For the reasons you say.

Your HS had 1,200 students? That would have been the 2nd largest in my county when I was growing up. The city's HS had 1,750. My own school had less than 350 students TOTAL, with just 87 in my graduating class. Now, it has over 700, and, has been elevated from the Class 1-A ranks to Class 2-A.

 

[SouthronCross]

Fla's population wasn't as robust back in the day IIRC?After building up DisneyWorld the population boom must have started?I have dozens of transplanted relatives in the Orlando and Jacksonville area tho I prefer Gulf Breeze,Tampa and especially the Keys!I'm not fond of the Miami/Ft Lauderdale area.

There are some really nice areas in south Florida. Coral Gables (where the U of Miami is located) is pretty nice. My cousin and her family lived in Cooper City, suburb of Ft Lauderdale, and, they liked it. They've since moved to the Orlando area (Winter Park, IIRC).

Another cousin's family lived in Tampa, but, later moved to Houston. They loved Tampa, but, Houston is more laid back, which better suited her.

My brother lived in Ocala. He liked it, because it sort of reminded him of our hometown.

 

[NickyNewark]

There are some really nice areas in south Florida. Coral Gables (where the U of Miami is located) is pretty nice. My cousin and her family lived in Cooper City, suburb of Ft Lauderdale, and, they liked it. They've since moved to the Orlando area (Winter Park, IIRC).

Another cousin's family lived in Tampa, but, later moved to Houston. They loved Tampa, but, Houston is more laid back, which better suited her.

My brother lived in Ocala. He liked it, because it sort of reminded him of our hometown.

Most of Southern Fla around Miami is way too humid for me but I love the Keys!My blood is Celtic thick!

 

[NickyNewark]

Hollywood Marine, weren't ya?

I went to PI...started out as an 0311...then moved on to Force Recon.

Where?Camp Geiger?Jacksonville was a wild little town but as you know I was a 12 day wonder!Ha Ha..30 days leave and hello no rain SD....MCRD at the time had the communication school now its in 29 Palms!Thank God I was in during my time frame!At PI I was in the "new" concrete barracks in Platoon 360...march into chow..aye,aye,sir!Ha Ha

 

[SouthronCross]

Most of Southern Fla around Miami is way too humid for me but I love the Keys!My blood is Celtic thick!

I'm of Celtic blood myself, but, I guess growing up in the humid-laden South made me think about south Florida in a different way...LOL.

 

[SouthronCross]

Where?Camp Geiger?Jacksonville was a wild little town but as you know I was a 12 day wonder!Ha Ha..30 days leave and hello no rain SD....MCRD at the time had the communication school now its in 29 Palms!Thank God I was in during my time frame!At PI I was in the "new" concrete barracks in Platoon 360...march into chow..aye,aye,sir!Ha Ha

Jacksonville is my hometown. When were you last here? I guarantee you would not recognise the place AT ALL now.

 

[billybud]

I was in Jacksonville last in the mid 60's.....they served near beer at a downtown Marine bar called Birdland or something....30,000 Marines and the few local women were locked up on Friday night through Sunday.

 

[upstater]

http://content.ciacsports.com/scripts/fb_schedules13.cgi?week=1

This is the Conn. HS football schedule for this week. Most games are not on Saturdays, and that's even with all the suspended games from the poor weather.

So, it's a weird perception that football is mainly played on Saturdays. It's about half and half.

 

[J187Money]

Now, I did not know about any of that. I had no idea that it could be that difficult to play on Friday nights where you are.

In my own hometown, the two biggest high schools are located in residential areas, and, I am sure there are residents here who complain about the noise, and, the traffic in their neighborhood. But, if they do, I'm pretty sure the vast majority do not. Its just for about 3 or 3-1/2 hours, and, then its over.

This is a big issue in a lot of towns. If lights aren't up already, getting them put up will be met with a fight. Amazing the fights we have in Milford over stuff to do with lighting / fencing for baseball fields, etc. And then there are the outliers - not every team has its own stadium (Platt plays at Foran for example). It absolutely should be a goal and anyone that has lights should make it a priority. But we are a ways from having that be the standard.

 

[J187Money]

College football in Connecticut got very little mind share as recently as a decade ago. Just like basketball, if UCONN gains traction and prominence in football you'll see more kids gravitate to the sport. But, it will take time, perhaps as much as decade for kids to make it through the ranks. Connecticut will never be a hotbed of recruiting for a number of reasons, but I think you'll see an uptick in talent over the next 10 years. Of course, it is somewhat contingent on a program that progresses in the right direction.

Not that I expect my son to be good at all, but he is 100% playing because of going to UCONN games with me since the Rent opened. He tried Pop Warner when he was 8, hated it and quit, but now that he has some size he went out for it and dreams about playing for UCONN.

 

[J187Money]

http://content.ciacsports.com/scripts/fb_schedules13.cgi?week=1

This is the Conn. HS football schedule for this week. Most games are not on Saturdays, and that's even with all the suspended games from the poor weather.

So, it's a weird perception that football is mainly played on Saturdays. It's about half and half.

3:30 or 4pm games on Fridays don't help much in terms of spectators though.

 

[J187Money]

I would also add that I'm not even sure that HS football is the bigger problem. I think it is Pop Warner football. My former boss (Cuse fan) gave up his seats to PSU/Cuse at the Meadowlands because of his kids Pop Warner games. There are a bunch of UCONN fans on my street that never go because they are at youth football stuff every saturday.

 

[upstater]

3:30 or 4pm games on Fridays don't help much in terms of spectators though.

But I thought the discussion is about players and families going to see UConn on Saturdays? The games are at 4 pm because the fields don't have lights, and even then, you can only play these games in early September. Come October, it'lll be dark by the 4th quarter.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

http://content.ciacsports.com/scripts/fb_schedules13.cgi?week=1

This is the Conn. HS football schedule for this week. Most games are not on Saturdays, and that's even with all the suspended games from the poor weather.

So, it's a weird perception that football is mainly played on Saturdays. It's about half and half.

This is a bad week to use as ‘typical’ standard for High School football in the Northeast due to Yom Kippur. Most NJ high school games were scheduled for last night, until the Thunderstorms set-up shop last night. Now, most are re-scheduled between 1 and 3 PM today or Sunday morning. Next week would be a better example.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

This is a big issue in a lot of towns. If lights aren't up already, getting them put up will be met with a fight. Amazing the fights we have in Milford over stuff to do with lighting / fencing for baseball fields, etc. And then there are the outliers - not every team has its own stadium (Platt plays at Foran for example). It absolutely should be a goal and anyone that has lights should make it a priority. But we are a ways from having that be the standard.

I agree, football attendance went-up a good 100% when the light went-up mid-way through my high school tenure in CT. There are draw backs though. I went to my first football game at my old high school in 10/15 years last fall and took a footpath through the woods to the to the field from where I parked. Had to keep my eyes closed and my nosed plugged because I really did not want to see nor smell what was going on in the shadows of the stadium,

 

[upstater]

This is a bad week to use as ‘typical’ standard for High School football in the Northeast due to Yom Kippur. Most NJ high school games were scheduled for last night, until the Thunderstorms set-up shop last night. Now, most are re-scheduled between 1 and 3 PM today or Sunday morning. Next week would be a better example.

Good point

http://content.ciacsports.com/scripts/fb_schedules13.cgi?week=2

You still have more Friday night games next week

 

[itgoeslike]

Not that I expect my son to be good at all, but he is 100% playing because of going to UCONN games with me since the Rent opened. He tried Pop Warner when he was 8, hated it and quit, but now that he has some size he went out for it and dreams about playing for UCONN.

Cool. Hope he makes it, or at least has fun trying.

 

[SouthronCross]

This is a big issue in a lot of towns. If lights aren't up already, getting them put up will be met with a fight. Amazing the fights we have in Milford over stuff to do with lighting / fencing for baseball fields, etc. And then there are the outliers - not every team has its own stadium (Platt plays at Foran for example). It absolutely should be a goal and anyone that has lights should make it a priority. But we are a ways from having that be the standard.

Why is getting HSFB fields lighted always met with a fight? That just seems so crazy to me.

You also mention some schools do not have their own stadiums. I know there are a couple of cities here in NC where some schools share a facility. Wilmington and Durham, IIRC.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Why is getting HSFB fields lighted always met with a fight? That just seems so crazy to me.

You also mention some schools do not have their own stadiums. I know there are a couple of cities here in NC where some schools share a facility. Wilmington and Durham, IIRC.

Why is getting HSFB fields lighted always met with a fight? That just seems so crazy to me.

You also mention some schools do not have their own stadiums. I know there are a couple of cities here in NC where some schools share a facility. Wilmington and Durham, IIRC.

In the Northeast, everything is met with a fight.

Shared football stadium are common in larger towns with more than 1 high school, it is more economical to build a single football stadium with all the bells and whistles than 2, especially in less affluent towns.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I played HS football over 50 years ago for Shelton High
We always opened with Seymour, Ansonia, East Haven, and Branford on Friday night. Plus we played ND of WH later on at night
the crowds were very large. I think most Valley teams except Derby played a lot of night games. I went to them since grade school.
Football was a big deal in the lower Naugatuck Valley. We had over 5000 for Seymour and Ansonia. Even East Haven drew back then
In AZ the schools are huge so comparisons are difficult.
I do think a team made up of Shelton, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Oxford would do very well against teams with simalar enrollments. The total enrollment of those schools would be much less than the enrollment of Chandler Hamilton.

 

[SouthronCross]

In the Northeast, everything is met with a fight.

I've noticed that on the news. I have to give y'all props for the passion you all bring to those arguments.


Shared football stadium are common in larger towns with more than 1 high school, it is more economical to build a single football stadium with all the bells and whistles than 2, especially in less affluent towns.

OK, cool. Thats a sensible reason, especially in crowded cities.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I played HS football over 50 years ago for Shelton High
We always opened with Seymour, Ansonia, East Haven, and Branford on Friday night. Plus we played ND of WH later on at night
the crowds were very large. I think most Valley teams except Derby played a lot of night games. I went to them since grade school.
Football was a big deal in the lower Naugatuck Valley. We had over 5000 for Seymour and Ansonia. Even East Haven drew back then
In AZ the schools are huge so comparisons are difficult.
I do think a team made up of Shelton, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Oxford would do very well against teams with simalar enrollments. The total enrollment of those schools would be much less than the enrollment of Chandler Hamilton.

I had to be 7/8 years old and I used to walk with friends (amazing what will not let our kids do today) to Derby HS for football. The year someone got stabbed and then the Shelton mayor got into a fight and broke his leg was the last Thanksgiving game my Mom let me go to.

Derby has under 400 students today and they had to go to a Co-Op with the local Tech HS. Ansonia is bigger with 700+. Seymour is down to 600+, primarily because both Beacon Falls and Oxford have their own high schools now. Shelton is still big with 1,600.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

When I was growing up, (the 70s), the Thanksgiving Day game in East Hartford was George J. Penny - East Hartford High game. The stands were always filled. Just think if GJP was still open and I wonder if the Rent would be the site it would be played at. (I heard it is now EHHS - Manchester for Thanksgiving at the Rent.

 

[buddy]

I played HS football over 50 years ago for Shelton High
We always opened with Seymour, Ansonia, East Haven, and Branford on Friday night. Plus we played ND of WH later on at night
the crowds were very large. I think most Valley teams except Derby played a lot of night games. I went to them since grade school.
Football was a big deal in the lower Naugatuck Valley. We had over 5000 for Seymour and Ansonia. Even East Haven drew back then
In AZ the schools are huge so comparisons are difficult.
I do think a team made up of Shelton, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Oxford would do very well against teams with simalar enrollments. The total enrollment of those schools would be much less than the enrollment of Chandler Hamilton.

A team made up of the best of these schools would beat the current UConn team.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I had to be 7/8 years old and I used to walk with friends (amazing what will not let our kids do today) to Derby HS for football. The year someone got stabbed and then the Shelton mayor got into a fight and broke his leg was the last Thanksgiving game my Mom let me go to.

Derby has under 400 students today and they had to go to a Co-Op with the local Tech HS. Ansonia is bigger with 700+. Seymour is down to 600+, primarily because both Beacon Falls and Oxford have their own high schools now. Shelton is still big with 1,600.

I went to a Shelton/Derby game in the early 70's and 5 or 6 Derby starters were related to me. That was the valley.
My Derby grandmother who didn't. know a football from a footstool would give me grief if Derby won. My dad was a Derby guy but kept it quiet he was outnumbered. You could get a line on any valley game in any shop in the Valley. Most of the factories are gone now and Shelton seems to be more Fairfirld County then Valley.
I was just there and didn't see one person I knew.

I had a Sentinal route when I was 8. Picked up my papers downtown then walked a mile to start my route.
The only thing I was afraid of were dogs. It was a different world.