brmurf
Freshmen Member
Posts: 93
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Post by brmurf on Jul 2, 2015 11:31:58 GMT -6
Have a new problem that I havent encountered in my 23 years of coaching and wanted some advice. We have had 75 kids come to summer work outs this June (the most in school history). I have 2 other kids coming out for the team that are transferring in to our system, the problem is we only have 64 helmets and 63 varsity jerseys. I know that every kid wont make it to the first game etc, my principal told me to try and split our practices and let kids share helmets................ As for jerseys I know I could not dress frosh (however there are 4 kids that will see some varsity time). So what if any ideas do you guys have on this? ?
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Post by amakelky on Jul 2, 2015 11:55:14 GMT -6
Is there a Booster Club or something similar that could chip in? Or rob your middle school equipment room? Splitting practices to share equipment just sounds like a bad situation. How do you fit stuff like helmets, shoulder pads, and mouth guards to multiple kids at once?
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Post by CoachM58 on Jul 2, 2015 14:34:18 GMT -6
Sounds like a lot of effort and a bad gig if someone ends up catching MRSA.
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Post by freezeoption on Jul 2, 2015 14:57:30 GMT -6
I've seen head lice spread in baseball helmets, I would suppose that could happen in football helmets, if school or booster club will not buy helmets, try to get some donations, or check if some schools will let you use theirs, we borrowed one from a school one year, had a kid with a enormous head, their colors were close to ours, I would not split practice or share helmets, what the heck are they thinking, having different color helmets would be better than the option of sharing helmets
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mhs99
Junior Member
Posts: 250
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Post by mhs99 on Jul 2, 2015 17:02:46 GMT -6
Your principal should be fired. Get the helmets for every kid. Sends a terrible message to not have enough equipment. Parents in your community will not be happy. Hit up the booster club.
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Post by Chris Clement on Jul 2, 2015 19:14:45 GMT -6
While I don't necessarily share the venom of the gentlemen above me, You can't have them sharing helmets. Lice, constantly fiddling with air pressure (twice a day), the nightmare of making sure every pair of players is on the same page, scheduling two practices and doubling your staff's workload, there's too many reasons not to do it.
You need to come up with 10 helmets, or lose 10 kids. I would see how many helmets you can get money for, see how many kids quit, and then you'll have to start making a few cuts. You might be able to make "soft cuts" by convincing a very undersized, undertalented freshman to spend the year "learning" and "growing" while acting as a manager on gamedays.
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Post by coachrdc on Jul 2, 2015 19:48:47 GMT -6
Your principal should be fired. Get the helmets for every kid. Sends a terrible message to not have enough equipment. Parents in your community will not be happy. Hit up the booster club. I agree. Seriously, does your principal know anything about football? Or watch the news? If it got out that kids were sharing helmets, even in practice, that would be game over man. Do you guys offer your kids the chance to buy helmets like the Xieneth? I don't sell them and it's not a plug, I just know that we offer them every year and at least 5-10 of our 35 man roster buy them. Even if you hit that number it would maybe help you out quite a bit in the short term.
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Post by freezeoption on Jul 3, 2015 10:17:44 GMT -6
again, go around and see what you can get, you will probably have a few quit and may not need as much, but two practices no, sharing helmets no, if one of those kids gets mrsa your butt is in a sling
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Post by buck42 on Jul 3, 2015 11:41:55 GMT -6
Tell the newspaper!!
"I don't know what we are going to do, we have more players than helmets and shoulder pads"
Bet your principal finds money for helmets. Heck even if you have "enough" helmets they might not all be sized right for your kids noggins.
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Post by buck42 on Jul 3, 2015 11:42:09 GMT -6
Tell the newspaper!!
"I don't know what we are going to do, we have more players than helmets and shoulder pads"
Bet your principal finds money for helmets. Heck even if you have "enough" helmets they might not all be sized right for your kids noggins.
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Post by coach31 on Jul 3, 2015 13:56:46 GMT -6
Try to drum up ~10 helmets. Jerseys might work themselves out by game 1. But every kid that wants to play should have a real shot at practice. Try borrowing from another school. I've helped 'rivals' with equipment before, most coaches are good guys and will help. I've also borrowed pants abd other equipment from local colleges. Give them a call and see. (Try the equipment guy not a coach)
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Post by coachdawhip on Jul 3, 2015 14:55:07 GMT -6
Praying for you coach!
Tell the newspaper for community support. Do you have a booster club? It's time for a fundraiser!
I had the same issue, luckily I had someone I could turn to, Car Dealership bought us 14 more.
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Post by canesfan on Jul 3, 2015 15:33:05 GMT -6
Can you do a quick fundraiser?
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Post by coachguy83 on Jul 5, 2015 3:30:20 GMT -6
First of all congratulations on your record numbers. I understand that money is tight for schools and your principal is trying to be frugal, but sharing helmets is a bad idea. In today's litigation happy society and with concussions in football being such a hot button issue it is a lawsuit looking for a spot to happen. The jersey issue is not that big of a deal, because you probably don't have more than 63 players that can legitimately help you on Friday nights.
I will reiterate what a lot of the other coaches have said in regards to your helmet issue:
1. Get a hold of your local equipment rep and talk to them about a purchasing program for helmets. I would offer this to Freshmen and really push to their parents that their heads typically do not grow anymore once they start high school and the helmet is theirs all four years. You probably won't have more than a handful of kids interested, but that's 4-5 less you have to find a way to buy.
2. I don't know what your fundraising or booster club situation is, but it should not be too hard to raise $1500-2000 to buy some extra helmets. If you have 75 guys that's only about $25 per player that you need to raise. There are a ton of good fundraising ideas that have been discussed on here in the past. I would imagine that if you don't have a strong booster club this could be a good reason to get one started. Parents can be pretty passionate when their kids brains are at stake.
3. The last step I think would be to talk to someone higher up the food chain. Your principal obviously does not understand the gravity of the situation. If that doesn't work the news paper is always an option.
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jaydub66
Sophomore Member
Varsity D-Line Coach
Posts: 223
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Post by jaydub66 on Jul 5, 2015 4:28:36 GMT -6
The jerseys are easy to take care of. Just dress how ever many kids you have jerseys for. Helmets? Eh, try and bug the AD, principle, who ever. Maybe have the kids buy their helmet AND later on reimburse them.
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Post by blb on Jul 5, 2015 6:50:32 GMT -6
How can administration and BOE justify not purchasing protective equipment for every kid that wants to participate?
If they are unwilling, tell parents you're going to have to cut. Hopefully that will get some action.
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Post by utchuckd on Jul 5, 2015 6:51:22 GMT -6
Can you even order jerseys now and get them by the start of the season?
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