District ends 0-4 team's season

[SouthGARef]

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2605816

While I could understand the coaches decision, how about letting the players transfer to another school if they wish to finish the year on a team? The problem with that is that they'd probably suffer some ridicule from their new teammates and it'd be hard for a coach to put a player on the field that's missed the first four games of your season (and all of camp).

Tough situation. Really hate it for the kids.

[rockyroad]

Wow...I coach at a small private school in Washington State. We have finished 0-9, 1-9, 1-9, and 1-10 the last 4 seasons. We have never had more than 22 players turn out. We currently have 17 healthy players on our roster for our game Friday night - started with 20, suffered one bad ankle sprain (out for two more weeks), one broken arm (season), and one mild concussion (out 1 week). In our league are three teams which are consistently ranked in the top 7 or 8 teams in the state. The last few years they have beaten us soundly - but each year the score differential was less. This season we are currently 1-3, but the scores of our losses have been 20-7, 33-14, and 18-13. The 33-7 score was against the 5th ranked team...third game of the season and we were the first team to score on them. They kept their starters in the entire time because we were moving the ball, just kept fumbling. We had over 300 yards rushing...

All that to say, not one single time during that very, very long first and second seasons did we EVER even consider ending the season or dropping the program. Those kids busted their butts every week...why would a coach quit on the kids? I don't get it.

[Jim D]

I had a "classic" battle Friday night. A 0-27 team vs an 0-46 team. I was kind of expecting a 0-0 tie but the 0-27 team romped to a 38-0 win. Neither one is a really small school, just both have had really bad runs.

[Andy]

Wow......

A few quotes from the article, with my additions....

"...Seniors, I feel for you. There's nothing I can say other than I'm sorry...you're not quitters" but we (the board) are

"...Tobin said the team was not physically competitive, had too few players and faced a tough schedule in the North East Michigan Conference..." When the going gets tough, the tough get going...right out the door

[Texas Aggie]

This is pure chicken$h!).

I can't believe the bad example this sets for the kids. I hear from coaches all the time about trying to keep the kids from quitting for whatever reason (too tough; not playing enough; losing; etc.), and for the school to cave when they should be out in the halls recruiting other players is the most distasteful thing I've come across in a long time.

[bossman72]

this is the biggest travesty i've ever heard of in high school sports