Spring Football Practice Could Be Headed for a Fall : High schools: Administrators, and even some coaches, are wondering if more is better for the players

Last November, Ron Barney proposed an idea that some football coaches figure borders on heresy. The principal of Nordoff High School in Ojai, while addressing the Southern Section’s general council, suggested that spring football practice be eliminated.

“My personal feeling is that spring football has become practice sessions for summer passing leagues and could be eliminated,” Barney said. “I question our academic values when we’re running spring football just prior to final exams. What purpose does this serve our student athletes?”

Barney also introduced a proposal--approved by the general council last month--that will end summer competition on Aug. 1, beginning with the 1990-91 school term. He will pursue the issue of spring practice when the council meets in September.

These days, however, it seems Barney isn’t the only one questioning whether more is better when it comes to prep sports. Administrators, and even some football coaches, are asking the same question this week because spring football is scheduled to begin Monday during one of the busiest times on high school campuses throughout Orange County.

“This is the most hectic time of the year on our campus,” said Tom Jacobson, Corona del Mar’s principal and president of the Southern Section executive committee. “The kids are tired and busy. We have social activities. Students are preparing for final exams.

“Do we really need spring football or other spring sports practicing at this time? We’re trying to control the competitive nature of athletics and keep the emphasis on academics. Personally, I think it would be a good idea to do away with spring football.”

Barney, who chaired a committee that surveyed section schools on the possibility of eliminating spring football, said they received responses from 259 principals. Results showed that 193 principals were opposed to eliminating spring practice.

“What I found very disturbing is that some schools are practicing during final exam week,” Barney said. “I couldn’t believe that. I will certainly bring (a proposal to eliminate spring practice) back as a discussion item.”

Barney’s committee figures to have plenty of opposition again in September, particularly from some football coaches who contend that spring football is an important part of a successful program.

“I think it’s a necessary ingredient to an overall successful program,” said Mike Milner, Fountain Valley’s football coach. Milner led Fountain Valley to the Division I title in 1988 and has helped develop about 75 Division I college football players over the past 20 years.

“If we didn’t have spring ball, it would be difficult to field as good a team as you would normally have in the fall,” he said. “If spring ball is eliminated, the type of player that has been developed in Orange County over the past 20 years will be dramatically reduced.”

The majority of coaches in the county will conduct 10 to 15 spring practices for two to three hours after school. Coaches are allowed to conduct practices with tackling dummies, blocking aprons and sleds until the close of school.

Players are not allowed to wear pads and helmets and no live tackling is allowed. Most schools conclude the three-week period with an intrasquad scrimmage.

“We only go 11 days,” said John Barnes, Los Alamitos’ coach. “It’s basically a great time to get acquainted. We talk to each kid individually and let them know where he stands and fits into our plans following spring ball.”

Los Alamitos has won 20 consecutive Empire League games and four league titles in the past five years despite the laid-back atmosphere in the spring. Barnes said he has mixed feelings about the possibility of eliminating spring football.

“My first thought is that there would be somebody out there breaking the rule and practicing if we eliminated spring ball,” he said. “When we trimmed three weeks off (in 1986-87), it was pretty reasonable.

“You can’t go overboard in the spring. You can only ask so much of a kid. I want all the kids excited about the season in the fall, not in spring ball.”

Larry Anderson, who has coached for 18 years at Lynwood and Katella, is uncertain when spring football will start at Katella this year, but he certainly has some set opinions about the activity.

“I’m getting a little tired of it,” he said. “Spring is important in trying to get students involved in sports, but I don’t know when we’ll start because my two quarterbacks (Wayne Briggs and Chris Reed) are both on the baseball team that’s competing in the playoffs.

“If they closed shop on spring football, I wouldn’t fight it. I’d also like to see summer football changed. We could start Aug. 1 and go with three weeks of passing leagues and then go into two-a-days.”

Jerry Witte, athletic director and football coach at Saddleback, said his league (Sea View) has considered eliminating spring practice.

“We’ve talked about a dead period where coaches would only work with their kids during sixth period or open up the weight room,” he said. “That’s fine with me. But it’s one of those Catch-22 situations where you’re wondering if you’re falling behind while others are practicing.

“I know at this time of the year my coaches are tired from coaching other sports. We receive a stipend ($500) for coaching spring football for three weeks, but we’re certainly not in this for the money.”

Dave White, Edison football coach, says little is accomplished in spring football because the players are restricted from wearing pads.

“I have mixed emotions about spring ball,” he said. “We do basically the same thing in our sixth-period class that we do in spring ball with the only difference being we can practice a couple of hours.

“The real plus is that a lot of reserve players can get a good look by the coaches in the spring. But we could live without it. If someone told me we could only play 10 games in the summer, that would be fine with me, too.”

Barnes has an immediate answer for administrators who are concerned about the academic consequences of conducting spring football before final exams. He says the extra season of football is beneficial to some student athletes.

“My advice to any educator who advocates ending spring football is this: The kids are better off being under a coach’s supervision in the spring,” he said. “We continue six-week grade checks in the spring. I’m sure we’d have some ineligible players in the fall if we didn’t have spring football.”

Then there are coaches who would support a move to emulate the spring programs in Texas and Florida where players are allowed to wear pads and coaches conduct full-contact drills.

“I’d like to do what Texas does and go full contact for a week,” said Tim Devaney, Sunny Hills coach. “If we could get 10 days in pads in the spring, I’d give up 10 days in pads in the fall. But I know that’s just a pipe dream.

“I wouldn’t favor eliminating spring ball because I like the time working with the kids. I think the finesse part of the game would deteriorate if spring ball was eliminated. But it wouldn’t bother me if spring ball was eliminated.”

Edison will practice only four days a week with Fridays reserved for the traditional coaches vs. players basketball games. White says the pickup games have helped develop friendships among the players and coaches.

“The kids really look forward to trying to beat the coaches in basketball,” White said. “It’s a lot of fun. Let’s face it. If it’s not fun for the kids in the spring, it won’t be any fun in the fall.”

RULES FOR FOOTBALL SPRING PRACTICE

1422--Spring football practice may be conducted from May 21 until the close of school in June (excluding Sundays). It is recommended, however, that the entire period not be devoted to football and that provisions be made for practice in other sports.

1422.1--Eighth- and ninth-grade students from elementary and junior high schools may not take part in spring football practice at the high school. High school coaches may not conduct spring football practice at elementary or junior high schools involving students from those schools. It is permissible for ninth-grade coaches to conduct spring practice with eighth-grade students in a three-year, on-campus junior high school.

1422.2--The following equipment will be permitted during spring football practice provided it is used in a safe and sane manner: (a) air dummies; (b) stand-up dummies; (c) two- or seven-man sleds; (d) tackling dummies; (e) blocking aprons.

1422.3--High school students participating in football practice may wear the following type of clothing or uniform: (a) football shoes; (b) “T” or sweat shirts (football jerseys prohibited); (c) trunks or sweat pants; (d) protective equipment for the ears (Football or other hard plastic helmets will not be permitted because of the hazard to other players).

1422.4--In spring football, no live tackling will be permitted and blocking will be allowed only when the offensive player is making contact against the air dummy, which is being held by the defensive players. If students are to work on the tackling dummy, they should be equipped with a water polo cap or a similar soft and pliable covering to protect the ears. Students should not be permitted to bang against the sled, but a drill that would have the students contact the sled and then move it is permissible. Common sense should be the keynote regarding the type of activity to be permitted.

1442.5--An intrasquad flag or touch football game may be played as a windup to the spring practice period. Football jerseys may be worn. The intrasquad game my be played at night and admission may be charged if desired.

1442.6--Interscholastic scrimmages or interscholastic touch football games are not permitted.

Source: Southern Section Blue Book