Gainesville and Giddings

[Lionsbacker]

Can someone please tell me why Gainesville State school and Giddings State school are in TAPPS? They have 250 enrollment ALL BOYS and are not a private school!!!!!

Shouldn't they be in UIL or play 11 man?? Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[Tornado2018]

As the Head Coach for Gainesville, I would gladly answer your question. We are a private school, because in order to attend you have to commit a crime and be sent to us by a judge. I doubt that there is any parent in America that chooses their kids to go attend a state detention Center. Now to answer your second question: you are right we do have about 180 young men. But just because we have them does not mean all of them are eligible to play football or basketball. There are certain requirements each young man have to meet in order to be eligible to play football for me. Staying out of trouble is at the top of that list. Which is very hard in a controlled variable environment where trouble is always around the corner. We were 11 man for numerous of years getting blown out with season records of 0-10 and 1-9. The most wins we ever had was in my first two years being at the state school and we did attend the playoffs both years. But it is hard to compete with teams that have 45 players and you're only allowed to take 15 to 18 youths, that's what I call an unfair advantage. Also a disadvantage when you're not sure of who you're going to have to suit out on Friday. So you see every week is a challenge for me, my coaching staff, and players. Because the player I start with on Monday may not be able to go off Friday depends on how he conducts himself during the week. So we ask TAPPS if we can go to six man, our sister School Giddings had been in six man football for years and had some success in it. And not only does it make the playing field equal for our young men, it gave us more depth in every position. Now ask me if I thought we would be successful in our first year in six man? No, I didn't cuz this is my first year coaching it and my players first year playing it. Matter fact for most of our boys this is their first time playing football since middle school. Now, according to my knowledge with the UIL we did ask them to join and they denied us. TAPPS was nice enough to open their arms and allow us to join them. We pay our dues, uphold the top values of sportsmanship, and play with class. TAPPS understood what my colleagues at Giddings and my coaching staff are trying to do. See while other teams are worried about wins and losses, we worried about winning a trouble young man future and we do it through football. Playing football for me is not a right but a privilege. It is a privilege to put on that tornado uniform on Friday night, is a privilege to ride that bus on Fridays, and it is a privilege to step out on that field and go to battle with your brothers. So I hope this open your eyes a little bit. Once again it's not about wins or losses for us, it's about saving these young men. It low-key amazes me that when we were getting our head busted open and 11 man nobody mentioned a thing or cared about us being in TAPPS.

 

[Lionsbacker]

"we pay our dues, uphold the top values of sportsmanship, and play with class. TAPPS understood what my colleagues at Giddings and my coaching staff are trying to do"

As I said in my post on another place on this board, I didn't see any sportsmanship in the game 2 weeks ago. If you are teaching the values I saw on the field you shouldn't have the job.

Why do you encourage your boys to make late hits?
Why do you encourage your boys to hurt the other team? And take the penalties?

All heard from your sideline 2 weeks ago! From our players, chain crew, and film crew. As I said on this board - YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED !


This is a parents opinion - not connected to the school in any capacity. I do not represent DLS.

I will be happy to drive to Gainesville to meet and discuss with you.

 

[CowboyP]

Lionsbacker, I wasn't at the game you are talking about but I can say that my experience on their sideline was positive. The coaching staff reprimanded their players for unsportsmanlike actions and encouraged positive behavior.

 

[freeagent]

I believe the reason that the Gainesville and Giddings State Schools (I believe they have a new name) are members of TAPPS, as is the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin is that at the time TAPPS was formed, the UIL had (and may still have) a prohibition against prison schools and boarding state schools in their bylaws.

TAPPS took these three schools into their organization as as I can remember, they have been an asset to the organization ever since. TAPPS bylaws now prohibit tax supported schools (as these three) as new members, but these three have been "grandfathered" in as they were members at the time that restriction was imposed. I remember a couple years ago, another youth correctional facility in NE Texas was considering adding six man football, but the facility closed prior to that decision. They could not join either TAPPS or UIL.

The folks that coach and teach at these schools deserve our thanks and support, as they have a very demanding job and the opportunity to truly turn a young man's life around from crime and violence to being a beneficial member of society. I'm sure they can tell you better than I that it doesn't happen as much as they like, but they do make the effort.

About 8 or 10 years ago, ESPN did a great series on the Giddings team, then playing 11-man. They had a very good season and moved deep into the TAPPS playoffs. If I remember correctly, they had a very talented young man that played quarterback. A few days before the next playoff game (perhaps the semi-finals), his term at the facility ended and he was released. And therefore, under the prison rules, he was not allowed to associate with his teammates or participate in the next game.

A few years later, one of the DFW TAPPS schools did a great service to the young men from Gainesville. Those teams, shall we say, don't draw well at the gate -- occasionally a parent or two, but the bulk of the visiting fans are actually prison guards. The school decided to "lend" half of their fans and cheerleaders to the Gainesville school and cheer for the visiting team. Following the game, the visiting players were provided a meal and a Bible, and a number of TAPPS schools have followed suit in the years that followed.

Chances are, if you're playing one of those schools, you probably are going to have one of the cleanest games because what a referee or coach can do pales to the response from the administration at the school/prison. I doubt you'll see a high school version of "The Longest Yard."

 

[FCSA football]

Coach tornado, i agree with most of what you said, however it was a legimate question. I think you made your point, however you might want to check with Giddings and hear the story of how a team that Giddings played
from San Antonio divided their fans and had a group, including cheerleaders, that cheered for Giddings, and Giddings won!
All of us from small programs face very similiar problems of who shows up on game day. Different “reasons” but just as frustrating. Not all troubled youth are in the state schools, but they need as much love, support, understanding and disipline as any other kids in todays troubled and complicated world.

 

[Tornado2018]

FCSA FOOTBALL,
People do the same thing for us as well. And we do appreciate it. That why we love TAPPS. I understand Lionsbacker concern n respect it. Just as he or she is defending/sticking their kid(s). Iam standing up for my young men.

 

[Tornado2018]

Lionbacker,

Look I'm not trying to argue with you. I hear your concern and respect. But I will say this the young that got the personal foul for the late hit was suspend for a full game, and I say was because he dont play Friday. Not sure what was saying to you or what you saw, but for the past 3 years I've been coaching I've been told by referees, fan, coaches, and TAPPS that we have some of the most well behaved kids and TAPPS. Maybe In the Heat of the Moment things are said and done didn't either party means. But I assure you that nothing that was done two Fridays ago was personal. And to me just my opinion you made it personal but you made a statement asking why are we in TAPPS. Which made it sound to me like we're unwanted. Like we are disease that need to be removed. Once again respect your opinion and concern. Just know I do my best to teach my young man's right from wrong.

 

[Old76er]

All I know is i will be sitting front row when these 2 teams meet in the playoffs. Should be interesting

 

[DirtyBayBulldog]

Backer, enrollment when it comes to tapps and 6man is "touchy". To be honest, any private school over 100 has the potential to be 11-man. I've seen the enrollment numbers for Lutheran and you would be a 2A UIL school. *ouch*.
I believe it's up to the individual programs to be honest with their necessity to play 6man. Some 6man private teams run 15 deep varsity and sub varsity teams. Is that level playing field to a 15 deep team that only fields a varsity??? People could argue both sides. And offer many more "points of debate".

This topic has been debated over and over here. I say just support your programs, let those in the coaching and administrative circles deal with the specifics of governance.

 

[Lionsbacker]

I was at the game too.

I have reviewed the tape too.

There were at least 3 hits that were HORRIBLE (I saw the tape) and your players were encouraged to do it. Our chaincrew heard it on your side line and so did our film guy. Multiple players including my son heard it.

Did you know your players threatened to fight our players after the game? Did you know they used they used racial slurs repeatedly? Did you know you guards were taunting our players? These are not accusations they are facts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you hold the standards you discussed, then IT AINT HAPPENING! CLEAN IT UP!

Now for the numbers. Any TAPPS school can say the same thing, we have 150 kids, 75 boys, maybe 25 COULD play. We have 21 kids on the team, and any or all of them can have grade or discipline issues. Thats why we had 4 starters out last Friday! Its life. My point is you fit better into UIL then TAPPS and really should be 11 man football.

Finally, if you are trying to accomplish the things you said then I applaud you. However, its not happening.

 

[Lionsbacker]

Also I am a parent, I am not speaking for Dallas Lutheran, any coach or any player.

 

[pistol]

I was at the game too.

I have reviewed the tape too.

There were at least 3 hits that were HORRIBLE (I saw the tape) and your players were encouraged to do it. Our chaincrew heard it on your side line and so did our film guy. Multiple players including my son heard it.

Did you know your players threatened to fight our players after the game? Did you know they used they used racial slurs repeatedly? Did you know you guards were taunting our players? These are not accusations they are facts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you hold the standards you discussed, then IT AINT HAPPENING! CLEAN IT UP!

Now for the numbers. Any TAPPS school can say the same thing, we have 150 kids, 75 boys, maybe 25 COULD play. We have 21 kids on the team, and any or all of them can have grade or discipline issues. Thats why we had 4 starters out last Friday! Its life. My point is you fit better into UIL then TAPPS and really should be 11 man football.

Finally, if you are trying to accomplish the things you said then I applaud you. However, its not happening.

4 starters out??? due to grades or discipline issues??? seems like you should be bashing your coach/program instead of somebody else's.

Tornado, keep working hard and fighting the fight.. hopefully you're having a positive impact that will show up in those boys later on in life.

 

[DirtyBayBulldog]

Also I am a parent, I am not speaking for Dallas Lutheran, any coach or any player.

You represent Dallas Lutheran by your vocal support. Sorry to have to bring that to light. I understood what you were asking, just your tone was quite aggressive.

 

[DirtyBayBulldog]

Backer, how many players do you believe is needed to qualify as a 11 man team?

 

[SWRaider]

Just a parent who sends their kids to a private school that probably costs 10k plus.
Blah Blah Blah

 

[tdog5344]

If Giddings would have lost this post wouldn't exist!!!

 

[Lionsbacker]

Lets see if i can answer all of these questions:

1. I am sorry some of you disagree with my comments. You were not at the game, if I could post the hudl links I would. The comments from Gainesville players, coaches, guards are a fact. if you approve of intentionally hurting players to win. Thats on you!

2. I dont know the cut off for 11 man, I know Covenant in Dallas had to move up. TAPPS has the cut off.

3. Yes my kid goes to a private school, we live in Dallas and the public schools are BAD. We sacrifice so our kid can go there. How is that relevant to this? Do you think its ok to intentionally hurt a child if their parents have money?


SO basically I am saying to the Tornado coach if you claim to teach class and sportsmanship prove it on the field. So far the teams that play you dont agree. Hope to see you in the playoffs and we can see! I am all for a coach helping under privileged or kids in trouble. Just not what we experienced on the field.

I am done with this thread...when idiots get on spewing class warfare hateful talk, I am done!

 

[Roach]

I’m going to say one thing, Gainesville is one of the classiest teams we have played all year. We scrimmaged them first scrimmage and played us week 1. We got our butts kicked by them, but what I saw was exactly what Tornado is saying. I knew after we scrimmaged them that they had some great athletes and they are coached very well. They have some great athletes and they seem very disciplined in my opinion. Yes they hit hard and can run you over or juke you out of your shoes, but regardless of that fact, they were extremely classy. I understand frustration but football is football and their HC is a great guy that is doing what Tornado says he is doing. Football you’re going to get hit, tackled, and run over. These kids deserve to have the privilege to play football and I’m glad their coach is the one leading them because he is very respectful and does a great job with discipline. This is coming from a public school. Opinions are different but in my opinion and what I saw and experienced these kids are becoming better human beings with the direction of their program and coaches. They have some serious talent and I wish them nothing but the best of luck for the remainder of the season. Keep up the good work coach!

Coach Roach

 

[bschupbach]

I do not like getting involved in these types forum discussions but I feel I need too. First I want to apologize to Gainesville for the comments one of my parents have made on here against you. I have already contacted coach Burns and appolgized on behalf of Dallas Lutheran. Gainesville is a school we have played in 11man and I have also been apart of a football clinic inside their fences. Yes there were a few questionable hits and one that caused an ejection . But most of the tackles that happened were nothing more than some hard hits from gang tackling . Playing until the whistle!! I do believe the referee should have blown the whistle sooner. The Gainesville kids play hard and play until the whistle blow! All kids from all school make mistakes during a game in the way they hit from time to time. And coaches correct them for their own safety and the safety of others. I do not believe Gainesville players were trying to hurt anyone. I did not hear any comments made by any of the Gainesville coaching staff. Coach Burns is a great coach and is doing great things for the Tornadoes!! Gainesville athletes showed nothing but respect after the game was over , seemed like some great kids!! I look forward to our district making a big splash in the playoffs!!!
Coach Schup
Dallas Lutheran