Middle School Question - Are the grades separate or together

[CoachGLenn]

Do the majority of middle school teams field teams made up of individual grades, one team for each grade?

Or.

Do they combine grades and play “up” to the higher grade level?

I ask because I can currently field an entire team of sixth graders, but most of our athletic seventh and eighth graders left for 11-man at the public school making it impossible to field individual seventh and eighth grade teams.

We do have enough seventh and eighth graders to field one very inexperienced team.

CoachGlenn

 

[Shad Kline]

It is my understanding that if you use 6th graders, you can only have 1 team. I believe the reasoning is that 7th and 8th should be used, and if there is not enough, then use 6th graders.
Hopefully someone else can verify that, but I'm pretty sure that is correct.

Towns with two teams, generally I have seen an A and B team, both teams consisting of both 7th and 8th graders. But I have seen 8th grade teams and 7th grade teams as well.

Hope that incoherent rambling helps in some way, lol.

 

[rainjacktx]

I've seen it both ways.

If you have a two big 7th and 8th grade classes, you could have a team for each grade. 6th grade usually does not compete in that scenario. At least I've never seen it.

If you have small classes in 7th and 8th, the 6th grade can be brought up to play. There is some sort of minimum standard, but I'm not sure what that is. Currently Valley is using 6th graders mixed in with 7th and 8th graders to field their junior high team.

 

[Texman301]

This generally only happens at the 6 man level but if during football on the first day of practice have 11 or less, you can bring the 6th graders in to play. If you have 12(enough for an offense and defense) you must leave the 6th graders out. Same in basketball except its 9 players or less for 6th grade to participate. 10 or more and no 6th graders. If you have enough 7th and 8th graders to make 2 teams the problem becomes finding teams that have 2 themselves or scheduling someone else to come play you on the night your 8th grade plays.

 

[freeagent]

In most private schools, junior high athletics is 6th to 8th grade (I think UIL limits it to 7th & 8th). Most of our schools don't have enough numbers to justify teams by grades but a few have junior high A and B teams. If you had numbers in those grades, chances are you'd be playing crowded field football at those levels.

My thinking with 6th graders and football (and other sports) is that for many of them, I feel that the junior high coaches have succeeded if they can get those kids to understand what practice is like, know how to put on their equipment, and play occasionally. Yes, you will have those 6th graders that can play and compete, but I consider that as a bonus. Just having those kids learn the routine is going to put them ahead of the curve when they become 7th graders and are more involved in playing the game.