football jersey":3v17za8d said:
My take is TAPPS has not enforced the legal limits for 6 man in for ever, so they created more rules that don't require enforcement! 10 to 15 kids shouldn't have to play a team that has 40-45 kids.
Before I let this drive by comment pass, I wonder who would be the folks that broke the "legal limit" for six man? TAPPS doesn't have the resources or the staff to play IRS-storm-trooper and bust down the doors of your school's enrollment office or have an early morning stakeout across the street, with Bryan sitting in his pickup truck with one of those little clickers counting the kids bouncing into the school door. Like I said, I think the form you sign and submit makes you sign pinky-promise, cross your heart and hope to die, on my dear mother's grave that the numbers you submit are correct. The enforcement may not be much more than your hope that when you see Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates that this is one of those times you broke the "thou shalt not bear false witness" commandment that he's gonna let slide.
Until about four years ago, TAPPS kept pretty tight to the 50 boys (or 100 total when total enrollment was used) number; the number was adjusted up when there were significant numbers of schools just over the 50 number. Right now, there are ten schools over the 60 boys number:
Houston Emery - 117 (school has played 6 man for many years, joins district in 2014)
Lubbock Trinity - 106 (plays JV 11 man and doesn't appear on any football district list 11 or 6 man)
Boerne Geneva - 72 (Competitive, but I expect playing 11 man in 2016)
Katy Faith West - 71 (dropped from 11 man two years ago and joins districts in 2014)
Red Oak Ovilla Christian - 68 (first year of any football program)
San Antonio Winston - 64 (long time six-man, but certainly not a powerhouse)
Midland Trinity - 62 (long time, competitive)
Waco Vanguard - 62 (I think in second year of football, not to insult the Vanguard folks, but I don't believe there's plans for a football trophy case for a few years)
Sugar Land Logos - 62 (Competitive program)
Rockwall Heritage Christian - 60 (Long time competitive program).
The next 11 are still above 50, some competitive, some not:
Round Rock Christian, Christian Academy of SA, Dallas Fairhill, Dallas Covenant (11 man in 2016), Austin Hill Co. Christian, Baytown Christian, Huntsville Alpha Omega, Abliene Christian, Pasadena First Baptist Christian, Watauga Harvest Christian, Kerrville Our Lady of the Hills
With the exception of the last school I listed (Kerrville Our Lady of the Hills, at 51), I just listed the new D1 alignment. So, if you went hard-and-fast with the 50 number, you have 20 schools either playing no football, independent 6 man, or trying to struggle with 11 man programs ... or worse, having 6 man numbers one cycle and 11 man numbers the next cycle.
Perhaps I can make a solid case for the top three or five schools listed there to play 11 man instead of 6 man, but that isn't a simple decision for a school to make -- there is questions of being able to sustain those numbers (at least one of those schools played 11 man two years ago) and the other internal decisions (staff, equipment, facilities, etc.) to sustain a competitive and safe 11 man football program.
I still think this could have worked just as well with two districts and 16 team playoff fields in each division -- and maybe some better travel options for district play, but if the schools assigned stick it out for the cycle, it should work. I just am not convinced that it's going to happen.
But I've been wrong before.
