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Redwings Ready to Open New Nest

August 30, 2012

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Those who have watched a football game at St. Johns High School in the past easily could get lost trying to find the Redwings' home this fall.

That's tongue-in-cheek, of course. But it is not an exaggeration on how much the school has improved its football home, which will be opened for tonight's varsity game against Corunna.

It's been a long-awaited event in the community four exits north of Lansing, which settled on the project with a May 2010 bond.

The former stadium certainly had its good points, including a welcoming small-town feel tucked in among the park and fairgrounds just to the north of the high school.

The new stadium sits in the same spot, but is a completely new build around the playing field. The first thing returning visitors will notice are bleachers, with 3,500 seats total including 1,000 on the opponents' side. There also are new entrances, team and officials rooms, press box, scoreboard, restrooms and concession area, plus bus parking among the added amenities.

St. Johns' football program has become a regular playoff qualifier and made a trip the MHSAA Finals in 2004. The new-look stadium provides a suitable home for the community to celebrate that success.

PHOTOS courtesy of St. Johns High School.

Football Follies

October 7, 2014

Notice reached the MHSAA office of a so-called “2014 Michigan Youth Football Classic” that invites youth league teams to “a great weekend of youth tackle football.” For $450 per team, youth football teams will bang bodies for two days – Nov. 8 and 9 – with each team guaranteed at least three games. Three!

No level of football but this – for the youngest players who have the most vulnerable skulls – allows the idiocy of three games in a weekend. Most limit competition to a maximum of one game in a week!

In my opinion, this isn’t a football classic. It’s child abuse.

I wish the foolishness would stop there, but even an organization called USA Football seems to have lost its head. Initially and mostly with funding from the NFL, USA Football was focused on teaching youth football coaches and players safe blocking and tackling techniques. Good.

But now this pseudo-national governing body for amateur football is planning events for various age groups that will extend tackle football practices and games throughout what used to be an off-season. Multiple competitions in tackle football are scheduled for high school age players in January, February and July of 2015.

At a time when professional, college, school and Pop Warner football are all reducing contact during practices in-season, USA Football wants to expand the contact experience out of season. It makes about as much sense as three games in a weekend.