Weight limit changed in attempt to generate Pop Warner support

Maximum weight limits being lowered for 11-and 12-year old participants was the main change that was decided among a group of area residents gathered at the Morgan City Recreation Department’s office Tuesday
evening.
The meeting was called to discuss ways to keep Pop Warner football in tact after a one-year hiatus due to a lack in interest.
While turnout was small — approximately 11 people — those in attendance agreed after much discussion that lowering the weight limit may draw more youngsters to play recreation football.
Currently, the weight limit is 135 pounds for 11- and 12-year-olds.
Beginning this year, however, that weight limit will be 120 pounds.
The minimum weight limit for the league, open to ages 10-12, is 70 pounds. For youngsters at age 10, there is no maximum weight limit.
While the old rule allowed those who are 11- and 12-years old and 120 pounds or more to play on the offensive line, that rule has now changed to allow those who are those ages to play at any position.
Youngsters who are age 10, however, and over 120 pounds must play on the offensive line.
Sign-ups, which begin Thursday, are open to athletes who are age 10 before Sept. 1 but are not 13 before Sept. 1. Sign-ups will continue until Sept. 4.
While Morgan City Recreation Director Seth Thomas said he wasn’t sure how many people he would get, he said the turnout of approximately 11 people shows there is a lot of interest.
“Hopefully that’ll spark some debate in the community and get some people involved,” Thomas said. “I am so appreciative for guys that were here. It still shows you that Morgan City and the Tri-City area still wants tackle football, and that’s
what we want. Some of the suggestions we take to heart, change in weights, doing this, doing that, going to different schools, I think it’s going to really help out.”
If Pop Warner is not held, Thomas said last week those athletes would be put in the flag football league for ages 10- 12 that will be offered.
During Tuesday’s discussion, Lyle Thomas of Berwick said that Pop Warner football needs to be focused on fifth- and sixth-graders and that junior high football should be seventh- and eighth-graders.
“I think (that) one of the biggest issues is the age and the weight and ‘I don’t want my baby getting hurt,’” Lyle Thomas said.
As for now, students cannot play junior high football and Pop Warner, Seth Thomas said, noting practice times needed for both each day and the ability to make either practice.
However, he said he would monitor the situation through sign-ups and if changes need to be made, then they will be.
Morgan City resident Ronnie Grizzaffi warned making youngsters chose could spell doom for the league.
“If you come out and you make them chose junior high or Pop Warner, your Pop Warner league is done,” Grizzaffi said.
Thomas, who collected the numbers of those in attendance, said another meeting may be held towards the middle or end of the registration to make any necessary adjustments.
A year ago when Pop Warner was cancelled for the season, the first time in 40 years, numbers were 11 sign-ups in Patterson, 17 in Berwick and 15 in Morgan City. In 2013, there
were 30 sign-ups in Patterson, 28 in Berwick and Morgan City had 52 players total players split into two teams.
“Our deal last year caught us off guard,” Seth Thomas said. “We could see numbers being down, but numbers being gone, we didn’t know (that would happen).”
While Seth Thomas said they bring registration to every school from Patterson to Bayou L’Ourse, most parents said they didn’t get it.
He also said they advertise in The Daily Review.
In an attempt to bolster signups, Patterson Junior High coach Ryan Smith agreed to keep registration forms on file for those interested in signing up.
Seth Thomas said he is hoping for 25 members on a team, but said he would consider having a team with 20 players.
City of Morgan City Director of Recreation and Culture Dwayne Barbier said there has to be a minimum of four teams in order to have a league.
“We can’t have three teams because you’re not going to have one team play two games on a Saturday,” Barbier said. “It’s not going to happen, so we’re looking for a minimum of at least four teams.”
While multiple items were discussed, one that was brought up was the fact that Central Catholic has a fifth- and sixth-grade team of Holy Cross Elementary students.
Seth Thomas said he has talked with Central Catholic Athletic Director Ree Case, who told him that Central Catholic would be willing to participate in the league with its fifth- and sixth-grade team if Thomas can field three teams.
Case could not be reached for comment this morning.
Public junior high schools in the Tri-City area include sixth grade. However, Smith said his sixth graders playing junior high football because of Pop Warner’s absence a year ago are not seeing playing time in the contests.
“So it’s not preparing them for anything,” he said.
Smith, who has been involved with junior high football for 15 years, said his rule has been if you are eligible for Pop Warner in the sixth grade, students do not need to bother coming to junior high tryouts for his team.
He said there shouldn’t be a jump from flag football, to junior high football among youngsters.
“Kids have no business going from flag football to junior high football,” Smith said. “Junior high football is not your beginning instructional league. Now, I mean granted, these (junior high) kids are 12, 13, 14, you (are) still teaching them, getting
ready for high school, but junior high football does not need to be their introduction.”
Other suggestions, such as one by Grizzaffi of mixing youngsters from Patterson, Berwick and Morgan City areas on the same teams and practicing at one location, that didn’t gain traction.
One possibility suggested by Grizzaffi was finding corporate sponsorships to defray sign-up costs, which would encourage sign-ups.
Seth Thomas said if enough sponsorship money could be gathered, that could be a future possibility.