HS spring football in state may be changing
As high schools wrapped up their spring football practices with three of them hosting multiple teams in socalled showcases, expect some changes in the future.
Such is the future of spring football in Arizona.
❚ Will it go away?
❚ Will teams be allowed to finally put on the pads and go against other teams?
❚ Will the Arizona Interscholastic Association continue to sanction spring football?
"I think the AIA will stop enforcing spring football or remove the restrictions, or whatever the jargon is, but it will cease to exist," said Mesa Red Mountain coach Mike Peterson, whose school became the first to host multiple schools (Queen Creek, Queen Creek Casteel and Gilbert Williams Field) in a showcase practice that attracted about 20 college coaches. "This was a first spring football season after the implementation of the year-round practice allowance, so we all might have been surprised by the strictness of spring football vs. the many more things we are allowed to do otherwise, like compete against other schools in 7-on-7, or 1on-1s.
"I would like the AIA to continue to monitor spring football, only now, since we can practice, maybe if we have documented 10 practices after spring break, then allow us to put the pads on for spring football and compete against one another in 7-on-7 and 1-on-1s."
One thing is certain, showcase events will become the popular trend.
Phoenix Desert Vista hosted five schools, as far away at Scottsdale Chaparral, for a showcase practice.
The AIA signed off on them, as long as teams weren't competing against each other. The AIA treats spring football like a season, where it has insurance coverage. It becomes a liability issue.
"I think you're going to see the AIA get rid of spring football next year, kind of take the handcuffs off," said Mesa Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock, whose team was part of the six-team showcase at Desert Vista. "You're going to see more 1-on-1s and 7-on-7s against each other. That way colleges can come out and get a real look at these kids.
"It's going to solve a lot of issues, too, when it comes to kids transferring, knowing they're going to get seen at these events. They don't have to go to California or all over the place. They can do it in their back yard for free." Not all coaches agree.
"I guess I’m old, but I really don’t like the direction high school football is headed in the state of Arizona," said Gilbert Perry coach Preston Jones, whose program is one of the fastestrising in the state, reaching the 6A final last year for the first time. "Don’t like the year-round, don’t like the showcases.
"In my opinion, we should do less, and do more encouraging of multiplesport athletes."
Jones said he believes the restrictions placed for spring football are there to protect student-athletes.
"College and professionals have rules and restrictions to protect the athletes from being used and abused," Jones said. "Arizona high school athletes have far fewer restrictions than any college or professional athlete. Seems backwards."
High school violates eligibility rule again
American Leadership Academy School-Queen Creek, for the second time this school year, discovered that an ineligible athlete played in a high school game. ALA-QC Athletic Director Rich Edwards said the most recent one was discovered after it was revealed that a football/basketball player shouldn't have played because he had graduated from a high school in Canada before the start of the school year.
ALA had to forfeit all of its football games and the basketball games he participated in and was placed on probation in both sports for the 2018-19 school year. After the football/basketball player was discovered in December, Edwards said he looked at the paperwork of all 640 student-athletes and found that a female basketball player had graduated from Germany last year.
She played in junior varsity games and two quarters of one varsity game, Edwards said. The team forfeited the one varsity game.