8th Grade Football Champs Arcade Party

ThatGuy

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I think a few of you know that I not only teach 5th grade but am also the boys varsity flag football coach here in Traver, Ca. I'm kinda proud to say that I've built up a little dynasty here in my 15th year of coaching. We are the smallest school (this year 24 total eighth graders) in our 8-team league but have been to the championship game of our league tourney 9 out of the past 10 years we have been in this league -- winning 5 of them. I new this year's team would be solid as I had a really good returning QB and a stud TE/DE. The rest had no varsity experience but luckily had four 7th graders really surprise me this year and play an important roll throughout the season. We ended up going 9-2 overall with one loss coming in the championship game of my own invitational tournament to a team that ended the season 14-0.

(Side-note-fun-fact, the only year we didn't make it to the championship game was in 2006 when we faced a school that featured a kid named Garrett Steele as their QB who four years later his senior year was the only QB in STATE HISTORY to throw for over 2,000 yards and run for over 2,000. Another-side-note-fun-fact, he made HS football history with the following Youtube clip you have to see to believe here):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g8mtrUfGL0

Anyway, for the second consecutive year we won the league championship which I rewarded the boys with an arcade party at my house and then a Fresno State football game later that evening. The party is a tradition whether we win the championship or not and is one of the highlights of the year for them. Most of my players come from poor backgrounds and farm labor families. Leftover money from a flag football invitational tournament I run pays for everything from the pizza at my house to the game tickets. Here are a couple of pictures to enjoy.

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I wish I had some better action shots of the season but our pictures haven't been loaded on our school server yet. My iPhone pics in the dark didn't turn out great either. Anyway, I'm pretty darn proud of my boys and the pins, Return of the Jedi, and Asteroids Deluxe were the hot machines to be played.

-Paul
 
That is awsome that you devote that much effort to the kids. Contratulations on the championship.

As far as that video. Pretty obvious that it was a designed play;)
I was amazed that a kid in high school could throw a ball like that while on the run.
Did he go on to college?
 
That is awsome that you devote that much effort to the kids. Contratulations on the championship.

As far as that video. Pretty obvious that it was a designed play;)
I was amazed that a kid in high school could throw a ball like that while on the run.
Did he go on to college?

Yes, he went to Cal Poly on scholarship as a RB. Another interesting tid-bit is his Jr. year he was the starting RB and the starting QB was Tyler Bray -- the current starting QB at Tennessee.
 
Yes, he went to Cal Poly on scholarship as a RB. Another interesting tid-bit is his Jr. year he was the starting RB and the starting QB was Tyler Bray -- the current starting QB at Tennessee.

Awesome, Paul! Thanks for sharing.

Side note: Go Cal Poly Mustangs! Class of 2005 right here baby! :D
 
A little addendum here - at graduation two weeks ago one of my players stated during his speech that playing video games at my house was his favorite 8th grade memory. Fun to hear.
 
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