http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120913/SPORTS02/709139864
Published September 13, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield High School might forfeit football season
By BOB FREDETTE
STAFF WRITER
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield High School varsity football team will forfeit its Saturday game at Lyndon and will hold a meeting on Monday to determine whether the team will forfeit the rest of the season, said coach Kevin Tallman on Wednesday.
The first-year coach said safety issues and lack of developmental time for players were the foremost concerns. The roster for the entire football program is down to 34 players, including the 29 underclassmen who will now participate in a junior varsity season this year.
The Cosmos will play a junior varsity game at their field at Riverside Middle School at 4 p.m. Monday, followed by a meeting at the school at which time members of the community are welcome to state their positions.
“We’ve been contemplating this before the season,” Tallman said. “We’re sending freshmen out there, like we did against Fair Haven. They’re sticking it out but they’re 13 and 14 years old and they’re playing against men.”
The Cosmos are 0-2, having been beaten overwhelmingly by Otter Valley (48-6) and Fair Haven (60-0). Had they committed to playing this weekend’s game they would be pitted against a much bigger, much more physical Lyndon team.
Tallman commended Fair Haven and Otter Valley for their sportsmanship during and after the games but said, “We need to put our student athletes in a safe environment and it’s not.”
Tallman said the decision to forfeit this week’s game was made during a meeting of players, coaches and school officials, including athletic director Joe Brown.
The coach further stated that the Cosmos are far more suited to Division III rather than their present Division II status. Springfield won the Division III title in 2008 and lost in the D-III finals the following year.
“We’re not down here having a pity party. We’re just trying to get our program developed,” Tallman said.
Players, other members of the school community, parents and townspeople are welcome to speak on Monday, though Tallman indicated that he would be hard-pressed to agree with any sentiment to continue a varsity campaign.
“We fully intend to have a varsity program next year if we decide to cancel the season,” he said. “You think we’re dead? We’re not dead down here. We just need to regroup is all we’ve got to do.”
i feel for the kids that want to play football but this coach is a joke. Whatever happen to those coaches that built the program before, they get chased out of town like anyone else that has done? Guess its time to start learning the rules of soccer.
ReplyDeleteI don't know coach Kevin Tallman or any football player currently playing on Springfield's team. I do know football is a mentally and physically demanding sport, and a physically dangerous one. When a coach knows he would be putting young, untrained and inexperienced players at undue risk of serious physical injuries, and has the wisdom to protect his players, he should be commended and thanked rather than criticized.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should start a crocheting team instead? Were there no preseason practices? Huh? Another school program failure. It isn't the kids, it isn't the usually scapegoated demographics, it is what happens when they keep putting incompetents in charge. Springfield = Wussyville.
ReplyDeleteOR, are they really competent by preventing a serious injury to a student and a potentially HUGE lawsuit because a freshman was playing in a varsity game of which he had no place being in, but because they didn't want to cancel the season they decided to be negligient and put the player in.
DeleteI am sure if this had happened you would have been faulting the district for not pulling the plug.
Or maybe they are just proving once again how really incompetent they are once again. Everyone knows football is a risk sport. Duh! With your attitude and theirs they should just ban risky sports across the nation. The fact remains is that the coach has failed. He failed to train them properly and he failed in bringing back the veteran players. He originally claimed that the team can be competitive in Division II by blocking, tackling and football intelligence and 25 of those 32 players from a year ago were coming back in order to get hired as coach. The administration now claiming someone could get hurt out there is just a canard for covering up their bad hiring practices once again. Can the coach.
DeleteDidn't we go through this a few years back when a coach (I won't mention his name) was fired like three or four games into the season. I believe that is when Mike Hatt took over a team that was young and dismantled, which at the time was already in DIII and them proceeded to win only a few games over the next few years so I don't know about the DIII thing making it easier. But I think Mike went out a put together a coaching staff that taught football year round. I would think you have to be able to play at any level to avoid injury. I heard today that the hiring may have been a bit underhanded and if one of the names on the search party is true then I've lost all faith in this school district. Imagine using a person that pulled his own family out of the district because he didn't like the coaches, yeah that's a real concern about building a sports program.
DeleteKudos to the coach for making the call that is best for the players even though the name calling has begun. Football is dangerous when the teams are evenly matched; against a physically larger and experienced team, it would be foolish. I can just imagine the names we might have heard if one of the players was seriously injured in Saturday's game.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteTo me the issue is not the coach, although he seems to say the right things are the right time which makes me wonder. The issue is that this is a trend in this school district, nothing seems to get built up just torn down. Why is turnout so low? My guess is that the adminstration is more then happy to see this day, what say you Frank!
ReplyDeleteTowns all over Vermont (and the country as a whole)are having difficult times getting kids to come out for sports or any other extra curricular activities. It's not just a SPFLD problem, it's kids being lazy.. #letsplayhalo
DeleteGreat. Message from the administration to the kids: This is too hard - let's give up. Another valuable life lesson brought to you by the springfield school system. What a joke. How about we try, just try and see if you get better. Oh that's right, the progressive way is to share the wealth, we should get some of the best players from the other team to play for us!!!! That's 'fair' and would make our players 'feel better'.
ReplyDeleteThey are going to try and get better, they are playing a JV schedule, which will in turn make the team better by providing experience in a safer environment. This isn't giving up, this is being smart. Football is a dangerous sport in any capacity, multiplied enormously by having young, inexperienced, under-sized kids play against kids who are bigger and more knowledgable. The school did the right thing. Football won't even be in high schools in smaller states in the near future because of concussions and people realizing it's not worth it to be put in danger and possibly sustain an injury that could mess up the rest of your life. #crosscountrylife
DeleteTallman took the job after coaching last year, he didn't know what he was getting into? so what did he do about it in the off season, i think he knew and planned this to happen. Wasn't he complaining back in the spring about being in DII? Don't take the job if you we're not going to get the players out, and if he tryed and couldn't get them, then why even start the season. It's not about what is happening right now its about what should have happen sooner. Another black eye for Springfield sports.
DeleteMarch 30, 2012
ReplyDeleteSpringfield has won two football games in the last two years. The player turnout has been low and the fan participation dissipating. So the question is, can the football fortunes in a town just three years removed from a state championship be turned around? If that question is directed at the recently named head football coach, Kevin Tallman, there is never a doubt.
“We can be competitive in Division II by blocking, tackling and football intelligence,” said Tallman, who considers football second in importance only to breathing.
"And there may be help along the way. Twenty-five of those 32 players from a year ago are coming back and 28 freshmen have signed up."
http://www.vermonttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/RH/20120330/SPORTS02/703309913
FAIL!!!!! The coach needs to get the boot!
Geez, I never saw that story. I guess he's sleeping at 3:30 in the morning now. What happen to all those kids coming back, hopefully that had nothing to do with him. I wonder how many applied for the job and how this decision was made to hire him. Oh yeah one other point, in this story he says the players are 13 and 14 year olds isn't hat a bit young to be a freshman?
DeleteIf you want to voice your concerns, show up on Monday at RMS auditorium after the JV game at 7pm and hear FACTS, listen to the team, parents and coaches concerns.
ReplyDeleteYou COWARDS come on here, without names, and talk about things you know nothing about.
Here is an idea, support the local kids, come to a game see for yourself that with only 20 kids on the sideline and the average kid is only 150 pounds. Look across the field to the other side, there is 45-50 kids that are fresh because they only play one side of the ball (offense or defense)and are twice the size of our kids. It isn't fair, it doesn't make for a fun game to watch for the fans. It is a losing battle, obviously kids are going to go play soccer, they have 40-50 kids that play. They don't HAVE to play the entire game. They have a better chance of winning.
I totally agree that it looks like we are teaching our kids to quit, it isnt the case. In my opinion coach Tallman is looking out for the kids safety. Next year they will be back in DIII where we should be and things will change. Fall Mountain, a great team a few years ago, had to do the same thing this year and suspend their varsity team. The difference is their town SUPPORTS KIDS.
There was a play last week where a good sized kid, a senior got hit and hurt his hand badly. (It happens, it is football) This injury wouldn't have happened if the opposing team didnt have 5, 200lb+ MEN run through 13-14 year old BOYS to get to them. The freshman have my respect, they lined up and tried to slow the bigger men down, obviously it didn't work. They shouldn't have even BEEN IN THE GAME. However,because we have low numbesr the freshman have to play so we have enough players on the field.
The VPA should have been contacted 2 years ago by Coach Callhoun but he didnt care. He left this town, laughing all the way back to BF.
In my opinion Kevin Tallman is a great guy and a heck of a coach!
arent u a coward also for not posting your name???
DeleteSays you Anonymous 7:33pm
DeleteMaybe they should quit...
ReplyDeleteand get a head start on the Alpine Ski Racing Team...
we have one of those right ????
Not a racing team,but a snowboard team from what I hear. I agree they should stop varsity football this year and concentrate on building a solid varsity team for next year. the ones who suffer are seniors this year.
DeleteI doubt it, these budget cuts the school is always lying about probably used that money for soccer.
ReplyDeletethey can always play flag football...oh wait they can get hurt there too....
ReplyDeleteThat is the issue, Springfield should step it up and instead of having flag football they should have tackle in the earlier years. Bellows Falls starts in 3rd grade I believe. They have an excellent program as we saw last year. What you people aren't understanding is that there is only 5 seniors and 7 or 8 juniors that can actually play on the varsity level. Coach Tallman has had to throw undersized kids in against some huge men. It isn't safe, it isn't enjoyable to watch and it give other kids that are coming up in the ranks from riverside a sense that they will not do well. Parents don't want to see their little boy or girl get hurt so they put them into soccer or worse don't let them play sports at all.
ReplyDeleteThe rates for concussions are higher in soccer than in football.
Deleteanonymous 8PM, get real, some of the worse sports injuries happen in soccer. It is a demanding sport where superior athleticism and endurance is unparalleled. Soccer is the best performing program by leaps and bounds over the last 15 or so years, we are a soccer town, so your last sentence is completely oblivious to what our town is today. As for this subject I applaud the school district for keeping kids safety and FUTURES ahead of sport. We have no D1 talent but we as a school can produce some very smart students that will do much greater in life than 95% of all pro-football players will ever do. (most of them are bankrupt within 10 years after retirement) Keep them safe and send them to schools to be the brain power behind our community and country moving forward.
DeleteHey anon 8:00. You really ought to think before you decide to post something on here. You state that parents that dont want there kids to get hurt they put them in soccer. Well that is by far one of the worst comments I have seen. I am the proud parent of a Springfield High School SOCCER player and my child goes out everyday and plays the game to his fullest. I dont think there is a single game that my child does not take a beating. Soccer is a very rough sport. The biggest diffrence is my child does not have pads to protect himself. Soccer is very demanding on the body it is 80 minutes of non stop action. Maybe you should come out and watch a soccer game and maybe your opinion will change about soccer being a sport that parents put their kids in so they wont get hurt.
DeleteI think you are missing the point (I hope) I believe that Anon 8pm was saying that parents who pull their kids out of football will put them in soccer.
ReplyDeleteI too, never knew that there were so many injuries in soccer. My kid plays football and he has seen his fair share of bangs and bruises.
The issue isn't what sport is tougher..the issue is getting kids to play them. I think where Anon 8pm was going is it is better they play some sort of sport rather then nothing at all.
I also agree with the coaches decision to think about cancelling the varsity season. The only people affected are the 5 seniors and their parents who now have to drive the to another town so they can play (hopefully)
This was never about kids getting hurt. It is about the failure of the coach and school administration to perform. Fire the school officials and the coach involved. Hire new competent people. Voila, problem fixed. See how easy it is when you don't fall for the smoke and mirrors spread by these clowns? Kids rise to the level demanded of them. What freshman footballer doesn't dream about playing at varsity level? Think of the experience to be gained and the team going forward the next few years. Crying about having to play against some 200 pounder doesn't get it. Think about those 160 pound kids playing in college against 275 pound kids. The game still goes on.....except in Springfield where the school system continues to collapse and not just in football.
ReplyDeleteUmmm you didn't play football did you?
DeleteMontpelier also forfeited their game this week due to lack of healthy players and not wanting to risk young, physically less capable players playing in a game.
Looks like the quitting disease is spreading. At least Montpelier waited until their roster was down to 18 healthy players before throwing in the towel. It doesn't appear they are looking to trash their football program for an entire year unlike Springfield. Montpelier's normal roster consists of 22 players.
DeleteThe kids not playing football is NOT the coaches fault. It is on the kids that didn't show up after saying they were going to. According to last years coach there were 48 kids signed up. Coach Tallman had spring camps and mini camps that he did on his own time. He had a meeting for the freshman and their parents on his own time, he comes to practice on his own time. What little he gets paid isn't his worth. He does it for the kids and the love of the game. I challenge the people bashing the coaches and the administration to show up tomorrow night at the meeting and LISTEN BEFORE YOU SPEAK to the kids, the parents and the coaches. I would put money that none of you show up.
ReplyDeleteSomehow many of those "kids" that signed up initially later decided that they did not want to play football with Tallman as coach. That is a coaching failure. He might love the game but he was not able to train and motivate people to play and love football with him as the coach. He failed. Admit it and fire him. Move on and hire a successful coach to replace him and replace the goons responsible for hiring him. It's called progress. Something that Springfield has been missing for 40 years.
DeleteSo Anon 11:23 should I save a seat for you tomorrow night at RMS? I doubt it.
ReplyDeleteMost of the kids not showing up has nothing to do with the coach, most of the same kids have either joined another sport or have become part of the "plaza crew"
I know one kid who I coached a few years ago in baseball told me that he didn't want to play this year because it was too much commitment and he would rather hang out with friends his senior year and get his homework done. He said he loves coach Tallman and didn't want to disappoint him. Kevin Tallman was not the head coach last year. It was Callhoun (sp) Tallman was an offense or defense coordinator.
Like I said before in an earlier post (yeah it was me) most kids can't handle playing this long and on both sides of the ball (offense and defense) it is VERY tiring to say the least. Especially when the opponent is twice your size and is rested. Most of those smaller kids are on JV and played another game earlier in the week. Kudos to them!!
People forget there is still a JV team with a lot of good kids playing on the team, next year the Cosmos will be back in DIII where they belong and will be competitive on the varsity level.
So many of the players had so much "love" for Tallman that they had to drop out? It is a coach's job to not only train them well but also to motivate them to play. He failed on both counts.
Delete
ReplyDelete(Mr Editor sorry if this is a bit long)
My common sense has been telling me to stay out of this but my personally is one that doesn’t often listen to the smarter side of me. I do have a few years of coaching varsity football behind me (several in Springfield and a few very good ones) and have seen what I would consider some programs at rock bottom. And folks this varsity program is at rock bottom. Rebuilding takes time, patience and focus on lower levels such as the junior high. But I digress as may point of writing is not to address the problem or offer suggestion of how to fix it as I’m sure there are plenty of problems and several thoughts on how to resolve them.
What sparks me to write are some of the comments I’m reading on here. First let me say since this was asked yesterday, no I have not posted on here as Anonymous. If I had it certainly would be more clever then what I’ve read so far. Over my years coaching in a few different states one thing stays consistent, the cast of characters always change. Meaning parents and athletes are on a 4 year cycle (for the most part) and everything is always new to them. Well guess what, these are not new problems that just cropped up with this coach.
So some education for you experiencing a first go around in football. No team in Vermont, and most lower levels in other States have a complete squad on either side of the ball, this means players play both ways. Most teams have 13-16 kids that can compete on the varsity field, that goes for all levels. So stop using kids playing both ways as an excuse.
In my years coaching in Springfield we never saw more than 40 kids the first day of practice. By the end of the first week that number normally would drop to around 34, no matter how much you beg, pull or sell a young man on playing you could almost bet on that number to be true. Of that number usually 25% are freshmen. Springfield is a small school and freshmen practice and play on the varsity field, no getting around it.
Playing down a division can carry some false hope. I can recall going 0-9 and 2-9 in Division III and not even being competitive in some of those games. While I would be the first to agree moving to Division II never should have happen, that goes back to leadership. The people making that decision made a very poor one but I’m sure they were where lead there by the VIFL. They needed to say no and stand by that conviction but they did not. The dream of playing at higher level is a good one, this dream was exactly that without taking the future into consideration.
Soccer has nothing to do with this as I believe that kids that are going to play soccer, play soccer. Same goes for football. The only argument I would have is with the boy count can both be supported? For sure they are both demanding sports when played properly.
I’ve coached games with players that should have not been on the field and coached when we were the guys handing out the beatings, neither one is any fun. In both cases it is a helpless feeling but it is impossible to tell your kids to let-up or ask them to keep running into the wall because that will make them better. If you think it does then try it sometime, you can do it right there in your own home.
One other quick note on coaching. I’ve been doing it in different States since 1984 and a big FYI for you all, every coach that is successful coaches in the off season. I can’t remember when I haven’t and no you don’t get paid to do that, rewarded yes, paid no.
So to the writers on the blog that have all the answers or the need to call others cowards without posting their own name I could care less about. I just thought I’d put a few facts on the table. As far as the coach, administration or any other leadership problems with the program, well you get your chance tonight by showing up and telling them what you think. I don't think its a meeting I would have had but best of luck to them, they're ones having to figure it out.