Posted on 11/09/2018 6:39:03 AM PST by C19fan
In much of the United States, this is an era of disappearing tackle football programs.
Tightening budgets and concerns about safety and liability have combined to spell the end of football at colleges like Hofstra in Hempstead, N.Y., and St. Marys College of California.
Then there is St. Thomas Aquinas, a 65-year-old college founded by Dominican nuns, which is currently running a counter play. It started a football program this season instead of ending one. The move, part of a strategy to increase male enrollment, not really one to compete for gridiron glory, came with a wrinkle: At St. Thomas Aquinas, students would compete in sprint football, in which the players cannot weigh more than 178 pounds.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Makes sense. Like six foot and under b-ball.
Top level athletes are freakishly large.
Rudy!
When I was at Cornell in the 70’s there was a 150 football team. Not sure if that was the official name but it’s what everyone called it. I knew several guys who were on it.
I’ve seen a couple sprint games (tv) and they’re great fun.
Almost like a real sport again !
... or lightweight crew (under 155 lb, IIRC).
Until some team they go up against have players all over 250 lbs, who are self-identifying as slim that day.
Short football players?
Less injuries because they’re already closer to the ground when tackled!
Years ago colleges used to have “150s”, football for smaller players.
Man I wish that would have been true even in middle and high school. I loved playing football, but alas, I was maybe 100 lbs soaking wet. Pop Warner ball had a 140 lb limit my last year and I got clobbered over and over again. Went to the hospital twice that year. It was probably the saddest day of my fathers life at the time to look me in the eyes and say "son you can't play football anymore or you are going to get hurt bad". So, I switched to golf and got a scholarship.
We called them the 150lb football team at Navy...but that was waaaaaaay back in the 1980s. Hadn’t heard the term Sprint before. Had a roommate on the team. Lot of fun to watch.
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