Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Sports Football topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears proposal for Lower Moreland middle‑school tackle football; vote, parent meeting set before purchases
Summary
District presenters described student interest, safety equipment options and estimated startup costs for a proposed middle‑school tackle football program. Board members asked for a parent information session and agreed to take a vote later this month; no purchases will be authorized until numbers and parental support are confirmed.
Lower Moreland Township School District administrators and coaches presented a plan on Feb. 4 to start a middle‑school tackle football program that would create a feeder system for the high school team and, the presenters said, improve player safety and competitiveness.
Presenters told the Board of School Directors that district surveys show measurable student interest at Murray Avenue and other middle schools: 20 sixth‑graders and 29 seventh‑graders said they would play next year, with additional students uncertain. Presenters said those responses could yield roughly 25–35 players if even a portion of interested students joined, which would be enough to field a junior varsity team in the MCAA middle‑school league. The presenters described the high school program’s recent on‑field improvement and an intensified offseason training regimen as factors likely to boost middle‑school participation.
Board members and coaches discussed safety measures and costs. Presenters gave a preliminary equipment budget in the roughly $40,000 range: about $30,000 for helmets, shoulder pads and blocking dummies from Riddell and roughly $5,900 for jerseys sized for up to 40 players. They also proposed mandatory supplemental head‑protection options to reduce concussion risk: Guardian caps (an estimated $2,800 to outfit a team) or a SAFER/ProTech helmet cover, which presenters cited as producing lower Virginia Tech star scores in vendor testing (presenters cited comparative scores such as 4.55 for a baseline helmet, 2.95 with a Guardian cap and 1.55 with a ProTech cover). Coaches said these products would be required for practices and games if the program is approved.
Board members pressed on parent support, Title IX effects, scheduling and facility use. Several directors urged a district‑run parent information session before the board’s decision; Superintendent James Best and administrators agreed to convene a parent interest meeting and report back. Board members also sought clarity about how the program would avoid conflicts with fall sports such as boys soccer and how middle‑school games would be scheduled and sited (options discussed included Murray Avenue Stadium or the high‑school practice field). Coaches said JV middle‑school games often omit some special teams plays and use shorter quarters to reduce contact.
No formal approval or purchase was authorized at the meeting. Board discussion produced a plan for next steps: the district will convene a parent and student information meeting, confirm final participation numbers, and then place the program proposal on the Feb. 18 agenda for a board vote. Presenters asked that, if the board supports the concept, no equipment purchases be made until participation is confirmed.
Coach Dominic, who addressed safety and coaching philosophy during the meeting, said football provides opportunities beyond athletics. He said, “Football does so much more than just physically…football gets them through a lot of things,” and described coaching emphasis on safer tackling techniques, neck strengthening exercises and Heads Up Football training for coaches.
The board did not take a vote at the Feb. 4 meeting; administrators will return with results from the parent meeting and an updated participation and budget estimate for consideration and a possible vote later this month.
