Basementbias

My guess is the health department was saying no fans at all and this was a compromise brought up by the schools. I could be totally wrong, but that would by my hypothesis.

It's a no win situation all around anymore. You ignore it all and have full capacity crowds that could lead to a deadly outbreak just to watch sports. Then you have the safe version like this were people miss out on part of what makes the game great. Usually it is better to be safe than sorry, but it's odd that the people affected by the decision aren't as heavily affected by the virus compared to other groups. Just have to make the best of the situation no matter what your viewpoint is. Just wish we could find some middle ground to try and make improvements in the entire global situation. Then we can see what really is the best way to proceed.

I'd say AC probably has less and hard to say how many Bellmont has out. I was meaning I was surprised it was just senior parents and not a whole varsity roster of 30 to 40 players at max having 2 to 4 parents spread out. Some even sitting in the visitors' bleachers and around the field like playoff games.

The senior athletes was the surprising part. I could see having a set roster amount of players as Varsity and having 4 adults each with no visitors.

Not surprising at this point. Unfortunately I don't think it's going back in the other direction anytime soon. Surprised the 4 fans were family of Senior players of fall sports only. Better than no season, but it really just turns games into glorified practices at this point. It sucks for these kids and their supporters, but does teach the life lesson that life isn't fair.

Maybe the best move would to be allocating parents/step parents/guardians (possibly siblings) for each player a ticket. Guessing they'd make many schools dress only "varsity" listed players as well. I think that could be up to interpretation as does that mean some JV who are on special teams or 2nd/3rd string back ups for some schools. Would there be a certain number of players to be made available for rosters like the NCAA & NFL using active rosters? I think some schools would easily be able to social distance by family in these circumstances. Also should put up temporary fencing behind each goal post area and seat fans there as well as along fences. Maybe put zones near player entrance areas that are 6ft away from nearest fans. Do you allow visiting fans? If so, is it family that have presale tickets from their school? How would one be able to police this?

The Berne Witness is a local newspaper that does webcasts for South Adams and Adams Central sports including football games. I know they had been working on adding Bellmont possibly as well. Not sure if that is still a go or not. They have a profile on Indiana Mat but I can't find one to attach to this post. They do a great job and are on the IHSAA app. You can google and see how to contact them. They did the "major" 4-H projects this year. My alma mater Adams Central and the town of Monroe need to get better service to do these broadcasts. Most away games and all South Adams games go pretty smooth because the internet/phone service is better.

Yes, so now everyone is wanting clarification if that means Marion County has just opted out until Oct 1st or if that means everyone else is going to have to go that schedule.

It feels like Marion County has now gave the IHSAA something to reconsider. Not sure why they weren't in communication and now have hope in some camp and doom and gloom in another. However, that is just how everything is appearing to go.

I knew Coach Davis was having to make sacrifices to come to Bellmont. He was always cordial to me and members of our league. I wish him the best. Surprising it came this late in the season, but really like the hire. Feels weird having played against Coach Hall in our younger days (plus a year younger than myself), but think this could be a big turning point. Especially if he gets the key guys that played on the state championship team to join him. I believe he will give them an identity to have for more than just a year or two at most.

I don't think that would be a popular idea in our area. I always see this on IndianaMat but also adding Bellmont with AC & SA to create a super wrestling team. That would probably be a 6A school then or large 5A. Too many differing opinions in Adams County to make that work. Decatur, Monroe, and Berne plus surrounding areas have differing ideas of what they want. You'd probably have more people wanting to go back to the old township schools before consolidation of any of the current three.

Agree with the technique and skill instruction. I think that is another part where AC has been blessed and SA too compared to Bellmont. In youth league games, it has been difficult to determine if the kids aren't physically mature or mentally/emotionally mature for some or if the technique isn't taught right. My belief is that it is more mental/emotional maturity as Bellmont has some really athletic and fundamentally sound kids, just not as many as the AC youth programs most years. Why I'm hoping to do more league involvement than coaching. We've had some cases of Bellmont stacking one of the 2 teams and switching which team it is (THE BIGGEST PROBLEM). Since the change the 3 years, Bellmont has made the playoff finals in 2 of the 3 and actually won the regular season last year. My biggest concern with them is keeping the good numbers up (COVID is going to challenge both sides this year if we play!). As for middle school I don't get to see either school play 7th & 8th having to be a step parent supporting my kids in Ohio.

5th & 6th grade but the middle school 7th & 8th has always ran the offense of the varsity at AC. We do not have enough help to start back up the 3rd & 4th league that was on an old Bellmont play book with limited plays. AC's middle school coaches have noted the improvement with our change and the benefits they have saw. The first group is now Freshmen this season. The biggest difference between AC & Bellmont has been the stability of coaching staffs. AC had Coach Minnich for numerous years and Coach Mosser in about 10 or 11 seasons now. There have been many Bellmont coaches in that span. The culture is always changing and for Bellmont it's always been about making sure wrestling, then baseball were taken care of before football, basketball, and etc.

The problem that even Marty had was that the middle school coaches at that time were not running his system. I believe this has been rectified and our youth league is running the offenses of both schools. We mandate a 5-2 defense for safety and learning techniques. I will say the biggest hurdle Bellmont is facing is the culture of the athletes. I've watched some practices that past couple of years while doing sign ups for the youth. The leadership of the players was not great. You have saw the results of this not in just football but wrestling, basketball, and baseball to an extent. Seems like the wrestling program has finally fixed that and hopefully those guys can play football and pass it on.

Selfishly I like that all 3 are playing each other each year again. Also wish either SA or AC's enrollment would go up, preferably SA like it used to be that they were 2A. Then maybe if everything aligned all 3 could play the same day at Lucas Oil. I was hoping last year to help the Bellmont youth program out more but was thrust back into coaching for AC youth. We shall see if our proposed season occurs, but my time has been split with my stepson playing flag football at Crestview and also being on the board & helping the DFL for both sides. I think we can get Bellmont back to that 2008 level but it's going to take some more time.

With all due respect, you need to learn about the 1A schools you are referring to. Adams Central will pound the ball down your throat and beat the tar out of you on defense when you try to run the ball. South Adams is a spread team that goes full throttle. I'll argue that they prepare Bellmont better than some conference foes they have in the NE8 some years. They have a 2 year glory run while Adams Central has had a 20 year and South Adams had a 4 year run in the 90s and a few smaller ones lately. They can't schedule the SAC because the SAC only plays each other! The problem they've had is other sports not wanting their athletes to play football and focus on other sports. Bellmont is and always has been a wrestling and then baseball school. Get the facts straight!

2008 to 2010 or so Bellmont was better than both and from then to 2016 they were close to AC and SA. Other than that AC has been way ahead of Bellmont during the Minnich years and from 2017 on. South Adams has been better since 2017 and on. It's cyclical of course, but Bellmont has never been the football program of the county like Adams Central. Bellmont refers to AC as "Football Heaven" and AC could say the same of Bellmont wrestling as "Wrestling Heaven".

My previous avatar was of the county championship trophy I created. I'm not sure it's passed along but was at my alma mater AC. Last year was the first time the Starfires won it. The first year when Bellmont played AC again in many years, believe 2014 Bellmont won it (though it wasn't created yet). AC won it every year after until 2019. Not sure if the playoff result means it should be back to AC or not. 😄 It was presented in 2016 at the award banquet. The trophy was 24" x 14" as the county is 24 mi x 14 mi. The front is the school district boundaries in each school color and the back was split into 3rds with Adams County Champions in the schools' colors. I will say this, that Coach Davis is trying his best, but in my opinion he's not getting enough support from other coaches in that school. I know the AD does support him though. It's "bad knowledge" by DT as Gary Radnich and Tony Bruno used to say on KNBR 680 about questioning AC and SA. Those 2 teams beat many 2,3, and 4A schools. Bellmont has some good talent coming up if they stick with it. The problem has been numbers coming out even at the youth level. Disclaimer: I'm on the youth football board that Bellmont and AC play and coached AC youth teams. Last year was the best year for the Bellmont teams as one won the regular season against very talented AC teams. Injuries though cost that team and they finished last in the playoff. It was a good sign though as the numbers were much closer to AC participation than in the previous years.

Yep there are a few who want the random draw for whatever reason. I would rather see it seeded or at least the top 4 teams in each 8 team sectional seeded (top 2 for 4 /5 team sectionals). At least the IHSAA has it right with the all in tournament and success factor. I get flack on Yappi for supporting the all in tournament as those Buckeyes love playoff qualifying. No undefeated team should be punished by their strength of schedule at this level like what happens in Ohio. They do get it right by seeding it though! They also get it right by having neutral site venues for later rounds of the playoffs. Most of their early playoff games are neutral sites for the most part, a very few are not. I would like to see our Indiana sectionals if seeded or partially seeded give the highest remaining seed home field advantage. Then regional and semi states at neutral venues and state remain at Lucas Oil. Ohio's division breakdown process is awful though (Competitive Balance) as what they truly want is our Success Factor.

Yeah it's been a few years now, but it was the ACAC. Sure miss those old days of playing in the old RCA dome on a Saturday in September for the ACAC.

I'd rather keep Lucas Oil for the championship but use those venues for semi state games for the bigger classes. This is however using my method of determining semi state matchups instead of what is currently used. I'd rotate which regional winner plays which every three years. So currently it is basically NW vs NE and SW vs SE. I'd have a 3 year rotation and I'll use NE in this example (since that is my area). Year 1 NE vs NW and SW vs SE; Year 2 NE vs SW and NW vs SE; Year 3 NE vs SE and NW vs SW. Year 1 the first matchup could be at Notre Dame and the second in Bloomington. Year 2 I'm not sure what locations would work for those probably U of Indy or something like it. Year 3 could have the first matchup at Ball State and the 2nd at Purdue. I know many Ohio HS football fans wish they had a Lucas Oil venue for their state championship. The east side of Ohio has reclaimed holding the championships after a brief stay at the horseshoe. Many of the smaller division champs in Ohio are from the NW/WC Ohio area.

Agree and I grew up on the Indiana & Ohio state line. I'm temporarily in Ohio but will hopefully be back in Indiana soon. I'm all for Indiana going to central time even living in Ohio currently but working in Indiana still.

I heard that the webcast is going to include Bellmont this year. At least the home games and whichever away schools in the NE8 that will allow them. Hope that is the case.

I'm looking forward to a 2022 & 2023 seasons as a Jets fan. Some good talent in this year's freshmen class if they all stick with it. They had been 2 deep in youth & middle school. Also had a nice trio of backs that will be sophomores this year. Plus Heyerly & Currie as juniors and Collier as a senior. I still think South Adams will be even harder to beat this year with a chip on their shoulders. In a few years, I'll have Starfire cousins to root for (which will be odd) and then back to the Jets besides some Ohio schools (Crestview Knights & Parkway Panthers) to root for.

Curious to see what happens between 2 & 3. South Adams may get revenge this coming season, but maybe not. South Adams is still in that 2 year run window they expected. Adams Central has a really good freshman class coming in. Lose some key seniors, but have some good players coming back.