How Many Indiana High School Football Teams Have You Seen In Person?

[Frozen Tundra]

Recently, a college basketball Twitter/X account asked the question, “How many D1 college basketball teams have you seen play in person?” After figuring that number out for myself, I then wondered how many Indiana high school football teams I had seen in person. I could only come up with 37. Obviously refs and coaches are going to have very high numbers, but how many have you all seen? Scrimmages, jamborees, and practices don’t count. Schools that have closed or schools that no longer field football teams do count. Non-IHSAA schools (i.e. Phalen Academy) or 8-man football teams (i.e. Waldron) also count.

[TightEndOpenAgain]

Really fun to look through Harrell's site and count. Way more than I thought I'd seen! I came up with 95 schools. I was hoping for 60 or so. Thanks for the question!

[foxbat]

50+ on quick review.  I'll have to look in more detail, because there are some teams that I saw at state finals AFTER the LCC games in sticking around LOS that weren't the primary ticket objective.

[Donnie Baker]

You probably count how many Zimas you drink too. I gotta go 

[Bobref]

1 hour ago, TightEndOpenAgain said:

Really fun to look through Harrell's site and count. Way more than I thought I'd seen! I came up with 95 schools. I was hoping for 60 or so. Thanks for the question!

I’m going to have to do this. After 47 yrs. of officiating, I’ll bet I can get that number up pretty high.

[First_Backer_Inside]

2 hours ago, Frozen Tundra said:

Recently, a college basketball Twitter/X account asked the question, “How many D1 college basketball teams have you seen play in person?” After figuring that number out for myself, I then wondered how many Indiana high school football teams I had seen in person. I could only come up with 37. Obviously refs and coaches are going to have very high numbers, but how many have you all seen? Scrimmages, jamborees, and practices don’t count. Schools that have closed or schools that no longer field football teams do count. Non-IHSAA schools (i.e. Phalen Academy) or 8-man football teams (i.e. Waldron) also count.

This made me think of Harding and the teams coach Haydock had back in the day. I was just a young kid at the time and could still tell "man they got some freakin dudes"

[Frozen Tundra]

35 minutes ago, First_Backer_Inside said:

This made me think of Harding and the teams coach Haydock had back in the day. I was just a young kid at the time and could still tell "man they got some freakin dudes"

I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like for the players, students, and fans whose school closed. I have a ton of school spirit. If one day I woke up and Columbus East closed, it’d be hard to find it again with another school. I lived it for four years as a student-athlete. It’s part of my identity.

[Coach Dowell]

I GOT OVER 200.  3 things, I am old... I have coached a lot of football, and I have been on a lot of recruiting visits lol.

[Frozen Tundra]

1 hour ago, Donnie Baker said:

You probably count how many Zimas you drink too. I gotta go 

Me, a straight-edge person, Googling a Zima because I have no idea what it is 😂

[Donnie Baker]

1 hour ago, Frozen Tundra said:

Me, a straight-edge person, Googling a Zima because I have no idea what it is 😂

Everyone should know what a zima is. State Law!

[PHJIrish]

Hundreds since 1955.

[Donnie Baker]

16 minutes ago, PHJIrish said:

Hundreds since 1955.

You might be the oldest dude on here, depending on King Tut from Liptons. 

[PHJIrish]

Just now, Donnie Baker said:

You might be the oldest dude on here, depending on King Tut from Liptons. 

Old?  I'm only 81!

[Trojanmp52]

4 hours ago, Donnie Baker said:

Everyone should know what a zima is. State Law!

It is sprite if the teacher ask

[WCGrad92]

i think i am at 71, but i cant remember all the teams i may have watched at the state finals if I am being honest

[FastpacedO]

12 hours ago, Donnie Baker said:

Everyone should know what a zima is. State Law!

All these young guns touting PBR's know nothing about your Zima days.

[Impartial_Observer]

I’ve never counted, but I’d have to guess, there are way less I haven’t seen. 

[whiteshoes]

I have been to games every Friday night (with a few exceptions) for the past 35 years.   Normally we see a different set of teams each week depending on the game.   Honestly, I do not know how many that would account for but have seen a lot of high school teams in this state and throughout the country.

[JustRules]

I track all the varsity games I've worked. Based on that spreadsheet, I've officiated 179 schools. I've probably seen more if you count some games I've attended including the state finals. Probably closer to 200.

[Bobref]

Do we count schools that no longer exist? If so, I need to go beyond Harrell’s site.

[JustRules]

1 minute ago, Bobref said:

Do we count schools that no longer exist? If so, I need to go beyond Harrell’s site.

At quick glance, I've had a few that don't exist. Did a lot more IPS early in my career.

Anderson Highland
Anderson Prep Academy
Broad Ripple
Arlington
Manual
Marshall
Northwest
Muncie South
FW Elmhurst
 

[hondo17]

Knox

Pioneer 

North White

South Newton

Tri County

West Central 

North Judson

Caston 

Frontier

LaVille 

Triton

Culver

Delphi

Seeger

Noll

Whiting

Lake Station 

Gary Roosevelt 

Luers

Eastbrook

Cass

Oak Hill

Anderson 

Logan

Twin Lakes

Tri Central 

Woodlan

River Forest

South Central 

Northwestern 

Tippecanoe Valley 

Rensselaer 

North Newton

Carroll 

Rochester 

Manchester 

Central Catholic 

Guerin Catholic 

Sheridan 

Linton Stockton 

Edited September 14, 2024 by hondo17

[hondo17]

New Palestine 

New Prairie

Can't remember who played down at the dome before Winamac/Pioneer in 2014. 

[Impartial_Observer]

5 hours ago, JustRules said:

At quick glance, I've had a few that don't exist. Did a lot more IPS early in my career.

Anderson Highland
Anderson Prep Academy
Broad Ripple
Arlington
Manual
Marshall
Northwest
Muncie South
FW Elmhurst
 

I’m pretty sure I had Highland’s last game at Carmel in the tournament. When Howe closed the first time, had their last game at Franklin. 

[Frozen Tundra]

9 hours ago, Bobref said:

Do we count schools that no longer exist? If so, I need to go beyond Harrell’s site.

Yeah closed schools count as well as schools that no longer sponsor football