FB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

DAW · August 21, 2009, 11:25:37 AM

Quote from: Fear the Poet on August 21, 2009, 10:54:18 AM
Happy Football season.

My friend OB let me know the question came up about LR. Alas, LR is done with Football. For the first time in 12 years, Lucy and I are not getting ready to watch him play. He is still going to the school(and loves the school) and doing track, but his gridiron days are through. He decided he has had enough...well, his body has anyway.

To keep his football fix going, he is the DL coach for the freshman team at his old high school and assistant OL coach on Varsity on fridays. With his school and work, he will coach as his schedule permits. He bleeds the Black and Red of Troy.

It is bittersweet for us, becuase we love watching him play so much, but we are proud of him for making the decision he felt strong about. We have already dusted off our Troy gear for fridays. He is a great kid and we love him.

Of course we fully support the Poets and their coaching staff and hope for big improvements this season.

GO POETS!!!

====================================================

I Second what FTP is saying above. Although every day he practiced and Played I worried about him on that field. As a mom everytime he got hit or hit someone I cringed but I loved to watch him play.(and for those of you who know me you probably could hear me screaming before you saw me!!) It's truly going to be an adjustment for us not to see him play but as FTB said we are so proud of him and the decisions he has made.(besides we still get to see him, just as a coach instead of a player now!!) I wish all your teams much success this year and may the boys stay healthy. Thanks for making FTB and I feel so welcomed when we first joined.. As always we are still big poets fans, and will be checking this board too... (So play nice boys!!)

Lucy

Gray Fox · August 21, 2009, 11:57:15 AM

FTP and DAW,

You have a right to be proud of him for making a mature decision.

Please keep posting.

wildcat11 · August 21, 2009, 12:29:11 PM

+1 Gray. My thoughts too in regards to LR.

OxyBob · August 21, 2009, 05:15:17 PM

Quote from: Fear the Poet on August 21, 2009, 10:54:18 AM
Of course we fully support the Poets and their coaching staff and hope for big improvements this season.

Speaking of Whittier, here's an article about a new recruit, courtesy of La Jolla Light:

QuoteFerreira to kick off college career at Whittier

Roman Ferreira wasn't one of the biggest players on Cathedral Catholic's football team, but what he lacked in physical stature he made up in effectiveness.

Ferreira, a La Jolla resident who graduated from Cathedral this spring, stands just 5-foot-7 and weighs only 145 pounds. As a placekicker and punter, though, that matters little, and he turned out to be one of San Diego County's best at his position.

Now, he hopes to continue that success kicking for Division III Whittier College, where he starts practice this week.

"I made the decision in early April," Ferreira said. "I went to one of their last spring football games, and decided to commit and go kick for them.

"I had visited there and narrowed my choices down to what I really wanted academically. It's a small school, and I can get a lot out of the small classroom size to prepare for a career in case football doesn't pan out."

For now, though, football is his major focus.

Ferreira was instrumental on a Cathedral team that last year won its league and CIF San Diego Section Division III titles for a second straight season and went on to win a state title. While most of the headlines went to all-everything running back Tyler Gaffney, Ferreira was, remarkably, second on the team to Gaffney in scoring.

In 14 games, he converted 88 point-after-touchdown attempts and eight field goals, totaling 112 points (an average of eight points per game). His 80 kickoffs traveled a total off 4,641 yards (better than 58 yards per kick), and his 20 punts averaged more than 32 yards, with a long of 41 yards.

Simply put, next to Gaffney, who was the state player of the year and scored 56 touchdowns, Ferreira was the Don's most effective weapon.

He attributes his success to a lot of hard work, working out and repetition. His biggest focus in practice is perfecting his techniques to ensure that he's consistent with each kick and punt.

Ferreira will report on Friday to Whittier College in east Los Angeles County, and will compete for the starting kicking and punting jobs.

The Poets' first game is Sept. 12 at Sul Ross State in El Paso, Texas. They open at home against Menlo on Sept. 26.
...

OxyBob

OxyBob · August 21, 2009, 05:20:46 PM

Here's a Cal Lutheran item from the Ventura County Star:

QuoteDamron selected to Mitchell list

Cal Lutheran's Jackson Damron has been placed on the Fred Mitchell Award watch list for this season.

The annual Mitchell Outstanding Place-kicker Award will be given to the nation's top collegiate kicker among the 150 Division II and 240 Division III football teams.

The recipient of the award will be chosen based on excellence of the football field and in the community. The winner will be announced in mid-December.

Damron is one of 18 kickers selected to the watch list and the sole pick from California.

OxyBob

Ralph Turner · August 22, 2009, 04:51:26 PM

FTP and DAW, +1 to both!

Please keep posting. You were stars of the boards. (I was going to ask if you were flying to El Paso, but I guess not. )

Best wishes!

Dead Poet Society · August 22, 2009, 11:34:47 PM

Speaking of the Poets.... Rumor has it Coach Hammer brought in a LARGE number of JUCO transfers. After 4 years of his recruiting, Hammer has to bring in over two dozen JC players to try and turn the program around?

If true, this changes the way business is done in the SCIAC...and IMO not good for the league.

BTW Good Luck to# 63. He played hard and clean. I hope the above had nothing to do with his decision to stop playing football.....

Sabretooth Tiger · August 23, 2009, 11:53:31 AM

Best to LR . . . congrats on raising a kid smart enough to know himself and to make a gutsy decision like that . . . glad that he's happy at school and that things are going well.

best,

tooth

Sabretooth Tiger · August 23, 2009, 11:56:43 AM

Quote from: Dead Poet Society on August 22, 2009, 11:34:47 PM
Speaking of the Poets.... Rumor has it Coach Hammer brought in a LARGE number of JUCO transfers. After 4 years of his recruiting, Hammer has to bring in over two dozen JC players to try and turn the program around?

If true, this changes the way business is done in the SCIAC...and IMO not good for the league.

BTW Good Luck to# 63. He played hard and clean. I hope the above had nothing to do with his decision to stop playing football.....

1. Why would a big cc transfer year for Whittier change "the way business is done" in the SCIAC?
2. Why are good transfers, who have qualified academics for their new schools, a bad thing for the SCIAC?

Gray Fox · August 23, 2009, 12:59:30 PM

I'm sure Coach Hammer worked closely with the admissions department on this to be sure that they were qualified AND likely to stay until graduation.

With the current economic situation, this may become more common for all schools.

Dead Poet Society · August 23, 2009, 02:24:23 PM

There is nothing wrong with going to a JC... It is a smart way to get a part of your university education/degree for a very reasonable dollar amount...Having stated that, SCIAC football teams do not have large numbers of JC transfers. Is that not a fact?

I would bet many of the transfers did not go to a 4 years school out of HS strictly because of finances. Grades, trouble, reputation are some reasons they went to a JC. Many of these athletes while good players are not good citizens. You guys have been around long enough to have seen this. If two out of three on last years team are representative of the percent and type of JC player Hammer "recruit's then the future does not look good. IMO their "talent" was not remotely worth their disruption of the team.

IMO a coach should not sell the soul of his university to try to win a few football games. With high expectations not met, a new stadium..possibly anxious alumni....who knows what happens, what limits are pushed?

If Hammer succeeds, then other schools maybe forced to do the same. Again, in my opinion only, this is not good for the SCIAC or the universities

I was hoping the SCIAC would not go this route for the possibility of winning a football game.

redlandsfan · August 23, 2009, 02:31:29 PM

It is good to be back! I have not posted since last November; heck, I am surprised I remembered my D3boards.com password!!!! College camp has begun, baseball playoffs are near, and the NFL is right around the corner....is there a better time of year???

Go bulldogs!

Purple Heys · August 23, 2009, 03:19:08 PM

To FTP and DAW: As a closet UofR fan (having grown up in Redlands during the Serrao years)...

It isn't hard to recognize character when you see (or hear) of it, and LR has it in abundance. The depth it takes for a young man to set aside playing the game, and then to turn it into an opportunity to coach youth...outstanding.

Congrats to you on raising a son who "gets it"; best of luck and a long and fruitful career to him, whatever his path brings him. Count me as a fan.

river · August 23, 2009, 05:19:09 PM

Quote from: Dead Poet Society on August 23, 2009, 02:24:23 PM
There is nothing wrong with going to a JC... It is a smart way to get a part of your university education/degree for a very reasonable dollar amount...Having stated that, SCIAC football teams do not have large numbers of JC transfers. Is that not a fact?

I would bet many of the transfers did not go to a 4 years school out of HS strictly because of finances. Grades, trouble, reputation are some reasons they went to a JC. Many of these athletes while good players are not good citizens. You guys have been around long enough to have seen this. If two out of three on last years team are representative of the percent and type of JC player Hammer "recruit's then the future does not look good. IMO their "talent" was not remotely worth their disruption of the team.

IMO a coach should not sell the soul of his university to try to win a few football games. With high expectations not met, a new stadium..possibly anxious alumni....who knows what happens, what limits are pushed?

If Hammer succeeds, then other schools maybe forced to do the same. Again, in my opinion only, this is not good for the SCIAC or the universities

I was hoping the SCIAC would not go this route for the possibility of winning a football game.

The SCIAC schools, probably more than most, are fixated on GPAs and board scores of their entering classes, and probably turn down worthy applicants who have much to offer in other areas but don't quite reach the averages the schools want. Does accepting transfer students, including athletes, avoid some of this grades/board scores fixation?

Dead Poet Society · August 23, 2009, 05:53:27 PM

"Does accepting transfer students, including athletes, avoid some of this grades/board scores fixation"?

Possibly.

However on the flip side...What pressure could a desperate to win coach, who has brought with him high expectations, has basically a new stadium, has been given everything including the kitchen sink....and a desire IMO to coach at a level higher than Whittier put on the school to bring in players though good and through JC able to meet the grade requirements, are bad actors?

We will soon find out.

Go Poets