I wanted to address the situation of the 7th grade not being able to play a game this week and the possibility of future problems in 7th grade football.

We have ten seventh grade football players currently playing at Union Christian. We have presently two eighth graders and six ninth graders playing on our team. We have one ninth grader out this week which brings our Jr. High numbers down even more. Normally, coaches play some 8th graders down with the 7th grade to have enough playing in the 7th grade. With our situation our 8th graders play in the Jr. High games and never come off the field (play offense and defense).  So, as a result, we would greatly put them in a serious injury risk playing two full games a night.

What I have done is to meet with the remaining 7th, 8th, and 9th graders in Coach Boatright's P.E. class first hour to recruit them to play to rectify not having enough players. Hopefully by Monday they might decide to come out and play. The A.A.A. does have a regulation on 7th playing down or 6th grade playing up because this represents playing on a team outside their 7th-12th jurisdiction. We communicate to the opposing coaches our teams play on a week to week basis about 7th grade games being played or canceled.

Your prayers and encouragement will open up some wonderful things to happen here at Union . God is working here and will not let us fail.

Bob Hattabaugh

Union Christian Academy

Head Football Coach