Canadian High School vs. American High School Football

[Robbie]

On this message board, there have already been two active threads discussing a comparison of Professional Football between Canada and the USA (CFL vs. NFL) and College Football between the two countries (CIS vs. NCAA). I will now introduce yet another comparison thread by bringing it down one level further ? to the high school level.

What do you think about Canadian High School football compared to American High School football?

For those who attended high school anywhere in Canada ? did you play on your school?s football team if there was one? And for those of you who have sons in high school ? are any of them on their school?s football team?

I for one did not play high school football for the simple reason that I will explain below ? my high school didn?t have a team.

I will start off this comparison by saying that I observe the same issue on the high school level as I do in the college and professional levels ? a huge lack of interest and enthusiasm in Canadian high schools when it comes to football. Now, I am going the assumption that the Province of British Columbia is a good representation of all of Canada and Washington State is a good representation of all of America.

In the greater Seattle area, I know that most if not all of the high schools in the city limits have football teams. And in the nearby suburbs such as Bellevue, Redmond, Lynnwood, Bothell, Woodinville, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Tacoma, etc. all of the high schools in those areas have football teams as well.

But in the greater Vancouver area, it?s a sharp contrast after looking at this web page:

http://www.bchighschoolfootball.com/

Of the 18 public high schools in the Vancouver city limits, only one, John Oliver, has a football team! And of the private high schools in Vancouver, only one, Vancouver College, has a football team. From what I observed of the suburbs, only Hugh Boyd has a high school football team in Richmond and Burnaby Central has a high school football team in Burnaby. If I extend this further into the suburbs, the trend may not be as apparent as it looks like most of the schools with football teams are those in the distant suburbs. But I think I can still say that there are still quite a lot of suburban high schools that do not have football teams unlike those in the greater Seattle area.

And along with the lack of football teams, other factors usually associated with football teams such as cheerleaders and marching bands are usually not found in many Canadian high schools. In many Canadian high schools, it seems like basketball is what takes up most of the attention and not football. Unlike in America, it seems like playing on a football team in Canadian high schools is no big deal and doing well academically is what makes one cool. I guess if there?s anything that?s good about this ? there are enough cliques that can be found in a high school and there?s no need to introduce another one that consists of jocks.

[Solar Max]

Played in High School. At that time in Ottawa, football was a big deal (still is I think......just not as much interest in the Renegades? Better check with Lionut) and most High Schools had teams.

[Sir Purrcival]

Sorely would have liked to play at my high school in Burnaby but alas, no team. No baseball, hockey team either just basketball which I hate playing and a soccer squad. I guess cost was and still is the issue. It certainly wasn't injury as high school gym teachers didn't have any issue with us playing rugby without any protection etc.

[tony_montana]

After I graduated our 6 man football team played a 6 man team from Texas (Sask and Texas being the only two places that play 6 man football). The boys from my highschool got beat pretty easily. Of course Like I said, bring up a hockey team from texas and see what happens.

Still a great experience and a tradition that they carried on for a few years, even going so far one year as to have kind of an allstar game with kids from different schools being involved.

As with most things it is coaching that makes a difference. It is not that Canadian kids are not as good athletes as our American counterparts, it is just that they do not get coached by quality coaches until usually highschool, where as many American kids get coaching from former NCAA players from the peewee level on up.

[Toppy Vann]

I thought there were more teams in local high schools these days.

I played at North Van High 1960s- school now gone. Playbook older than the coach and just about as imaginative.

Interest in high school sports seemed stronger in those days than what I am getting from the first post.

Our games attracted pretty good crowds (no stands) and I recall the paper saying something like 300. It was pretty crazy including some brawls as opposing fans and our fans were too close and too interactive. Some games had more action off the field than on.

There were huge rivalries between North Van High, Delbrook and West Van. These teams got up for each more than for the top schools like Britania and Killarney who were 1 and 2 in the Vancouver and District League (Van, the North Shore) with NV High finishing no. 3. The games vs West Van and Delbrook were tougher as players knew each other and many of us played against each other or with for a number of years in the Gordon Sturtridge League.

Empire Stadium was full for the Inter-high Track meet every year and it was both televised live and re-broadcast by CBC on the weekend, it had terrific attendance for the finals - over 30,000. I never understood why they ended that other than maybe team sizes, the number of schools, etc. but I thought they could just run more qualifiers.

Basketball filled the gymn for all games as these guys were more stars than the football team. Fewer of them of course and that made it easier for students to identify with I think.

Again, not sure what today's high school attendance is.

In those days, the athletes were highly regarded at the school.

[Canuck_4_Life]

Of the 18 public high schools in the Vancouver city limits, only one, John Oliver, has a football team! And of the private high schools in Vancouver, only one, Vancouver College, has a football team. From what I observed of the suburbs, only Hugh Boyd has a high school football team in Richmond and Burnaby Central has a high school football team in Burnaby. If I extend this further into the suburbs, the trend may not be as apparent as it looks like most of the schools with football teams are those in the distant suburbs. But I think I can still say that there are still quite a lot of suburban high schools that do not have football teams unlike those in the greater Seattle area.

As for Vancouver schools: Does Notre Dame Regional School not count as being a part of Vancouver? 2855 Parker, last time I checked was still in Vancouver city limits.

What about Carson Graham, Handsworth and West Van Secondary, on the North Shore? New West, South Delta, Terry Fox, Holy Cross, Pinetree and Centennial all have football programs. I wouldn't exactly call Port Coquitlam a distant suburb. Abbotsford, on the other hand, with all due respect to those members in Abbotsford and beyond, is a distant suburb.

And along with the lack of football teams, other factors usually associated with football teams such as cheerleaders and marching bands are usually not found in many Canadian high schools. In many Canadian high schools, it seems like basketball is what takes up most of the attention and not football.

I believe the biggest deterrent is cost. So many schools focus on basketball, soccer, rugby, field hockey and track and field, that football and hockey, arguably the most expensive sports to play, gets left out in the cold, no pun intended.

[Lion_Pride_26]

I play AA Senior Varsity football here with the new Aldergrove Totems. We lost are first Regular Season game to Hugh Boyd in Richmond 26-6. This Friday we're playing Seaquam, another team from Delta I believe, at home at about 3:45pm.

I think we're the only high school in Langley to have a football team, which seems odd.

[TheLionKing]

When I was going to high school we had a football team. (Britannia). As Toppy Vann has alluded to, there were quite a number of schools having a football program. Our greatest rivalry was Notre Dame (when Passaglia and Paul Giroday) was playing, Killarney and West Vancouver. The thing that bugged the hell out of me was playing American rules. :x

[Robbie]

As for Vancouver schools: Does Notre Dame Regional School not count as being a part of Vancouver? 2855 Parker, last time I checked was still in Vancouver city limits.

What about Carson Graham, Handsworth and West Van Secondary, on the North Shore? New West, South Delta, Terry Fox, Holy Cross, Pinetree and Centennial all have football programs. I wouldn't exactly call Port Coquitlam a distant suburb. Abbotsford, on the other hand, with all due respect to those members in Abbotsford and beyond, is a distant suburb.

Regarding Notre Dame in Vancouver, you got me there. I'm not too familiar with the private high schools and I didn't know that Notre Dame was within the city limits.

As for the others you mentioned on the North Shore and other places, you make good points but those are still suburban high schools nevertheless. I was making a point about the lack of high school football teams in Vancouver, Richmond, and Burnaby.

The statistic that keeps bothering me is: only 1 out of 18 public high schools in Vancouver has a football team. As some of you mentioned, Britannia and Killarney used to have fooball teams, but they certainly don't have them anymore.

[b_raunchy]

No high school football in White Rock, but Earl Marriott just started up a program this year I believe. Football was played at the community level, so all three high schools on the Semiahmoo peninsula contributed to the team. So it was available, just not through the school.
At the time I was told most schools in the Surrey district chose not to pursue it due to insurance costs and equipment costs. Instead we were given Rugby...not a bad alternative.

[Dan_Payne_fan!!]

I want my school to get a football team!!!
we have a lot of great football players at my school and Mr Robinson could be coach....

[Canuck_4_Life]

As for Vancouver schools: Does Notre Dame Regional School not count as being a part of Vancouver? 2855 Parker, last time I checked was still in Vancouver city limits.

What about Carson Graham, Handsworth and West Van Secondary, on the North Shore? New West, South Delta, Terry Fox, Holy Cross, Pinetree and Centennial all have football programs. I wouldn't exactly call Port Coquitlam a distant suburb. Abbotsford, on the other hand, with all due respect to those members in Abbotsford and beyond, is a distant suburb.

Regarding Notre Dame in Vancouver, you got me there. I'm not too familiar with the private high schools and I didn't know that Notre Dame was within the city limits.

As for the others you mentioned on the North Shore and other places, you make good points but those are still suburban high schools nevertheless. I was making a point about the lack of high school football teams in Vancouver, Richmond, and Burnaby.

The statistic that keeps bothering me is: only 1 out of 18 public high schools in Vancouver has a football team. As some of you mentioned, Britannia and Killarney used to have fooball teams, but they certainly don't have them anymore.

1)How do you define Vancouver? I consider the boundaries of Vancouver, starting at the North and working my way clockwise around a compass as: Stanley Park, Boundary St, Fraser River and UBC.

Therefore, an accurate statement would be: School football programs are more prevalent in suburban areas over urban schools. Backing it up would be the evidence that you've already presented: John Oliver, being the only public school within Vancouver city limits to have a football program.

[stansz]

i wish our school had a team..but our school is really small...and we are in victoria....

i would definatly play..at least try-out

[.G.]

i went to John Oliver and played football every year i was there from 98 to 2002...but one year after i graduated, our senior team folded because our head coach left to assist at UBC, and now the school only has a grade 8 team i believe...its pretty sad to see what happened, but i know most of the kids that went there didnt care

[MacNews]

Would play football, but alas no team.