Owensville High School (OHS) Athletic Director Matt Johnson pitched an idea to the Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education on Aug. 21 that could move seventh and eighth grade football to a Missouri …
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Owensville High School (OHS) Athletic Director Matt Johnson pitched an idea to the Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education on Aug. 21 that could move seventh and eighth grade football to a Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) sport.
The proposal would mean that seventh and eighth-grade football would play a six-game season during the fall semester.
“I am a proponent of us adding middle school football to our program,” Johnson said. “Our youth football league has done an amazing job with our feeder program and it is my hope that they would continue with flag or tackle football through sixth grade if this proposal moves forward.”
Of the seven teams that currently offer high school football in the Four Rivers Conference (FRC), Owensville and Sullivan are the only two teams that play all of their youth games through the Four Rivers Youth Football League.
Proposed projected costs for year one of the program during the 2024-25 school year are $70,600 according to Johnson’s proposal.
Main expenditures include $17,500 for helmets, $14,000 for shoulder pads and $11,400 for four seventh and eighth-grade football coaches.
Additional equipment such as jerseys, pants, footballs and other items used during practice make up the bulk of the over $70,000 cost for the first year.
With the majority of the equipment already purchased in year one, projected costs during year two would be reduced drastically to $19,850 with the bulk of that expense towards coaches stipends.
“Our student athletes will have access to safer gear, games against (Four Rivers) conference opponents, middle school and varsity coaches, and team playbooks and terminology,” Johnson said.
First-year Dutchmen head football coach Dustin Howard also expressed his favor towards the proposal.
“I really think it’s a great idea,” Howard said. “Nothing against anybody that has come before, but I think we can put some coaches in there that are getting paid and have the opportunity to influence the program. We kind of get the opportunity to implement our style of football with the younger guys.”
