Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-17
Teams Of University
and Agricultural College
Do Not Receive Trained
Material and Are Therefore
Handicapped in COMPETE
ton With Teams in Other
States.
(By c. D. Locklin)

Many supporters M parties inter
ested in school athletics in North Da-
kota have expressed themselves as
disappointed over the showing of both
high school and college teams against
those of schools in other states. More
especially has this been felt in con-
nection with teams for the university
and Agricultural. college.
Our two largest institutions of high
er learning have always found hard
competition among the smaller col
leges of Minnesota, for instance, whose
enrollments are considerably less than
either the university or Agricultural
college. Attention is called to the fact
that very small schools in the east
often send teams against the largest
universities with success, and the
question is asked. why can't North
Dakota produce a team once in awhile
that is capable of feats of that kind.
The mos recent illustration was the
great football team of Centre College
with an attendance of under 500 stu
dents.
n. d. Physically Superior
The explanation cannot be found in
the comparison Of North Dakota ath-
( letes with those of other states on a
physical basis, because the youth Of
this state, practically brought up out
of doors, are superior to any state in
the union from the physical stand
point. This fact was brought out in
the army. when the physical statistics
of the North Dakota regiment of the
41st Division showed that as a regi-
ment it was first in hetghth and weight
in a division Of picked men from the
western states. The organization vas
a volunteer outfit n men were not
accepted in those regiments unless
they were nearly physically perfect.
Not Trained in High Schools {
The reason must then be sought
elsewhere, n looking over the ath-
letic situation among the high schools
the answer to all the questions asked
is Immediately apparent. The reason
Jul teams fail when competing in
states east of North Dakota is due to
lack OF training and facilities in the
high schools. The high schools in the
state that have athletic coaches who
themselves have been athletes and
who can actually teach the boys can
probably be counted on the fingers Of
one hand. Thus it can be seen that
1ege do not r experienced ath-
letes. They must be taught the fun
damentals after they reach college.
1t is no wonder, then. that even the
small schools of Minnesota furnish
stiff opposition when it is considered
that their material comes from large
high schools with experienced coaches
directing athletics.
Football the Worst
Football being the great college
sport, naturally the teams are the
most important to the schools. The
percentage of high schools in North
Dakota that play football is very small.
The reason for this is Of course, the
game requires eleven men and also
a football team must have a coach
of some kind, but it is safe to say
that fifty per cent of the men who
report each fall as freshmen material
are worse off han if they never play
ed, for the reason that they have to
unlearn what they know about the
game. A college coach has h prob
lem before him of building up a team
out of raw material n by the time
are valuable players they graduate,
The situation is worse in football than
in any other branch of sport.
Basketball is the most extensively
played game in high school for the
teason that it takes but five men tc
4 team and even the smallest schools
can be represented in the, field. The
men are better developed than in
football when they reach college for
the a thai the fundamentals OF
the game are much more simple thar
football. Valuable material there.
fore, does report for varsity teams
and as a consequence the basketball
teams of both the university and A
C.. are in better shape to meet Other
schools than they are in any Other
branch.
Track is Next
Track teams are second in number
to basketball and often good tract
material is found in the college fresh
man class, although the lack of higt
school coaching shows up in the rec
ords of the North Dakota athletes
Baseball is not played to any cxten
in high school, due to the very shor
eason
It must not be thought that Their
has been no improvement in higl
school athletics. There has been
wonderful advancement in the pas
year. sand il begins with the organi
zatfon OF the state high school league
which has cleaned up sports and or
xnnized the schools for championship
contests. There has also been a slow
but gradual improvement in coaching
hut until recently no actual effort ha
been made to place experienced me-
Would Place Coaches
II 10 the aim Of the university ath
lstdc department to place as many ex
nerfenced athletes in teaching posi-
s# lions over the state az possible An
direct results Of this campa1gn "
room begin to bear fruit.
The alumni OF both the unaverdt