San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-24
COACH YOST MAKES
STRONG APPEAL FOR
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Says Boys Spend Too Much
Time on Soft Automo-
bile Cushions.

Chicago, Jan. 24.-American youths
in too many homes of the nation live n
life Of luxury and spend too much time
on the soft, easy cushions of automO-
bileS. in the opinion of Fielding II.
lost, coach Of the University Of Mich
lgan, who today emphasized the value
of football in developing that uncOn-
querable fighting spirit so badly need
ed in our American life"
Playing the popular college game will
cultivate the qualities of determination,
persistence and courage, the veteran
mentor declared. that can nowhere be
better learned than on the gridirons.
Coach NOst believes that football. as
we'll as other athletics, should remain
Il contributing factor of college train
ing, rs the sport will enable collegians
to become better fitted for their careers.
This is the one virile American
game and it is needed badly in our
American life" Coach NOSt said. The
benefits are derived not only by the
thousands who play the game, but by
the many more thousands who witness
these contests. Our boys in too many
homes live n life of luxury and ease
and spend too much of their time on the
soft, easy cushions of automobiles. What
they need and must have TO fit them as
men, real men. are the very things
which are taught and developed on the
football field, strong, alert body, a
keen, Quick-thinking mind and that UNI
comparable fighting spirit which over
comes all obstacles in the end.
Athletic games are generally recOg-
niZcd as a necessary part of our ma
tional school and college life.
The critics of college athletics, eS-
peCially football. suggest that we should
have less football, or none at all. and
promote athletics for every one. What
have these men done and what are
their experiences in establishing. financ-
ing and putting across such n voluntary
program: Those in charge of inter
collegiate athletics, through the funds
obtained largely from football. have
financed and developed broad inter
collegiate and intCamural athletic pro-
gram, based on voluntary participa-
ton.
Boys go to college to obtain a bet
ter education and to become better fit
ted for life. Football, rs other ath-
letic activities. is, and should ever re-
main. a COntributary factor TO this main
object of college training. 1t should
not be made an end in itself for then it
loss much of the ordinary benefit that
is usually derived from it.
This difficulty can be eliminated by
arranging schedules 50 as to cause play
ers to miss as few chances as possible
by limiting the length of practice periods
and by seeing that the schedules of the
season do not extend over too long a
ppriOd of time All football schedules
should close by Thanksgiving Day. At
the same time. these boys will learn to
sacrifice themselves to a group or in
Stitution for the attainment OF 4 COM
mon goal, which means that they will
learn cooperation, team play. loyalty
and service. Likewise. they will cult;
vate the qualities Of determination, will
power, persistence and courage, both
moral and physical.
Even those who do not participate
learn the lessons Of service and loyalty
which permeateS the student atmosphere
as n result of football"