Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-30
ONLY MOVE TAKEN
lessons PRACTICE
Later Fall Start, Voluntary
Spring Work, Voted by
Coaches Body.
BY H. c. BYRD.


criticism and the object of so
much favorable comment as the
present game of foot ball.
Perhaps though, it would be better
TO saw that conditions surrounding the
game, or its management. rather than
the game itself, are being thus criticized
and defended Nobody seems to have
any criticism for the game itself. AT
least this is the situation If the varied
sentiment expressed among coaches IN
attendance here at the annual meeting
of the American Foot Ball Coaches
Association may be accepted as a true
indication.
Foot ball needs to have halter put
omit, and we coaches have got to recog-
nize the fact and do the job ourselves
or we will have it done for us" is the
way one prominent coach expressed his
view of the situation. I'VE have got to
wake I'D to the fact, as many of us have,
that foot ball has some rather rank
abuses attached to 1t, or rather. per-
haps, to express 1t better, grown up
around it, and we must eliminate them.
Too much organization to operate the
game is one thing and too much recruit
ing is another. And another thing, the
colleges must prevent outside influences
debating the policies that govern the
game" -
There's nothing wrong WIFI 1OoL
ball and most of the criticism OF 1t is
not based on fact" was the opposing
view. Take this question of over
emphasis So far as know, there Is
no such thing. The time given to prac-
tice is the usual recreation period, and
the question of commerclal1Zat1on OF
foot ball is just foolish, because there
is no commercialization In the sense OF
what we generally understand by that
term"
Probably neither of the two views as
expressed above is entirely correct, but
the statement of them does show that
there are widely divergent thoughts
concerning the general situation sur
rounding foot ball. One group of peo-
pie, including a small percentage of
coaches, thinks that too much atten-
ton is being given the game, that more
time is allowed than the game is worth
and that there is entirely too much
emphasis placed on enticing good prep
school material to enter certain col
leges. Another group feels that foot
ball is not getting any more attention
than its actual value warrants and gen.
orally has the opposite position to that
expressed above.
However, the fact that the discussion
about the situation is taking place indi-
Gates a healthful condition. People
most interested in the game are begin
"
thing wrong with the game, which as a
game generally is valued above all others,
and if so, let's rectify it,
Would Lessen Practice.
Right along this line the foot ball
coaches yesterday adopted resolutions
which place them on record as being
favorable to whatever may safeguard
the interests of the game and retain
for the nNllonoc ftc uoltf0C and aim inQfn
its abuses. This resolution sought first
to state a formula that eventually will
eliminate the Fall training camp, hold
Spring practice to a moderate basis and
limit the time for practice each day. In
adopting this resolution the coaches re-
affirmed their belief in foot ball in the
following words:
I'VE. the membeDs of the American
Foot Ball Coaches Association, reaflm
our faith and believe in the virile quail
ties of the game of foot ball and its
influence on the youth of the Nation
in building character, courage, team
play and clean living, and in view of
the earnest discussion among all those
interested in the welfare of the game
and in a sincere desire to rid it Of
its Objectionable features, be it resolved:
First, that Fall foot ball practice
start approximately September Is and
that there be no organized practice
prior to that date.
Second, that post-season games be
kept to a minimum and that the best
interests of foot ball are against charity
games. except in exceptional cases.
Third, that Spring practice be not
compulsory upon players and be or
ganized in moderation so as not to in
terfere with other sports. The practice
during the Fall season shall not exceed
two hours per day, including afternoon
and evening sessions"
Pay Question Comes Up.
During the morning session of the
annual gathering of coaches, Hugo
Bezdek of Penn State came out with
a report of the Sterilization Committee
which aroused the ire of many Of the
coaches. 1t seems that Bee" in pre-
pairing the report did not consult with
other members of his committee and
ideas. In the report were many valu-
able features. but the coaches voted
to table 1t and not accept the report
as a whole or in part.
The one feature of the report more
than any other which seemed to strike
an antagonistic vein in the coaches was
the suggestion that coaches be paid no
greater salaries than the heads of other
departments in the colleges with which
the particular coach or coaches might
be associated.
Most Of the coaches felt, according to
opinions expressed, that the short
tenures of Office of the average coach
and the unusual conditions that sur
round a coaching job warrant the pay
ment of larger salary to a coach than
to the department head, whose job Is
much more secure and stable.
With the exception of this salary
proposition. the suggestions made by
Bezdek in his report were very little
different from the resolutions finally
adopted near the close of the meeting.
The resolutions adopted were proposed
by Bill Roper. who finished his coach
ing career at Princeton at the end OF
the season just closed.
Against Radical Changes.
The foot ball coaches. as did the
officials yesterday, went on record as
being against any radical changes in
the rules, and the suggestions they Of
fered for consideration by the Rules
Committee of the National Collegiate
Athletic Association were minor. II
was voted by a tremendous majority
10 retain the point after touchdown
but instead of awarding point on this
play on a penalty or taking away the
point, as the case might be, 1t was de-
cided to recommend that If the team
trying for the point commit a foul
the distance penalty for the foul 81
given and another try for the poin
allowed. II the team defending thu
goal commits foul, then the penalty
: might be declined If the point Is gained
and II the point Is not made, then an
other try allowed from a point close
to the goal line.
II also was decided by an overwhelm
ing majority to ask the committee u
retain the tumble rule, which does no