Sixman Football in Texas

[TXMike]

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[Etref]

WOW        

Anyone who has never worked a 6-man game in a small Texas town has missed out on a small piece of life. To see the farmer pull his combine up, park, get a burger and watch his boy and then head back to the field. To see the starting QB shuck his pads at halftime and pull out his clarinet and three of the cheerleaders drop their pom poms and pick up their instruments. To have the press box in what looks like an elevated deer stand. The clock operator sitting on the side line because they could not afford to run the wire to the deer stand. To have two entire towns cheering for their kids.

When you start as a rookie in West Texas or the Panhandle, you start in 6-man. You work it and become proficient and move to 11 man but something about 6-man keeps drawing you back. Heck last year I volunteered to work a 7th grade 6-man game and I have been an official for almost 25 years. I like 'em......................

[Cooter]

WOW          

Anyone who has never worked a 6-man game in a small Texas town has missed out on a small piece of life. To see the farmer pull his combine up, park, get a burger and watch his boy and the head back to the field. To see the starting QB shuck his pads at halftime and pull out his clarinet and three of the cheerleaders drop their pom poms and pick up their instruments. To have the press box in what looks like an elevated deer stand. The clock operator sitting on the side line because they could not afford to run the wire to the deer stand. To have two entire towns cheering for their kids.

When you start as a rookie in West Texas or the Panhandle, you start in 6-man. You work it and become proficient and move to 11 man but something about 6-man keeps drawing you back. Heck last year I volunteered to work a 7th grade 6-man game. I like 'em......................

Wholeheartedly AGREE! 

[Welpe]

Really neat video.  Thanks for sharing that, Mike.  I am scheduled to work some six man games this year and I am very much looking forward to them.   

[beaye1]

That video is so true.  They failed to mention the BBQ pit in the corner of the fenced in field.  Loved being the wingman on that side of the field.  If the wind was right, you could get a whiff of the brisket and could imagine what the sandwich you were going to get after the game tasted like.  Officiating in West Texas was a great experience!

[JasonTX]

Another thing to mention is look around at all them pickup trucks that are parked around the field.  In the back window of each truck with a gun rack, usually with about 3 guns on them. 

[rickref]

I have never turned my back on 6 man and I never will. I actually requested to WH one Friday this month during non district. I am looking forward to it.

There is nothing like a referee's time out for the dog who wonders on the field and wants to play with the kids.

[110]

The small schools in Saskatchewan play 6-man ball as well. Just the same kinda farmer-kid ball. It's kinda stunning to step onto a field and see 200 people come out, in a village with a population of 225.

I had the incredible luxury of being the referee at two Can-Am bowls. This annual clash takes the best of the Saskatchewan six-man players and pits them against six-man all-stars from Texas, Arkansas and a third state I can't recall.

Let me tell you, it's damned good ball. The 2008 game was an offensive slugfest, and came down to the last play (a US interception on the last play of the game with Canada trailing by five but second and goal to go from the 8, time almost expired), and the 2009 the same (US trailing by one with 2.5 seconds, first and 10 on the 35, attempting to kick a punt single for the tying points.)

The athletes in the 2008 game were lightning fast. Delight to work that game.

And I may never forget applying a deep official's PI call, looking at the stands and seeing 1,500 people milling about a town of 350 population. Folks had come from hours around to watch.

[Welpe]

Was the other state Nebraska by chance?

[TxKeith]

Mike,

Thanks for finding this trailer.  I have to say that after 14 years as an official, I have had the opportunity to work a 6 man game.  Many small private schools in the area have 6 man teams and half of my schedule is 6 man games.  I can see what fun my west Texas brothers have with the small school/town football.  In one comment someone said the press box was like a deer stand, well at my first game there was no press box and the scoreboard was in the back of a truck that was parked at one end of the field.  The last comment I will make is this, have your running shoes on, with only 12 total players on the field, one quick move by the ball carrier and it is off to the end zone.