ND Interhall Tackle Football To Be Discontinued

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

An article in The Observer says interhall tackle football will be discontinued: https://ndsmcobserver.com/2023/06/notre-dame-discontinues-interhall-tackle-football/

According to the article, the discontinuation came about due to a decrease in student interest and a lack of students with prior organized tackle football experience, which I assume means kids who played HS tackle football. With regard to the latter, I suppose there are medical concerns being raised.

How many posters here who are ND grads played interhall ball? I did when I attended ND and it was absolutely huge back in those days. The fact that the championship game was played in Notre Dame Stadium made for some spirited competition. (I also remember playing my first game ever on artificial turf--then dubbed "Astroturf"--during ND interhall football, and was astonished to learn: (1) how hard the surface was; and (2) how badly turf burn could feel.)

I was in the first coed class to graduate from ND, but it was still basically an all male university in those days, which probably increased the participation rate. And while I hate to say it, I think the higher academic standards of today's ND is bringing in more kids who were academically very strong in HS but likely didn't play sports. But maybe that supposition is wrong.

Interhall football has had a long and glorious history at Notre Dame, going back to the Knute Rockne years. I've told guys who went to football factories like OSU, UM, Texas and Alabama about ND's interhall football tradition and they looked at me like I was crazy. ESPN ran a great article on it a few years back:

Kieran Darcy on Notre Dame's interhall football - ESPN Page 2

At Notre Dame, intramural flag football isn't enough: The school plays<i>tackle</i> football, with the championship game at Notre Dame Stadium.

www.espn.com

Sadly, another one bites the dust.

 

[NDDadx3]

I did not play but many of my friends did and the competition level was good and the friendly rivalries were just that. Our Cavanaugh team was offensively challenged but we had a guy that could kick field goals and the snapper and holder to make it happen … our kicker went on to walk on to varsity and was a major contributor to a national championship, his name was Reggie Ho. I believe our senior year we made it to the championship game but lost. Many of the varsity players from our dorm came out to cheer on the guys including a heisman trophy winner . Too bad it must come to an end.

 

[Chitown11]

What an absolute joke! Doesn't surprise me though, we are becoming a nation of snowflakes.

 

[sjb75]

What an absolute joke! Doesn't surprise me though, we are becoming a nation of snowflakes.

What's a snowflake?

 

[burmafrd1943]

So few people anymore do much of anything except stare at a phone tablet or computer screen

Especially the young

So it is not surprising

and of course the idea that the world can be made perfectly safe contributes as well

 

[mmca]

Pussification of the United States of America!

 

[sjb75]

So few people anymore do much of anything except stare at a phone tablet or computer screen

Especially the young

So it is not surprising

and of course the idea that the world can be made perfectly safe contributes as well

Friday Night Lights youth Flag Football for boys and now girls as well.....ages 6 through 14...... is extremely competitive and extremely popular in my area.

 

[Chitown11]

What's a snowflake?

an overly sensitive or easily offended person, or one who believes they are entitled to special treatment on account of their supposedly unique characteristics.
"these little snowflakes will soon discover that life doesn't come with trigger warnings"

 

[NDDadx3]

So few people anymore do much of anything except stare at a phone tablet or computer screen

Especially the young

So it is not surprising

and of course the idea that the world can be made perfectly safe contributes as well

As you wrote and we read this on a phone or tablet. Kinda funny.

 

[Chitown11]

Friday Night Lights youth Flag Football for boys and now girls as well.....ages 6 through 14...... is extremely competitive and extremely popular in my area.

I remember playing pop warner football (tackle) when I was 7 years old. You just made my point.....nation of snowflakes

 

[sjb75]

I remember playing pop warner football (tackle) when I was 7 years old. You just made my point.....nation of snowflakes

We have youth Pop Warner football as well. All through our County, north to south. My High School has 180 boys playing tackle football, 80 cheerleaders as well, football being easily the most popular sport in my school.

 

[scubastevefl]

I disagree with some of the posters on this thread. I don’t think it’s a snowflake/pussification issue. I think it’s more of a trickledown effect of less youth participation in tackle football. I think parents are looking at the concussion issue and steering their children towards other sports.

I doubt I’d let my kids play football (if I had any) unless they were a kicker, holder or punter.

I was ineligible for contact sports as a youth (health issue) blessing in disguise. I’m 40 and don’t have nagging old sports injuries. Still a life long golfer.

I feel tackle football is going the way of boxing. Yourh from lower socio-economic backgrounds are continuing to play football as a means of escape. While more affluent youth are going to other sports.

 

[sluggo69]

Sluggo played for the OC Maulers in their inaugural season. My lord we sucked but the post game gatherings were legendary.

 

[NDSMC78]

Interesting that so many speak in such a cavalier manner about the health of other people. CTE is real, and it is the not infrequent result of playing football. More and more parents are discouraging their sons from playing football. ND fans have first hand experience with this. We should know better.

Duerson had brain disease CTE when he died

Dave Duerson, a former NFL player who committed suicide in February, had "moderately advanced" brain damage related to blows to the head, according to the researcher who made the diagnosis.

www.espn.com

 

[BGI User 756]

They should allow dorms to combine teams then…

I get the declining participation as the sport is decreasing in some areas of the US…but let the kids who want to play figure it out…

 

[sjb75]

Interesting that so many speak in such a cavalier manner about the health of other people. CTE is real, and it is the not infrequent result of playing football. More and more parents are discouraging their sons from playing football. ND fans have first hand experience with this. We should know better.

Duerson had brain disease CTE when he died

Dave Duerson, a former NFL player who committed suicide in February, had "moderately advanced" brain damage related to blows to the head, according to the researcher who made the diagnosis.

www.espn.com

Notre Dame students are not kids. If an 18-22 year-old wants to play tackle football, so be it.

 

[IrishBeer]

A nation with more sjb’s

 

[scubastevefl]

Why not find some women who identify as “men” to fill the roster spots.

 

[mirer03]

I disagree with some of the posters on this thread. I don’t think it’s a snowflake/pussification issue. I think it’s more of a trickledown effect of less youth participation in tackle football. I think parents are looking at the concussion issue and steering their children towards other sports.

I doubt I’d let my kids play football (if I had any) unless they were a kicker, holder or punter.

I was ineligible for contact sports as a youth (health issue) blessing in disguise. I’m 40 and don’t have nagging old sports injuries. Still a life long golfer.

I feel tackle football is going the way of boxing. Yourh from lower socio-economic backgrounds are continuing to play football as a means of escape. While more affluent youth are going to other sports.

100%

 

[mirer03]

They should allow dorms to combine teams then…

I get the declining participation as the sport is decreasing in some areas of the US…but let the kids who want to play figure it out…

They discussed options before coming to this decision. Also apparently it's not a big deal to the existing students, which is all that matters. As such the old heads should probably take the chance to let them decide their own fate.

None of you walked three miles in the snow to school.

Get off my lawn.

Sit down in the stands!

It's funny how quickly one becomes a relic.

 

[jmND86]

I played for one year with no prior tackle football experience. I still remember the first time I was hit at full speed. Left an indelible impression. 🤣 It was a fun way to be even more entrenched in your dorm life and build relationships.

 

[burmafrd1943]

Interesting that so many speak in such a cavalier manner about the health of other people. CTE is real, and it is the not infrequent result of playing football. More and more parents are discouraging their sons from playing football. ND fans have first hand experience with this. We should know better.

Duerson had brain disease CTE when he died

Dave Duerson, a former NFL player who committed suicide in February, had "moderately advanced" brain damage related to blows to the head, according to the researcher who made the diagnosis.

www.espn.com

Nothing is really all that safe except staying home and doing nothing.

CTE is NOT the PANDEMIC some claim.

To be brutally frank its an excuse to be a couch potatoe.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

I did not play but many of my friends did and the competition level was good and the friendly rivalries were just that. Our Cavanaugh team was offensively challenged but we had a guy that could kick field goals and the snapper and holder to make it happen … our kicker went on to walk on to varsity and was a major contributor to a national championship, his name was Reggie Ho. I believe our senior year we made it to the championship game but lost. Many of the varsity players from our dorm came out to cheer on the guys including a heisman trophy winner . Too bad it must come to an end.

Reggie Ho! He is an amazing story, and epitomizes what "hall ball" was all about. Many of the guys who played were good to great high school players, and dreamed about getting "called up" to play on the varsity. Games were fun, but always intense, and often very hard hitting. I remember getting beat up in them many times.

I met Dr. Ho many years ago when he spoke at a Universal Notre Dame night function that I attended. He is a terrific success story. Stood 5'5" and was probably 130 lbs. soaking wet, yet made the team as a walk-on kicker and even won a national championship in 1988. Then he goes on to become a prominent cardiologist in Philadelphia. He is the living embodiment of the "4 for 40" story. (Or maybe in his case, it was the 2 for 40 story.)

I imagine those are some nice memories for you.

 

[IrishMike409]

Interesting that so many speak in such a cavalier manner about the health of other people. CTE is real, and it is the not infrequent result of playing football. More and more parents are discouraging their sons from playing football. ND fans have first hand experience with this. We should know better.

Duerson had brain disease CTE when he died

Dave Duerson, a former NFL player who committed suicide in February, had "moderately advanced" brain damage related to blows to the head, according to the researcher who made the diagnosis.

www.espn.com

Agree….CTE is very real.

But what’s the answer? Stop playing tackle football?

I firmly believe that it’s our duty to turn young boys into men. I’m not saying every kid has to be a Gladiator, but our country and especially the youth continue to get softer and softer. That’s not good.

Kids gotta learn to catch, throw, run, swim, punch, and fight (when needed).

It perfectly preps them to be successful, contributing adults.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

I disagree with some of the posters on this thread. I don’t think it’s a snowflake/pussification issue. I think it’s more of a trickledown effect of less youth participation in tackle football. I think parents are looking at the concussion issue and steering their children towards other sports.

I doubt I’d let my kids play football (if I had any) unless they were a kicker, holder or punter.

I was ineligible for contact sports as a youth (health issue) blessing in disguise. I’m 40 and don’t have nagging old sports injuries. Still a life long golfer.

I feel tackle football is going the way of boxing. Yourh from lower socio-economic backgrounds are continuing to play football as a means of escape. While more affluent youth are going to other sports.

I agree with you to an extent about the diminishing participation in youth tackle football, but I think the main factor behind the discontinuation of interhall football at ND is the changing demographics of the Notre Dame student body. For the past couple of decades, the Notre Dame student body has been roughly 50% women. When Notre Dame was an all male university, you had a much bigger pool of players that wanted to play interhall sports in general, and interhall football in particular. (Lest there be a question about it, I think it is a good thing that Notre Dame went coed. But numbers wise, the population of students who want to play interhall tackle football is half of what it used to be.)

When I attended ND, I sensed there was much more of a "jock" culture among the undergraduate student body. I played interhall sports year round (football, basketball, hockey and baseball), as did many of my classmates. I suppose part of that was the transition from an all male school to a coed university, but I also think that today's average male ND student is probably more academically oriented, and for him sports are probably just not as important. (I don't have any statistics to back up that hypothesis, but am relying on anecdotal evidence and what I see when I annually attend a football game at ND.)

Whatever the reason(s), it is sad to see interhall football come to an end.

 

[IrishMike409]

I agree with you to an extent about the diminishing participation in youth tackle football, but I think the main factor behind the discontinuation of interhall football at ND is the changing demographics of the Notre Dame student body. For the past couple of decades, the Notre Dame student body has been roughly 50% women. When Notre Dame was an all male university, you had a much bigger pool of players that wanted to play interhall sports in general, and interhall football in particular. (Lest there be a question about it, I think it is a good thing that Notre Dame went coed. But numbers wise, the population of students who want to play interhall tackle football is half of what it used to be.)

When I attended ND, I sensed there was much more of a "jock" culture among the undergraduate student body. I played interhall sports year round (football, basketball, hockey and baseball), as did many of my classmates. I suppose part of that was the transition from an all male school to a coed university, but I also think that today's average male ND student is probably more academically oriented, and for him sports are probably just not as important. (I don't have any statistics to back up that hypothesis, but am relying on anecdotal evidence and what I see when I annually attend a football game at ND.)

Whatever the reason(s), it is sad to see interhall football come to an end.

This is it.

The student population has very much changed over the years. No doubt about it.

 

[mbd11]

I played for one year with no prior tackle football experience. I still remember the first time I was hit at full speed. Left an indelible impression. 🤣 It was a fun way to be even more entrenched in your dorm life and build relationships.

I tried out freshman year with no prior organized football experience, and got cut - as did several of my friends in the same boat. Yes, there was such a big turnout that they made cuts. The level of play was surprisingly good. All the people who made the team had played in high school.

Also, Dorsey Levens was on one of the dorms' teams that year. He'd been suspended from the football team, but was still attending Notre Dame. He later transferred to Georgia Tech and then played in two Super Bowls for the Packers.

 

[echowaker]

What an absolute joke! Doesn't surprise me though, we are becoming a nation of snowflakes.

That's how you interpreted the article ? Yikes.

 

[HDK]

They discussed options before coming to this decision. Also apparently it's not a big deal to the existing students, which is all that matters. As such the old heads should probably take the chance to let them decide their own fate.

None of you walked three miles in the snow to school.

Get off my lawn.

Sit down in the stands!

It's funny how quickly one becomes a relic.

Not only did I walk three miles in the snow to school, I had to go uphill both ways.

 

[burmafrd1943]

Not only did I walk three miles in the snow to school, I had to go uphill both ways.

And carrying your younger sister all the way.

 

[Chitown11]

That's how you interpreted the article ? Yikes.

Thats exactly how I interpreted it! Of course you libbies live in a make believe world

 

[Chitown11]

Interesting that so many speak in such a cavalier manner about the health of other people. CTE is real, and it is the not infrequent result of playing football. More and more parents are discouraging their sons from playing football. ND fans have first hand experience with this. We should know better.

Duerson had brain disease CTE when he died

Dave Duerson, a former NFL player who committed suicide in February, had "moderately advanced" brain damage related to blows to the head, according to the researcher who made the diagnosis.

www.espn.com

Its called freedom. Let people decide for themselves if they want to play or not (I think 18-22 year olds can make up their own mind). Played a lot of tackle football in my day(organized and unorganized). As a youngster we played backyard games all the time. Never remember ramming heads with no helmets.

 

[Chitown11]

100

This is it.

The student population has very much changed over the years. No doubt about it.

So what? If 18-22 year olds want to play tackle football so be it. Let them decide, not the administration. Reminds me of our government, they have to decide things thinking they know best. My life, I can live it how I want and I'll take responsibility for it.

 

[mirer03]

Not only did I walk three miles in the snow to school, I had to go uphill both ways.

Lol right

 

[sjb75]

This is it.

The student population has very much changed over the years. No doubt about it.

Yes, 50% girls for one.

 

[IrishMike409]

Yes, 50% girls for one.

Ha! Perfectly said!

 

[ticat]

Its called freedom. Let people decide for themselves if they want to play or not (I think 18-22 year olds can make up their own mind). Played a lot of tackle football in my day(organized and unorganized). As a youngster we played backyard games all the time. Never remember ramming heads with no helmets.

That's my argument about drinking and driving...I've never had an accident, so why can't I be free to keep doing it?

 

[Patrirish]

What’s next, the Bengal Bouts ?

Several factors probably led to the demise of a great activity/tradition.

The dramatic change in demographic cut the number of potential players in half.
The increased awareness of the potential for serious injury
A less physically fit generation.
And I’d probably throw in a pinch of wussiness.

The thought of playing in the stadium was a powerful lure for those of us not talented enough to play JV or Varsity.

However, the local hospitals did a banner business since the great majority of players were not in the physical condition required to play tackle football at a fairly high level.

Breen-Phillips had two tackles who were each 280 and another hall had a fullback who was All-State In Wisconsin.

i don‘t know of another University that had a fully outfitted tackle football program for their resident halls, it was truly unique.

What added to the uniqueness was that ND didn’t have any athletic dorm/hall, the scholarship football players lived in the same dorms as the other students, so you had built in coaches and supporters from the guys who played on Saturdays.

I wasn’t stridently opposed to ND going co-ed, but I was stridently opposed to ND becoming 50 % co-ed. I think it changed the fabric, character and spirit of Notre Dame.

 

[tbonesays]

We have youth Pop Warner football as well. All through our County, north to south. My High School has 180 boys playing tackle football, 80 cheerleaders as well, football being easily the most popular sport in my school.

You live in the south.

Its called freedom. Let people decide for themselves if they want to play or not (I think 18-22 year olds can make up their own mind). Played a lot of tackle football in my day(organized and unorganized). As a youngster we played backyard games all the time. Never remember ramming heads with no helmets.

My fond memories of snow football are much better than hs football. You actually have to tackle, not just hit.

 

[Chitown11]

That's my argument about drinking and driving...I've never had an accident, so why can't I be free to keep doing it?

Terrible analogy