Hays Post
ELLIS–In a 5-2 vote Monday, the USD 388 school board voted to move to the ranks of eight-man football starting in 2024.
The district conducted a community survey and also got feedback from students, staff and community members before the board made it’s decision.
First-year head football coach Bryant Eichman said he believed both sides presented good points during the lengthy discussion Monday, and it was not an easy decision for the board to make.
“I think what it ultimately came down to was the fact that it's so hard for us right now with the numbers that we have out to fill the JV team on Mondays,” Eichman said.
Eichman said they have 26 players out for football this year, and they have 16 or 17 that will play varsity on Friday night leaving them with 10, one player short of fielding a starting 11-man lineup.
“We kind of have to bring some of those varsity guys down to play JV this year, and then you always worry about injuries,” Eichman said. “Then if those varsity guys get hurt, then how does that affect your team on Friday nights?”
Eichman, who comes from the junior-high level where they played eight-man last season and also had eight-man experience at Palco, said he was prepared to coach the team no matter what the board decided. However, he said he was happy about the decision.
“I'm happy about the vote because, obviously, I love eight-man football. I understand that it was a tough decision for the community and quite a few of them are not going to be happy with what was decided,” Eichman said.
The 2023 season is the final year of a two-year cycle for KSHSAA classifications, and schools considering making the change to eight-man football had to make that decision by Friday. The classifications and district assignments for the 2024 and 2025 seasons will come out later this fall.
The Ellis Railroaders will compete in the 1A classification of the 11-man ranks in 2023.