Proseteye

I know you're excited about your team winning. But, please remember that AH Delray is not AH Plantation. Delray is 4A and went 4-4 last season. Columbia is a 6A team dropping down from 7A a couple seasons ago. Having no doubt that Columbia would "blow them out" seems a little cocky does it not? I also remember last week when Columbia tied Vanguard 6-6. Boy the excuses that were made that some of your best players were out and that was the reason you didn't win. But, you assured us, if they played again Columbia would destroy Vanguard. After that I had to remind you that Vanguard had a Sophomore QB behind center who was a RB and had not played in the QB position before. Columbia is a good team without a doubt so I don't think it is necessary to take cheap shots in support of their cause. Just saying.

High school is not college, at least not yet. Colleges recruit and have huge stadiums and sponsors to pay for it. Don't really think that college sports compares in any way to high school sports although I will agree that IMG somewhat approaches the climate of college campus.

I know about the team, coaches, and players. Know nothing about IMG's internal financial affairs. The reason that I asked. I have heard a few people on forums, including this one, state that none of the players pay full tuition at IMG. I am simply trying to ascertain if anyone knows specifics regarding tuition not being paid and how it is possible. That's all. I do know that at Trinity Catholic The 2020-2021 tuition is $11,503 for Catholics registered and participating in the parish; $13,585 is the non-Catholic rate. At TC a few students can qualify for government assistance or reduced tuition due to scholarships. However, that rarely reduces the tuition by more than 15%. TC has to pay its bills out of the tuition in order to remain viable and cannot give away free tuition.

If you know them personally then what type of tuition did they pay or what type of discount did they get off the standard tuition? What were the circumstances wherein they did not have to pay the standard tuition? Not questioning your information. Just curious how someone is able to get special treatment and is that special treatment available to all of the players? I'm retired, have little to no debt, and have a pretty decent net income, and I don't think I could have afforded to send my son to IMG when he was in high school. Just saying.

I have no idea what the internal finances of IMG are. All I know is that the Standard advertised tuition for one year of boarding at IMG Academy is $68,500 plus a team sport competition and training gear fee that ranges from $3,750-$4,250 depending on the sport. Government financial aid up to $10,400 per year is available for private school tuition with families that meet the qualifications. Assuming, that somehow IMG doesn't charge tuition to their football team players, is just that an assumption or in other words a guess. Unless you actually know one of the players or coaches on the team that has told you emphatically that they paid little or nothing for their tuition, then I will assume that it's an uneducated guess. How would IMG make any profit if they didn't charge their football players any tuition or charged them a drastically reduced rate? Also, if they didn't charge some players or charged them a much lower rate how would they justify it with the other players? Sorry, just doesn't make sense. The Family Empowerment Scholarship (formerly Gardiner) 65,000+ scholarships awarded Available to students 3 years old - 12th grade or age 22 $10,400 average amount awarded Funds may be used for private school, instructional materials, home education, tutoring and more...

Two things to ponder, Ray. IMG is a very expensive private academy wherein most parents cannot even hope to afford even with government help. So, the probability that a player from your school would be able to attend is quite low. How many other Florida schools, both private and public, accept and I believe actively recruit players from other schools? Just look at the amount of transfers this season alone. The chance that any of your players will be one of those transfers is much higher than in the IMG scenario. If IMG comes looking for a standout player on your team that player better have a big bank account. If Miami Northwestern comes looking for a standout player on your team just takes a little longer drive.

IMG does not hide the fact that they are a training facility for future professional athletes in all sports not just football. They do not force any other school to play them. However, there are schools lined up to play them every season. That is the reason they are in an independent category of the FHSAA which means they are in no district where other district schools are mandated to play them. For the most part IMG plays the top teams in the country, teams that also recruit and accept unlimited transfers just as IMG does. I root for IMG when they play teams from other states. IMG is still a team that is based in Florida and I support all Florida teams that play out of state opponents. I also enjoy watching the best of best play no matter what their situation is. A few of their players may be someday playing on Sundays or at the very least playing on Saturdays.

I stated what I thought would be the best solution. Beyond that I have nothing more to add.

Hey Jullian. Since I see you do at times follow Trinity Catholic . What exactly happened in the OTC/P K Yonge game? From everything I've seen the Celtics are on track to challenge for the 3A championship this season. Did they not play their starters or is P K Yong that good?

Have no idea why the referees did not control the situation better if the IMG players or any of the players were getting out of hand. Just throwing a multitude of flags for every conceivable infraction only exacerbated the problem I would think. The Head Referee or Crew Chief should have met with both coaches together and resolved the problem before it got out of hand. If that did not resolve the problem then he should have threatened to remove players from the game for unsportsmanlike behavior. I also believe that a head referee has the discretion to cancel the remainder of a game for situations that are unsafe. I noticed a couple of instances when the players from both sides were beginning to fight with each other. Somehow I don't think the entire blame for this disruption can be placed entirely on IMG as the AH players were also engaged in retaliation. The bottom line is that IMG did win over one of the best teams in the country in spite of the unsettling behavior that transpired.

It was not necessarily the types of penalties it was the quantity of them. Seemed as though the referees were calling every minor and perceived infractions against IMG. Three TDs called back. Two I would assume were for holding and the pick 6 I don't know what they called. Many of them were personal fouls where it was hard for me to determine what foul actually happened. The IMG players and coaches recognized that penalties were being called against them indiscriminately and there seemed to be many heated discussions with the Refs on the field about it. This only made the situation worse as the IMG players were starting to play extra tough football due to the frustration. The point that I was really trying to bring out is that the score ended up 35-15, 3 IMG TDs were called back, IMG got about 200 yards of penalties, and still managed to defeat the #8 best team in the country in their ballpark. I would also like to bring out that IMG did not play that well. Their 4 star QB A J Duffy was really less than spectacular failing to connect with his WRs frequently. The IMG defense missed tackles that they normally make, Yet they still won the game. I primarily follow IMG because they normally take on the best teams in the country. Teams that recruit and get unlimited transfers just like IMG so there is really no great advantage for IMG.

Been married for 46 years and wouldn't trade her for anything.

By the way, for your info, starting QB Sr Ronnie Joe Gilchrist did not play on Friday. Don't know the reason. Sophomore Fred Gaskin, a RB, was behind center. I don't think that Gaskin ever took a snap before, with Vanguard, unless it was in the Spring game against Buchholz.

You do realize that Vanguard played with their Sophomore QB Fred Gaskin last night. He is normally a RB and has never played QB. They didn't play their starting Sr QB Ronnie Joe Gilchrist for reasons unknown to me.

I never have issues with referees even if, in a few instances, they do make some suspicious calls. I give the benefit of the doubt to referees who volunteer there time and effort for very little pay in high school football. That being said I watched the replay of the IMG/American Heritage game this morning. Picture this, IMG won 35 to 15. Besides IMG had 3 TDs called back. They also had some of the most one sided penalties I have ever seen called against them. Many penalties that I had no clue what they were for. Even the AH fans seemed to be uneasy about the types of calls against IMG. There were so many penalties against IMG that in the latter part of the game IMG players were getting angry and frustrated. I saw IMG players and their coach having a few heated discussions with the referees probably asking them what the hell is going on. Just imagine how good IMG had to be to defeat powerhouse AH in their own backyard, 35 -15, have 3 TDs called back, and suffer probably close to 200 yards of penalties against them? I am not making excuses of any kind for IMG as they did have 4 or 5 legitimate penalties called. But to call penalties almost every other play and against IMG only, doesn't add up. I just want to see a game that is fairly refereed no matter who the opponents are. This game was officiated in favor of AH undoubtedly.

Unfortunately won't be able to make it Friday for the game. My wife did not tell me she had plans for a get together at a friend's house on Friday and my presence was encouraged. I would normally try to get out of it but this is someone who is coming back from overseas. Hopefully the game will be entertaining and the better team gets the victory. Vanguard will be tough as always.

Well, let's get to it. I'm not a close follower of any other team with the exception of Trinity Catholic. However, I do follow Vanguard as best I can. It seems as though Vanguard lost a bundle of players both offensive and defensive to graduation. Most of their starting players are gone. However, both RBs Tyrell Randall and Dewhitt Betterson return for their Senior season. Both seem to be of decent size and are pretty quick through the line. Although I would not call either exceptional RBs. Both of these players do act as WRs since most of the previous WRs graduated. They do have a Sr TE Jaylen Williams 6'5" 245 who transferred from a school in Kentucky and who seems to be exceptional. He is big and very fast. On defense, where most of the graduations occurred, Sr DE Ronald Carpenter, is a vacuum cleaner. He plays to the ball and is a big part of the Knight's defense. Vanguard also has a Sr Kicker Grandin Wilcox who rarely misses field goals and extra points. Of course we cannot forget about their Sr QB Ronnie Joe Gilchrist who will make this team go. I was really impressed with him last year when he played against us for the Villages. OTC had a very difficult time with him as he is very accurate passer and reads his routes very well. I'm thinking that Columbia just may be too much for Vanguard unless Gilchrist can pick apart Columbia's secondary like he seems to do against all opponents. J

True. And Citizens field is huge.

https://www.google.com/search?q=booster+stadium+ocala+fl+images&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=O7CbQgrNPiuVFM%2Cu90qCXt5KVDC_M%2C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSl17zswLuy70wn4M-9ChrK0FXjcg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiWjsPPtr3yAhWvTTABHagFB2cQ9QF6BAgYEAE#imgrc=O7CbQgrNPiuVFM Don't have any idea how many it can seat but I've only been there once when it was standing room only. Excellent stadium for viewing the action. Not so great for ingressing and egressing on the visitor side as you have to go through the throngs of people who are milling around the running track.

Who would you say are the Columbia players to watch on Friday? What do you feel are Columbia's strong points and not so strong points? What offensive and defensive formation does Columbia run? I will try to figure these things out for Vanguard in a bit.

I didn't go to any games last season due to all of the Covid stuff screwing everything up. May get out to see this game as OTC will be up in Gainesville at a Jamboree and I don't travel out of town anymore especially at night. I have never seen Columbia play live. Being an old guy I am not a big fan of Booster Stadium and the type of crowds that go there. I'm used to Celtic Stadium with a more considerate crowd of folks. But, may just go out for this one and sit on the Columbia side.

Hey Columbia Fan I know it's only an enhanced scrimmage but how do you see this going? Vanguard lost to Buchholz in the Spring Game 21-12. I believe that game was played without Vanguard's new Sr QB Ronnie Joe Gilchrist who came from the Villages. Did well last season against Bolles and against us at OTC. Any informative update on the Tigers pros and cons?

Exactly what I have been saying all along. Everybody knows it's going on but most must be OK with it. Really sad.

I think that this NIL nonsense for high school students is beyond lunacy kind of like the 300+ pound sophomore who is on the OL for many of these HS teams. Very sad what HS football has become.

Not really. How are you going to stop the privates from continuing to recruit from the Public Schools which makes many of the public schools non competitive now. Just because they are in their own separate Division doesn't mean they will not recruit from anywhere. Also, many students, that happen to be in sports, transfer to private schools for primarily academic reasons and sometimes for a different culture. Nothing can mitigate that and nothing should.