Watching some of the national games from this weekend was a stark comparison to FL HS football atmosphere

[PinellasFB]

I watched highlights from several games around the country.  Valdosta (GA) @Massillon (OH), Bishop Gorman (NV) @Lone Peak (UT) and a few other games.  I just can't believe the stadiums, bands and atmospheres at these other states.  Texas HS football is absolutely insane.  The Massillon game had a college like stadium and atmosphere complete with fireworks.  Are there any schools in FL that match this kind of atmosphere where the community rallies around the team?  Metro teams tend to be terrible atmospheres just because there are too many teams within a short distance of each other so there is no sense of community.  Pinellas County is really dead.  My son's team played at North East HS two years ago and I counted 7 band members and not even enough people in the home stands to add up to the amount of parents of the players on the field, and Northeast had a 9-1 team that year.  

So two questions.  One, why is there seemingly a lack of school spirit in Florida and two, where are there great atmospheres in this state? I assume it can only be a rural area.

[Hwy17]

36 minutes ago, PinellasFB said:

I watched highlights from several games around the country.  Valdosta (GA) @Massillon (OH), Bishop Gorman (NV) @Lone Peak (UT) and a few other games.  I just can't believe the stadiums, bands and atmospheres at these other states.  Texas HS football is absolutely insane.  The Massillon game had a college like stadium and atmosphere complete with fireworks.  Are there any schools in FL that match this kind of atmosphere where the community rallies around the team?  Metro teams tend to be terrible atmospheres just because there are too many teams within a short distance of each other so there is no sense of community.  Pinellas County is really dead.  My son's team played at North East HS two years ago and I counted 7 band members and not even enough people in the home stands to add up to the amount of parents of the players on the field, and Northeast had a 9-1 team that year.  

So two questions.  One, why is there seemingly a lack of school spirit in Florida and two, where are there great atmospheres in this state? I assume it can only be a rural area.

There use to be before it was ruined by the transfer rules

[THIS_IS_DILLARD]

I made a topic like this a few years back on here. Quick answer there isn’t any. When it come to text, Ga, Cali and other places out of state Florida doesn’t even compare.

[Ray Icaza]

1 hour ago, PinellasFB said:

I watched highlights from several games around the country.  Valdosta (GA) @Massillon (OH), Bishop Gorman (NV) @Lone Peak (UT) and a few other games.  I just can't believe the stadiums, bands and atmospheres at these other states.  Texas HS football is absolutely insane.  The Massillon game had a college like stadium and atmosphere complete with fireworks.  Are there any schools in FL that match this kind of atmosphere where the community rallies around the team?  Metro teams tend to be terrible atmospheres just because there are too many teams within a short distance of each other so there is no sense of community.  Pinellas County is really dead.  My son's team played at North East HS two years ago and I counted 7 band members and not even enough people in the home stands to add up to the amount of parents of the players on the field, and Northeast had a 9-1 team that year.  

So two questions.  One, why is there seemingly a lack of school spirit in Florida and two, where are there great atmospheres in this state? I assume it can only be a rural area.

Due to the size of the community, it isn't on the same scale but when we played Niceville a few years back at their place in the semi-final playoff game it was great to see them have that kind of support and atmosphere for their team. 

[Nulli Secundus]

43 minutes ago, Hwy17 said:

There use to be before it was ruined by the transfer rules

 

1 hour ago, PinellasFB said:

I watched highlights from several games around the country.  Valdosta (GA) @Massillon (OH), Bishop Gorman (NV) @Lone Peak (UT) and a few other games.  I just can't believe the stadiums, bands and atmospheres at these other states.  Texas HS football is absolutely insane.  The Massillon game had a college like stadium and atmosphere complete with fireworks.  Are there any schools in FL that match this kind of atmosphere where the community rallies around the team?  Metro teams tend to be terrible atmospheres just because there are too many teams within a short distance of each other so there is no sense of community.  Pinellas County is really dead.  My son's team played at North East HS two years ago and I counted 7 band members and not even enough people in the home stands to add up to the amount of parents of the players on the field, and Northeast had a 9-1 team that year.  

So two questions.  One, why is there seemingly a lack of school spirit in Florida and two, where are there great atmospheres in this state? I assume it can only be a rural area.

How many people do you know who are not in high school, or have any family/friends affiliated with a football program that will go to a high school football game regardless of the teams playing?  That is the biggest question.  

[Nulli Secundus]

13 minutes ago, Ray Icaza said:

Due to the size of the community, it isn't on the same scale but when we played Niceville a few years back at their place in the semi-final playoff game it was great to see them have that kind of support and atmosphere for their team. 

YES!!  Niceville's support and the way their stadium is set up immerses fans unlike very few places in Florida.

[Ray Icaza]

2 minutes ago, Nulli Secundus said:

YES!!  Niceville's support and the way their stadium is set up immerses fans unlike very few places in Florida.

Probably helps being a military town with a strong community vibe to this day. 

[Hwy17]

2 minutes ago, Nulli Secundus said:

 

How many people do you know who are not in high school, or have any family/friends affiliated with a football program that will go to a high school football game regardless of the teams playing?  That is the biggest question.  

I know some. Here in the Heartland area fans from neighboring communities will support another school when they make the playoffs or have a big game.

[nolebull813]

Florida has grown so fast that most people are first generation graduated of whatever high school they attend. There have been so many new high schools built over the years, that they don’t even have enough alumni to fill a stadium. Lol. 
 

A lot of these old towns in Ohio, Georgia and Texas have generations of people going to these historical high schools. Their daddy and granddaddy went there. 
 

Some places like Bishop Gorman is different because they are the only main option in all of Las Vegas for a private education and world class athletic experience. They have cornered the market and built a behemoth. 
 

Back in the day Miami schools would pack 20-40,000 to see a high school game. Before pro sports were around 

[Hwy17]

6 minutes ago, nolebull813 said:

Florida has grown so fast that most people are first generation graduated of whatever high school they attend. There have been so many new high schools built over the years, that they don’t even have enough alumni to fill a stadium. Lol. 
 

A lot of these old towns in Ohio, Georgia and Texas have generations of people going to these historical high schools. Their daddy and granddaddy went there. 
 

Some places like Bishop Gorman is different because they are the only main option in all of Las Vegas for a private education and world class athletic experience. They have cornered the market and built a behemoth. 
 

Back in the day Miami schools would pack 20-40,000 to see a high school game. Before pro sports were around 

Small town football in Florida is dying. What you described above was common in the 80s and 90s.

[THAT S--T WAS FUNNY]

Got to go to the panhandle for a good Friday night football atmosphere. Niceville might be the best. Their student section is unbelievable. Check it out on YouTube. 

[Roadkill]

Niceville has a great atmosphere for a high school game.  They open with North Miami Beach next week mainly because the coach at N Miami Beach wants his players to see what it should be like to play in a crazy atmosphere.  This is the second year in a row they will open at Niceville.  I hope they have a good time win or lose.

[PinellasFB]

51 minutes ago, THAT S--T WAS FUNNY said:

Got to go to the panhandle for a good Friday night football atmosphere. Niceville might be the best. Their student section is unbelievable. Check it out on YouTube. 

I have a good friend who lives up there and his kids go to Niceville.  He keeps inviting me up to visit so maybe I will go up there during my son's bye week and checkout a game?  Sounds like a great experience.

[gatorman-uf]

Niceville for the Kickoff Classic

[SportsFan]

3 hours ago, Hwy17 said:

There use to be before it was ruined by the transfer rules

Crowds have been declining for decades even before the transfer rules 

[THAT S--T WAS FUNNY]

2 hours ago, gatorman-uf said:

Niceville for the Kickoff Classic

Yup thats it. Its been 10 plus years since i was there and its still the same chants and atmosphere. Thats tradition!

[JDHoss]

3 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

Florida has grown so fast that most people are first generation graduated of whatever high school they attend. There have been so many new high schools built over the years, that they don’t even have enough alumni to fill a stadium. Lol. 
 

A lot of these old towns in Ohio, Georgia and Texas have generations of people going to these historical high schools. Their daddy and granddaddy went there. 
 

Some places like Bishop Gorman is different because they are the only main option in all of Las Vegas for a private education and world class athletic experience. They have cornered the market and built a behemoth. 
 

Back in the day Miami schools would pack 20-40,000 to see a high school game. Before pro sports were around 

 

Exactly. I grew up and lived in a small Virginia town in coal mining country for 30 years. On Friday nights, the towns shut down  and everyone is at a game, and it's still like that today even though many of the schools have been consolidated. There was nothing like running out on that field on a Friday night with the stands full. A friend of mine was a teacher in Pound, VA who described it as a town of 1800 people, 1300 of who will turn out on Friday night to watch a team that's going to finish 1-9 or 2-8. It was the same in upper East TN, where I worked and lived before retiring to Fort Pierce five years ago. High school football is a passion for my wife and I, and we've been to games all across the southeastern US. Florida schools by far have the worst atmosphere. About the only places we've been to here that have a decent atmosphere in Florida are Vero Beach, Cocoa and Rockledge. The Central v Westwood game in The Fort is a big draw, but otherwise they don't have much going on for other games. 

[Sthatch11]

5 hours ago, Nulli Secundus said:

YES!!  Niceville's support and the way their stadium is set up immerses fans unlike very few places in Florida.

It’s a great stadium. Not too large but packed crowds and holds noise in the stadium very well because of the shape. This was about and hour before our kick off classic Friday 

[Sthatch11]

4 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

Florida has grown so fast that most people are first generation graduated of whatever high school they attend. There have been so many new high schools built over the years, that they don’t even have enough alumni to fill a stadium. Lol. 
 

A lot of these old towns in Ohio, Georgia and Texas have generations of people going to these historical high schools. Their daddy and granddaddy went there. 
 

Some places like Bishop Gorman is different because they are the only main option in all of Las Vegas for a private education and world class athletic experience. They have cornered the market and built a behemoth. 
 

Back in the day Miami schools would pack 20-40,000 to see a high school game. Before pro sports were around 

This is my high school stadium up in South Carolina.  Seats 16k…..25k if they use the hill. Fans pack it out. 

[Sthatch11]

Pace High School in Pace Fl is a pretty good environment.  Killer fireworks show before every game. Pretty good team this year too. 

[PinellasFB]

4 hours ago, gatorman-uf said:

Niceville for the Kickoff Classic

Wow that's a great crowd, especially for a preseason practice game.

[Jambun82]

5 hours ago, SportsFan said:

Crowds have been declining for decades even before the transfer rules 

I agree with this SportsFan. This has been a reality of Florida High School Football for at least the last 25 years. "Transfer rules" have nothing to do with lack of attendance at games at all. 

[DarterBlue2]

19 hours ago, Nulli Secundus said:

 

How many people do you know who are not in high school, or have any family/friends affiliated with a football program that will go to a high school football game regardless of the teams playing?  That is the biggest question.  

I will go to a good game (in my assessment), regardless of the teams playing. I am first and foremost an Apopka fan, as my kids attended that school. But on a given Friday, if Apopka is not playing or I am unable to travel to where they are playing, I will consider going to any game within a 50 mile radius from where I live, if I think it is likely to be a great game between evenly matched teams..

[nolebull813]

The 2 best places I been to is Manatee High and Vero Beach. 
 

Vero was playing their biggest rival Fort Pierce Central, and Manatee was playing the number 1 team in the country Don Bosco,NJ. Also Manatee vs Dwyer in the state semis. All 3 of those games were electric. 
 

The Manatee game was so packed you actually had to sit in an assigned seat and row. 

[nolebull813]

Beat atmosphere in Hillsborough by far is Plant. They pack it and band thumps! This was during the glory days.