Today's interviewee is Eddie Printz, head coach of Walton's sixth-grade team. Printz coached the first national 7-on-7 team from the state, Team Georgia, from 2010 to 2013. He is the father of former Lassiter all-state quarterback Eddie Printz Jr.
Eddie Printz, middle school head coach
1. Is 7-on-7 that's not run by the high school teams good or bad for high school football? Do some high school coaches have a point when they say it's hijacking the game from the high school coaches? "Yes, high school coaches most definitely have a point. When possible, I always tried to contact the player's high school coach to answer any concerns. A lot of coaches appreciated that open communication, and others never cared to return the call. We also had several call and ask me to add a player from their program on the Team Georgia roster.
"When I started Team Georgia 7-on-7 back in 2010, I had a major recruiting site rep come to me and ask if I would coach because of my knowledge of the spread offense. My first tournament was on the practice fields at the University of Alabama, and there were over 30 scouts there giving exposure to all these players. When a player goes to these events and gets several national stories written about them for a weekend tournament, it puts the player on all major recruiting radars. College coaches call these recruiting scouts for their opinion and help to get kids on campus. That first year, I had 14 players go on to play Power 5 football. If there wasn't a void to fill, there wouldn't be 7-on-7 football. Players join travel 7-on-7 teams for exposure. Your premium recruiting sites need content to sell subscriptions. Your major shoe companies are spending big money to get their brand on these teams. I stopped coaching 7-on-7 in 2013. It became about the money for too many 7-on-7 coaches with tryout and team participation fees. We never asked the players for money to play on Team Georgia. I had sponsors pay for uniforms, tournament fees and hotel expenses."
2. How important is middle school ball for the high schools? To what extent are families and players using this time nowadays to decide what high school program they're going to play for? Some say that this is where recruiting takes place. "In my opinion, middle school football is the lifeline of the program. A high school coach and administration who embrace the future players as part of the program will more often see those players stay through to their senior year of high school. Middle school is a time when parents are starting to figure out what is best if they think their player has a future in football. High school coaches and administrations need to ask themselves, do you want to see several thousand fans on Friday night or do you hope you have enough in paid attendance to cover the cost of hosting a home game?
"I wouldn't say it's recruiting. Middle school is a very important time in planning for a player's future. You only get one shot in high school at getting it right. Parents want the best for their children, and if they don't see it happening in their program they will leave. When you go to an event and you see the high school coach there supporting his program's players, it goes a long way with families. All-Star and league tournament teams give parents an opportunity to speak with other families in different programs. Questions get answered. Does the high school coach help with college recruiting, does the program play on television, do they win, what is offseason preparation like, and do they make you feel like a valued part of the program or just a fund raiser? If many families are leaving a program there's usually a good reason. It's not cheap to move."
3. What player have you worked with or watched before high school that turned out to be better than you or anyone could have imagined? What player made it obvious in two minutes that he was destined for greatness? "Jerick McKinnon, San Francisco 49ers running back, playing offensive line for the East Cobb Vikings. He is the player I watched at the youth-league level who far exceeded expectations, but he was the kid who would be at the stadium running bleachers and busting his tail in the offseason. He believed in himself. Major props to him. I saw three players I knew right away would be destined for greatness on the gridiron, and they are Trevor Lawrence, who played quarterback for my eighth-grade 7-on-7 team in 2013; Odell Beckham, who played in NGYFL [North Georgia Youth Football League for two seasons] and was unstoppable; and Evan Engram, eighth-grade Team Georgia 2012. Caught anything thrown his way."
4. Why are participation numbers down from high school to youth leagues? "There's never been a safer time in history to play football. Equipment technology is better than it's ever been. Coaching how to make contact is safer these days because of concussion awareness, and the rules have evolved to make football safer. So, while many people like to point at concussions as the reason numbers are down, it isn't the only factor. There are so many options for our young people today. Popularity of competing sports like lacrosse and soccer have cut into the number registered for youth football. We don't see 60 players competing for 11 spots on each side of the ball now like we did 10 years ago. We are lucky to see 20 or 25 at registration for each age group. The newest trend in youth football is travel teams. I've watched a couple of leagues fold because their top players left to play all-star football as young as 5 and 6 years old."
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