7-on-7 Football Grows in Popularity
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Each year South Jersey’s 7-on-7 summer football leagues appear to be growing and this season is no exception. There is no greater example than the West Deptford League, which went from eight teams last year to 16 this season.
The teams play three games a night for three weeks and then the playoffs begin.
There are 14 participating schools, with Lenape and Rancocas Valley each fielding two teams.
The league is completed by July 25, which is plenty of time before the start of preseason camp. In New Jersey, teams are able to begin football practice on Aug. 12.
The 7-on-7 league is not only good for the players, but the coaches, especially the new ones.
Not only is West Deptford coach John Emel hosting the league, but this will be his first season guiding the Eagles after a long successful stint at Penns Grove.
So Emel is getting to know his players better while seeing them perform in action.
Of course, nobody should take the results of the games too seriously. Teams don’t play with pads and there are four fewer players on the field than usual.
“If you take the results too seriously, you can get a false sense of security,” said Timber Creek coach Brian Wright, who has a team in the West Deptford League. “This is a lot different from the football played during the high school season.”
Still, Wright feels there is a great benefit.
“For me, I think it’s a great help to the defense,” he said. “They have to cover all these top receivers each play.”
There is another reason that Wright likes to have a team in a passing league.
“The kids love it,” he said.
The league also helps teams that have new players. Timber Creek junior QB Tyrone Baker is a transfer from Camden, and he was receiving valuable reps, while learning the system and getting a connection with his receivers.
In fact, the league is most beneficial for any quarterback, whether he is new or not because of the familiarity he develops with his receivers.
Even though coaches say they don’t take much stock in the final score, there was plenty of intensity among coaches and players alike in the games.
Sure, the results don’t mean much in a long-term view, but these athletes and coaches are competitors and want to win every time they step on the field.
And that might be the biggest benefit of the 7-on-7 leagues–giving the players a chance to compete.
It’s a far cry from the real games, but still serves a purpose as part of the preparation for another scholastic season.
Photo West Deptford QB Brady Cobb during the West Deptford 7-on-7 League / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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