CRESTVIEW — Tim Hatten talks of a trophy case packed with accomplishments.
But not his trophy case.
It’s for another, the Crestview football coach said, showing off a plethora of 7-on-7 trophies. These summer accomplishments mix with some earned in the fall, combining two distinctly different variations of a sport.
GOING OVERBOARD
Hatten — and most local coaches here — think it's silly, but 7-on-7 football once was all the craze.
The Emerald Coast, home for many holiday basketball tournaments, would be a prime spot to host a summer 7-on-7 event. The beach's appeal alone would bring enough teams for a two-day event and give them six or seven organized games against varying opponents and athletes.
However, many coaches dismiss that idea.
Choctaw, Crestview, Niceville and Rocky Bayou are the only teams that traveled this summer for an organized 7-on-7 tournament. The rest would rather keep it informal.
Walton and Freeport had a passing day last week. Baker pairs with either of them, or maybe a South Walton.
Rocky Bayou often joins, although the Knights last summer did a West Florida High-hosted 7-on-7 tournament. It was a 16-team tournament; each played at least six games.
Even Rocky Bayou’s coach, Josh Childers, has softened to it.
“There is so much more to the game,” he said. “Seven on seven is a bit unrealistic. … There’s a lot you can do in 7-on-7. If you’re looking at a limited time during the summer, as a coach, you’re looking to spend more time on what you do during the actual season.
“I think a lot of coaches realized, ‘We can get overboard with this.’”
REASONS WHY NOT
Even Hatten prefers taking away the scoreboard, limiting competition and sticking to more of a joint-practice feel.
“How much do you want your kids competing?” he said. “Do you want them competing in everything you do? … Sometimes competition doesn’t always make them better.
“When you’re not in a tournament, you can slow down and get better.”
Most — including large schools Fort Walton Beach and Navarre — have reasons not to travel.
“I think one of the biggest deals for most coaches is it gives you a false read,” Fort Walton Beach football coach Tommy Johnson said. “It teaches bad habits. From the defensive side, it teaches defensive players to think 'pass first' when they should think 'run first.'”
A large-scale tournament involves travel expenses, registration costs and time away from home.
“7-on-7 tournaments are a way for colleges to make money,” said Walton football coach Jimmy Ray Stephens said, who would know well since he was an assistant at Florida, Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee. “I was on the other side of it.”
Devin Golden is a Northwest Florida Daily News columnist. Contact him via email, Twitter, or call 315-4476.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview football coach: Limit competition, stick with joint practice