Nice News - If Friday Night Lights taught us anything, it’s that many Texas
communities are completely devoted to their high school football teams.
But what happens if the local school is too small to get 11 players on
the field? That’s where six-man football comes in: In the town of Gordon (population 500), high schoolers play a downsized version of the sport that brings a significant morale boost to residents.
According to coach Mike Reed, it’s no less exciting than the traditional game. “It’d be like watching a basketball game with football pads on,”
he told CBS News. “It’s very, very, very fast. It’s very, very high
scoring.” Six-man is played on a shorter field, with field goals worth
four points, and each player shifts between offense, defense, and
special teams. But though the teams are small, they still get the
support of cheer squads, drumlines, and enthusiastic fans in the stands.
And
this setup is gaining popularity in rural Texas: While the state only
held around 80 six-man teams in the ’90s, it now boasts more than 230.
It gives community members a sense of pride and identity, a lineup of
social events, and a reason to set differences aside. “I feel like it’s
what brings people together,” said one Gordon spectator. “In a world where it’s so divided, it’s like one thing we can get behind is six-man football, and that’s exactly what we do every week.”
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