As a young man growing up in a small private school I received a tremendous academic education that I wouldn’t trade for anything. But at the time athletic opportunities were even more limited for the average private school students then they are now. We did play soccer, and basketball, but as great as these opportunities were, they couldn’t take the place of the sport we really wanted to play, football. In East Texas, this represented the main drawback for prospective private school families. In the last ten years however due to the growth of private schools and the demand of participating families, opportunities have changed. Even private schools are now offering football as a part of their athletic programs. With the advent of “Six- Man” football even small schools are getting into the game. And Six- Man has returned to Tyler with King’s Academy’s return to the field.

Not unlike CFL football, Six- Man has undergone a few basic rule changes to accommodate the smaller field of players. The field is only eighty yards in length, and slightly more narrow than that of an eleven man squad. The player receiving the snap is ineligible, either to rush or receive. To accommodate this change teams often have an additional player receive the snap, who in turn, pitches the ball to the quarterback, enabling him to either pass or rush. Another significant alteration is that the offence receives a two point conversion for kicking the football through the uprights and a single point for carrying it across the goal line. Perhaps the most significant change is that the offense must move the ball fifteen yards in order to get a first down. Depending on the size of the school some players may play both sides of the ball, or specialize in more than one position. Despite the rule changes, Six- Man makes for entertaining football, and allows more students and their families to participate in the high school football experience.

Two years ago, the King’s Academy Royals won the Six- Man State Championship in a surprisingly crowded field. But due to a large number of seniors, and the interest of larger area schools in the remaining Royals players, King’s was unable to field a team the following year. But after a year’s absence the school has reactivated its football program. With a new coaching staff, a slightly new mascot (the team is now called the Royal Knights), and an entirely new squad, King’s is rebuilding this season. Their win – loss record is mixed, but due to the overall age of the players, there is a good potential for future success.

For more information on kings Academy, see the Tyler Blog section of this site and look for the following titles: “Something different in education,” or “Something different at King’s Academy.” Also visit the School’s website at www.kacs.net, or simply call their office at (903)534-9992.