Los Banos Rotary Club History
Coach Loftin Talks School Athletics

Declaring that over emphasis of football and other athletic sports in high schools, and sometimes in colleges as well, defeat the primary purpose of school sports and frequently create undesirable and harmful effects upon the players concerned, Coach Carlyle Loftin Tuesday noon told members of the local Rotary Club that "pressure" in athletics and in scholastic work as well, frequently causes the downfall of many a promising young athlete and student.
No two students are ever the same, he pointed out, and one may excell in some particular line yet be a "palooka" in other endeavors. Yet parents too often fall to understand and condemn their boy or girl because they are not the best of the bunch in everything they do.

The same "pressure" is felt by the high school football boy who is trying to make good on the team, and Loftin admitted the same "pressure" is sometimes felt by him as the town's football fans clamor for a winning team regardless of material at hand.

For the youngsters, Loftin urged more consideration for them, more interest in the way they play the game rather than the ultimate score, and to slacken the "pressure" on the kids to avoid the risk that they might lose their sense of values.

Commenting briefly on sports at large, Loftin condemned the thinking of oldsters who say that the "younger generation is going to the dogs," and said in his mind the youngsters of today are as good or better than any former generation.

He discounted the recent West Point incident where some 20 students were suspended for cheating in an examination, stating that it was but one highly publicized example of "pressure" so great that the students temporarily lost their sense of values in their effort and desire to make good.

College football today, Loftin declared, is also becoming overemphasized, with too much pressure on winning. As an example he cited the fact that most colleges now practice football on almost a year round basis, as they do basketball and other sports that draw large crowds.

He also extolled the virtues of the T-formation, and of the unlimited substitution rule, which he says gives coaches an opportunity to withdraw their players from the field temporarily to check for possible injuries without penalizing the team by keeping such players out of the game for that quarter.

Talking a moment of the 1951 Tiger grid team, Coach Loftin said prospects at the end of last season were somewhat gloomy, with practically the entire line gone and all but two of the varsity backfield, plus a lightweight team that seemed too light and too inexperienced. But the boys have grown up a lot this summer, Loftin said, they have a lot of spirit, are willing and eager, and some are demonstrating a lot of talent. "We may have a team after all," he said.
Pointing out that Escalon's B team was tops last year, Coach Loftin said they will be the team to beat this year. Gustine will be strong, as will Patterson, and possibly Hilmar. As for the Los Banos Tigers, Loftin said he would reserve his predictions until sometime the latter part of November.

Douglas Pederson, who comes to Los Banos high this year as assistant coach and boys physical education instructor, was present at the luncheon and was introduced by Coach Loftin to the club members.

September 7, 1951

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