High school football is a sport in which calorie intake is never questioned. In fact, if you are a lineman there is usually someone there to hand you another plate of food even after you've said, "Enough, already." Then, you pick up your fork again.

Joanne Klossner is a clinical assistant professor at Indiana University's Department of Kinesiology, and in a report in 2006 on IU's Web site, said that little research has been done in relationship to prep football players and overeating. Yet, America's children are fatter than they've ever been, matching their parents.

Klossner said that anecdotal trends suggest that eating disorders do exist in high school football.

"Obesity predisposes them to conditions such as high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease, to name a few," Klossner noted in the report. "It can be difficult as an adult to take weight off after the athlete transitions from competitive athletics to a sedentary lifestyle."

Valparaiso coach Mark Hoffman and Lake Central coach Bill Melby agree with Klossner's view. Both played the line in high school, Hoffman at Andrean and Melby at Munster. The almost Roman idea of gorging existed in the 1960s for Hoffman and the 1980s for Melby.

"I weighed 250 at Munster and I was the smallest guy on the line," Melby said. "When I played at The Citadel, they'd force feed you. I sat at 'The Skinny Table,' where they'd give you an extra meal and then throw in those nutrition drinks. Consequently, you got used to eating a lot."

In one sitting at the Munster Red Lobster, Melby ate 24 pounds of crab legs.

Likewise, Hoffman was an active youngster, playing football at Butler, and he continued the active lifestyle into his young adult days. But when family responsibilities come and age affects the joints and muscles, the basketball, softball and other activities ceased. But the eating did not.

"I used to eat a 24-ounce steak in one sitting, with all of the trimmings," Hoffman said.

In 1997 Hoffman weighed his all-time high of 379 pounds.

"I stopped all of my aerobic exercise and I didn't change my eating habits," Hoffman said. "I just ate and ate and ate and ate."

In January, Hoffman met two old friends who he didn't notice at first glance. Jim Chaney, former Purdue offensive coordinator and current tight ends coach for the St. Louis Rams, had lost so much weight that Hoffman didn't recognize him. Chaney did it with a lap-band operation. The same went for local acquaintance Fred McNulty, who lost 205 pounds with the same procedure.

"That was the motivation I needed," Hoffman said.

Both Duneland Athletic Conference coaches joined Weight Watchers. Since January, Hoffman has lost 93.4 pounds. Since February, Melby has taken 48 pounds away.

When Valpo's football team had its first meeting in May, the Vikings couldn't believe their eyes. Hoffman had become a new man.

"He looked good, more fit than before," said senior JJ Peller.

"It was awesome," said senior Alex Paul. "He's made the effort to work hard and lose weight. It motivated us to work hard, too."

Junior Michael Perkins moved to Valpo from California this year. He didn't know the old Hoffman. He saw photos of the bigger man in the classroom and was amazed by the big drop. He told his new coach, "Wow. You did lose a lot."

Hoffman responded, "Thank you. I'm working hard so I can look like you."

Every Thursday Hoffman went to the Weight Watchers meetings. He began eating breakfast every morning, which kick-started his metabolism. He stopped eating the school lunches at Valpo. And he dramatically cut down on his portion sizes, and that has made the biggest difference.

Hoffman is under 280 pounds for the first time since 1984. His wife, Sue, has been a big help in the health kick.

"We got a pizza recently and Mark ate two pieces," Sue said.

"Back in the day I could've eaten a large by myself," Mark said.

And the weight loss has little to do with exercise. It's all a product of eating less and eating right. Consequently, he no longer suffers from sleep apnea, where he was waking up 20 times an hour.

"I've lost six inches off my waist," Hoffman said. "That's a lot of fabric."

Hoffman said he will get down to 235, which is what he weighed when he married Sue. It was also his college playing weight. He said he will make that number by the end of the football season. He's written down everything he's eaten since he started this health goal.

"It's been an ongoing battle for quite a few years," Sue said. "If you don't want to do it, it won't happen. Mark wanted to do it. Now we're eating vegetables on the grill, cold vegetables, marinated vegetables, veggies, veggies, veggies. We went to dinner the other night and he had a salad and a cup of vegetable soup. When the entree came, he was full.

"It's amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it."

On the first day of practice in August, someone was looking for Melby as the Indians practiced. They asked where he was and one of the female managers said, "You probably walked right past him and missed him because he's lost so much weight."

Like it was for Hoffman, love of family was the younger Melby's greatest motivation to go against the football psyche and shed the pounds.

"I want to be around and see them grow up and go to their weddings and watch them have children," Melby said. "It came down to prioritizing. I want to spend as much time as I can with my wife and kids."

Bill and wife Dianna did the Weight Watchers program together. Bill always has been a big eater, but he's changed what he's putting on his fork. He's eating vegetables and fruits as snacks. He's eating smaller amounts and is consuming less fat and calories. It's working.

"I knew he was skinnier, his gut wasn't as big," senior John Talent said.

"It's a good thing, losing weight and becoming healthier," senior John Hurley said. "He has a lot more energy now. I see him running a lot more up and down the sidelines."

Dianna said she noticed a revitalized husband during two-a-days this year.

"He wasn't exhausted every night," she said.

Family get-togethers have been strange. In the past, relatives fixed Bill's favorite meal when they visited. Now, they're giving him a salad and wondering what's wrong.

Melby's son, Joseph Wingis, dealt with the same issues of prep football. Bill used to sit him down at the "Skinny Table" and have him eat, eat and eat. Now a light bulb has gone on in the Melby refrigerator.

"I step on the scale three times a day," Bill said. "I make sure I'm where I'm supposed to be. If I eat a little more on one day, I eat less the next."

Like Hoffman, Melby wants to get down to 235, also his playing weight. For the former lineman, celery and carrot sticks have never tasted so good.

"It feels good to feel good," Bill said. "It really does."