[Thunder 44]

and every kid in the 7th and 8th grade get equal playing time?

Not equal, but first and second team players for both teams get the same. My youngest played, and is now a high school sophomore, but in his 8th grade season, it went something like this:

1st Quarter - First String
2nd Quarter - Second String
3rd Quarter (first half) - First String
3rd Quarter (second half) - Second String
4th Quarter - First String (or, could play any player, first or second string)

There were rules in effect that if a team got up by so many points, they had to play their second string all the time, and there are rules as to who could be on your second string. For example, your first string RB was not a second string WR.

Obviously, the intent is to get every kid a chance to play, and in order to do well, he will need to practice. There have been games where the first teamers were evenly matched, but the difference in the final score was how well the second team executed.