California high school cancels varsity football after 2 games ... outscored 102-0
There’s been plenty of talk about declining participation in high school football, but an interesting case in point of the effects that can have comes from Healdsburg High School in Sonoma County, California. Earlier this week, the school’s remaining varsity players (just 12 of them) voted to disband their team for the remainder of this season following an 0-2 start that saw them outscored 102-0.
The team started the year with 18 players, but five quit after their first two losses (41-0 to Drake and 61-0 to Justin-Siena), and a sixth left Monday, prompting head coach and athletic director Dave Stine to call for a team vote on whether they should continue. The first vote was inconclusive, but the second (held anonymously) was 7-4 in favor of ending the season.
Principal Bill Halliday told Kerry Benefield of the nearby Santa Rosa Press-Democrat that the decision has led to some dejection round the school, and to some talk about parents not wanting their kids in football.
Varsity football may not be gone from Healdsburg High for long. The school currently has a successful junior varsity team with 30 players, and they’re likely to revive varsity football next year. But there are larger numbers of declining participation overall, and there may be more schools that decide varsity football isn’t worth it, either in particular years or overall. It will be interesting to watch how that wider story evolves going forward.
http://thecomeback.com/high-school/california-hs-cancels-varsity-football-outscored-102-0.html
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