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A steady drop in numbers has hit many area football programs, eliciting concerns and questions on how to remedy the problem.
Indian Lake has seen its numbers slide over the past couple of years despite the most successful three-year run in school history.
Bellefontaine’s roster is more than 20 players smaller than it was last year, even after two straight league championships.
At Urbana, a program with a rich history of success, has just 32 players on its team. That is an average of eight boys per class.
There are several smaller schools in the region that are struggling to keep enough bodies to have a program. Ridgemont had only 15 play- ers at one point in preseason camp.
I’ve talked with several athletic directors over the last couple of weeks and there are varying opinions for the numbers decline.
The publicity regarding head injuries and CTE has likely played a role, with parents becoming more concerned about having their children play football with the chance their brains may suffer from it later in life.
I believe another major factor is the time commitment now required to play high school football is greater than it has ever been. Football activities don’t start in late July anymore. There are 7-on-7 tournaments in the summer and off-season lifting and workouts are much more emphasized and organized than they once were.
With that type of time requirement, a kid better love the sport or burnout is going to come quick.
Whatever the reason, the state of high school football needs some attention. It may be time for the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the state football coaches’ association to step in and develop ways to address the numbers issue.
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