Kenmore East Pulls Out Of Football Season Opener

The Kenmore East varsity football team has forfeited their season opener against Grand Island because they don't have enough players to meet the minimum number requirement for players.  A release from the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Athletics Department revealed that a rash of injuries over the course of pre-season culminating with last Saturday's scrimmage has left the varsity roster depleted and with less than the required 16 players that New York State requires.

As a result, Grand Island will be awarded a forfeit victory.  I'm sure the players and coaches at Grand Island aren't thrilled with the news they won a game because the other team didn't show up.  It's a hollow victory.

It's a growing trend in high school sports - especially football.  Fewer and fewer students are going out for scholastic sports.  What's going on?  Video games?  Apathy?  Fear?

Eden cancelled its varsity season.  Sweet Home and St. Francis cancelled their freshman seasons.  Lewiston-Porter cancelled its JV season.  What a shame.  When I was in school 70 kids turned out for my freshman team.  We had to try out, then survive cuts.  45 players made the final roster.  Compare that with what's going on today.

There are all kinds of statistics out there, but in a recent study, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission examined athletic injuries on a sport-by-sport basis. It found that organized football 5-to-15 year-olds had 12% fewer injuries per capita than organized soccer for the same age group.  Football seems to be the sport under attack though.  The children of high school football players on the field this season may end up playing flag football if the sport survives at all.