News Summary
Low participation rates and safety concerns have led to the cancellation or pause of football seasons at seven Iowa high schools. Schools like Lone Tree and Siouxland Christian faced significant challenges, including player health and past performance issues. The trend reflects broader participation challenges in high school sports across the state, impacting players, families, and communities.
Des Moines, Iowa — The varsity football seasons for seven Iowa high schools have been canceled or paused this fall due to low participation and safety concerns. The schools impacted by these decisions include Lone Tree, Rockford, Dunkerton, Siouxland Christian, Remsen-St. Mary’s, Highland (Riverside), and Mormon Trail.
Lone Tree, Rockford, and Dunkerton made the decision to cancel their seasons before any games took place. Siouxland Christian canceled its season after participating in one game, where they faced a daunting score of 60-0 at halftime. Meanwhile, Remsen-St. Mary’s, which won the eight-player championship in 2024, and Highland and Mormon Trail have paused their seasons but are exploring the possibility of resuming play later in the fall.
The primary factors contributing to the cancellations and pauses include low participation rates and significant safety concerns regarding player health. Siouxland Christian had only 16 players on its roster, leading to its season cancellation. The school’s Superintendent emphasized that canceling the season was the most responsible action to take for the health and well-being of the student-athletes involved.
In past seasons, Siouxland Christian struggled with a record of 1-8 in the previous two years, reflecting ongoing challenges in maintaining a competitive team. Remsen-St. Mary’s entered the current season with just 17 players, including three upperclassmen, after graduating 10 senior team members. The team encountered further difficulties with injuries, resulting in forfeitures of two games after losing their first two matchups. Their coach indicated that only 11 players were available for their last game, hindering the team’s ability to compete effectively.
Highland faced similar challenges, with their coach resigning in an effort to advocate for the cancellation of the season due to safety issues. The team was down to just 13 healthy players, complicating their capacity to continue. At Highland, the coaching and administrative team is also working on assessing the remaining player numbers with the hopes of resuming games for Remsen-St. Mary’s by a certain date.
In a broader trend reflecting participation issues, Des Moines Hoover High School announced that it will not field a football team for the upcoming 2025 season as a result of low participation. Students from Des Moines Hoover will be accommodated by the Des Moines Roosevelt football program to allow for continued participation in football. The principal of Hoover noted that this decision was made considering safety and the lack of interest in maintaining the program’s current trajectory.
Hoover’s football program has notably struggled in recent years, posting a winless record of 0-9 over the last two seasons alongside a significant average loss margin. In light of these circumstances, head coach Theo Evans is transitioning to an assistant coaching position with the Dallas Center-Grimes coaching staff, indicating further changes within the Hoover program.
This season’s cancellations and pauses highlight a concerning trend within high school sports programs in Iowa, where demographic shifts and safety considerations are increasingly influencing participation rates in football and potentially other sports. The impact of these cancellations will likely be felt by players, parents, and communities as options for competitive high school football continue to dwindle.
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Additional Resources
- KCRG: Iowa High School Football Programs Canceled or Paused
- KCCI: Seven Iowa High Schools Cancel or Pause Varsity Season
- WHO13: Hoover High School Explores New Opportunities
- Wikipedia: High School Football in the United States
- Google Search: Iowa High School Football Participation Levels
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