KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clinton High School, which is located roughly 80 miles southeast of Kansas City, announced Tuesday that the school won't participate in varsity football during the 2021-22 school year.
The school made the announcement on Facebook, citing a "lack of adequate number of varsity level players, concerns for physical safety of athletes and the need to restart a program that has lost 31 varsity games in a row."
The Missouri Class 3 school will field a junior varsity team.
“Competing at the junior varsity level only for a year gives us time to develop our players both mentally and physically," Clinton head coach Kevin LaFavor said via Facebook. "This will give us the restart needed to be competitive starting with the ‘22 football season."
The district asked those with concerns about the decision to direct them to Clinton District Activities Director Alex Johnson at ajohnson@clintoncardinals.org.
Johnson explained the decision at a meeting Monday night, saying: “We want our student-athletes and coaches in the sport of football to find success both on and off the field. This decision helps them to develop as young men both in the sport of football and as leaders for our school and community."
