News Summary

Middle Park High School in Colorado has decided to forgo having a varsity football team for the upcoming 2025 fall season, opting instead for a junior varsity team. This decision comes after safety concerns were raised regarding insufficient player numbers and past injuries. The athletic director emphasized player safety as a priority, and the program aims to build skills and enthusiasm through a full junior varsity schedule. Despite the setback, support for the football program remains strong as the school looks to reinforce its varsity team by the 2026-27 season.

Middle Park High School Football Takes a Break for Safety Concerns

A little town in the heart of Colorado, Middle Park, is making headlines as the local high school, Middle Park High School, announced it will not have a varsity football team for the upcoming 2025 fall season. Instead, the school will be rolling with a junior varsity (JV) team to keep the spirit of football alive, albeit with a few adjustments to ensure player safety.

Safety First

The decision came directly from the district’s athletic director, who voiced that maintaining player safety was of utmost importance. Concerns about insufficient roster sizes and safety were initially raised by the former football head coach, indicating that they simply did not have enough qualified players to compete safely in the 2A West League. It turned out that injuries and player ineligibility led to the varsity team having to borrow from the junior varsity squad during last season, which isn’t exactly ideal when it comes to safety.

A Tough Season Behind Them

Last season was a tough one for the Middle Park varsity football team, which ended the season with a disappointing record of 1-8. Their only taste of victory was a 28-6 win against Estes Park, while the losses included some heavy defeats, such as a 40-2 game against Aspen and a 40-0 shutout against Steamboat Springs. With such a rocky season behind them, the athletic director decided it was crucial to reassess the structure of the football program.

Looking at the Roster

There’s a silver lining, though! The athletic director is optimistic about the coming years, acknowledging that the current roster is not set up well for safe varsity play. Next season, they anticipate that many of the potential varsity players will be freshmen with little to no experience in high school football. The junior varsity team was also hit hard last season, managing to squeeze in only one game out of five due to cancellations and a lack of sufficient numbers.

What’s Next for Football fans?

A crucial aspect of making the decision to eliminate the varsity team early was to ensure a full game schedule for the junior varsity roster. They’re gearing up for a total of seven games this season, designed to build skills and enthusiasm for the sport among newer players. Interestingly, there’s a wave of excitement as a significant number of eighth graders and seventh graders interested in football are expected to join the program next year.

A Chance to Play Elsewhere

For the varsity players, it’s not the end of the road! Many were informed about the “player without a team” program, which allows them to try out for other schools. This means that the guys who were ready for varsity action have the option to join West Grand High School’s team or the junior varsity squad at Middle Park. In fact, a number of players are already leaning toward joining West Grand, and four seniors are gearing up to try out there. It seems like there’s still hope for those who want to continue playing at a higher level.

Looking Ahead

Hopes are high at Middle Park High School that this hiatus from varsity football will be a short one, with aspirations to reinstate the team for the 2026-27 season. As the district searches for a new head coach to lead the program back to success, everyone is crossing their fingers that this little break will pave the way for a stronger football presence in the years to come.

In this friendly community, support for the football program remains strong, and who knows? Football is about teamwork, resilience, and determination, and it seems that the spirit of Middle Park might just be gearing up for a fantastic return!

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