Flags on playing rogue high school football
Some Connecticut families need to start playing defense in a game they might not know is even being played. Despite high school football being canceled by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and discouraged by health officials, rogue efforts to put athletes back in the game persist.
The concept is dangerous, elitist and selfish. Dangerous because football is high on the list of activities that would scorn efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Playing in hastily arranged independent leagues would also likely result in an uneven playing field in terms of the equipment being used.
Elitist because football is not an everyman sport. Raising funds for expensive equipment and other costs would favor families with financial resources. It would be another blow to equity among athletes.
Selfish because it shows disregard for other lives. Unlike a football left in the equipment bag after the clock runs out, an infected player not only can pass the coronavirus onto teammates and opponents alike, but can carry it off the field.
The desire to keep playing is emotional. In some cases, the very best players are anxious to show their skills on film for consideration by college recruiters. For them, scrubbing the season is devastating.
But if you can’t decode CIAC, FCIAC, SWC, SCC, ECC, etc., this football season still matters to you because it represents where yardage is gained or lost to stop the pandemic.
The Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference this week decided to replace full contact football with a 7on-7 alternative that focuses on passing and stops ball carriers with one-hand touch. In addition, strength challenges would be held.
This may not stop independent teams from trying to host their own games. Rumblings about such leagues started a few weeks ago, and have not been stifled.
The crowd noise should get louder with the news Wednesday that Meriden is marching forward with plans for a fall season. City officials are folding to the pressure of players considering the lure of club leagues.
They are defining several health standards that must be met, but are also poised to sanction the use of equipment, staff and fields. It’s hard to imagine a more blatant dismissal of the advice of health officials. Plenty of other families are also apparently willing to follow coaches over the advice of doctors. Donations are being raised on GoFundMe pages. Some high school coaches are endorsing independent leagues.
Technically, this can happen by exploiting loopholes in the rules to reopen Connecticut. We’re tossing multiple flags on the play.
There is one opponent on every field this fall — the pandemic. We can’t hold the line against it by letting recommendations slip through.
Encouraging pop-up football leagues is a step toward anarchy. Some coaches have, admirably, declared they will not be involved. This is the right time for more of them to demonstrate true leadership.
This form of independent tackle football is dangerous, elitist and selfish. Sack it before it gains yardage.
There is one opponent on every field this fall — the pandemic. We can’t hold the line against it by letting recommendations slip through.