SEYMOUR — Trinity Lutheran High School’s football season has been canceled, school officials said Friday morning.
The Cougars were set to play Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter School Friday night, but the game and season were ended following a meeting with IHSAA officials on Thursday, Trinity principal Clayton Darlage said in a statement.
The team had five remaining games on its schedule, including the one scheduled for Friday.
The school was informed it was not compliant with IHSAA bylaws directed toward participation, Darlage said.
“In order to get back into compliance, we would lose too many players and not be able to adequately sustain a football team,” the statement read. “The arrangements made in previous years and communicated with the IHSAA concerning who participates on our football team are no longer in compliance with IHSAA bylaws directed toward participation.”
Cougars head coach Mike Wilson said players were “pretty devastated” when informed the program would end.
“They had worked so hard and were getting better every day,” he said.
It’s the second time the school has ended the program since it began in 2012. The Cougars canceled the program in 2015 due to low participation numbers. Some Trinity students competed with the Indianapolis Crimson Knights (home-schooled team) for the 2015 season.
In the 2016 season, the Crimson Knights played their games at Trinity’s football complex.
The program was brought back under the school’s name for the 2017 season and used some of the home-schooled players from the Crimson Knights. The 2018 roster also includes some home-schooled students.
“The hearts of these young men are hurting as football was a passion of theirs,” Darlage said. “These 21 young men will no longer get to strap on their pads and play the game that they love while growing in their faith and character at the same time. These 21 young men will no longer have devotions after football practice. Though their season was cut short, I pray that our Lord and Savior will guide and direct them in the days ahead.”
