Football players and parents in the coastal Texas town of Sabine Pass were stunned this week when the local high school announced it had canceled the rest of its season.
Injuries – and a sparse roster to begin with – had left the Sabine Pass Sharks with just 11 healthy players after two games.
The Sharks lost a close game in their opener, but suffered a 50-0 defeat at the hands of Hull-Daisetta in week two. Four players were sent to the hospital with injuries through the first two weeks, according to the Beaumont Enterprise.
"Our factor was, based on the love and care for our kids, we don't want to see our kids hurt," said head coach and athletic director Justin Thibodeaux.
Still, the news was not welcome by players still on the team and their parents. The quarterback’s mother, Kaylan Smith, said she was disappointed because this is her son’s senior year.
“He just loves playing, he gets himself all riled up and ready to go and just play," she said. "It's just upsetting all the way around, I think, that they don’t have any opportunities to try to make any other games up.
"[My son] is not happy about it and neither are quite a few of the other players. It's tradition to play football and now we can't. It's a pastime around here."
Thibodeaux said it wasn't an easy decision for him, either.
"You want to have a football team and have something for the community to rally around and come to on Friday night and watch but weighing all that compared to the safety of our kids we felt it was our best interest to cancel rest of season," said Thibodeaux.
Even with the original 15 players, many of them were forced to play both offense and defense, which the coach said was too hard on their bodies.
Thibodeaux has high hopes for next year, though, with 13 middle-schoolers coming to the high school.
Sabine Pass was hit hard in 2017 when hurricane-turned-tropical-storm Harvey brought record flooding to the Texas coast. The Sharks were the last school to return to playing football after the storm, according to the Enterprise.
Several players left the team during the storm, and the roster was cut to 21 last year. Sabine Pass had 27 players suit up for a rare winning season the year before, according to the Enterprise.
Schools that will lose a game in District 12-2A Division II after the cancellation this year include:
- Colmesneil
- Evadale
- Grapeland
- Lovelady
- West Hardin
- Burkeville
From a Sabine Pass ISD news release...
I am writing this morning to provide and share an accurate communication regarding the status of the Sabine Pass Varsity football team.
On Monday September 17th the school Superintendent, Principals and myself met to discuss the future of the Varsity football team as related to the 2018 season.
When discussing the team, student safety was the utmost priority.
With low numbers and numerous injuries already sustained this season it was decided that playing at the varsity level would expose student athletes to a higher risk of injury and that participation posed a serious safety threat.
Sabine Pass will continue to grow the middle school program that will directly lead into the high school program.
We, as a district, have the obligation to provide each student with a safe learning environment, both in the classroom and on the competition field.
This decision was based on the love and care of our students.
Sincerely,
Jason Thibodeaux
Athletic Director