Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Logan Municipal Schools board voted reluctantly to drop its football program from its current eight-man format to the six-man division for two years starting in 2024 due to declining participation.
The vote was 4-1, with Kene Terry casting the only “no” vote during the board’s Nov. 13 meeting. Terry said he wanted to table the item until a later date.
Athletic director Billy Burns recommended Logan going to six-man football because of projected low participation numbers by underclassmen and junior-high students. He faced a Nov. 29 deadline from the New Mexico Activities Association whether to commit to eight-man or six-man football for the 2024 season.
Burns said by the 2025 season, the Longhorns were projected to have just three seniors, five juniors and one sophomore on the team.
Burns said with future varsity rosters likely being thin, a few injuries or academically ineligible players would force the team to forfeit games and perhaps an entire season.
Terry said he wondered whether the program can “weather” low participation numbers until those totals improve with future classes.
“I don’t believe we can weather it,” Burns replied. “You’re one or two injuries from losing your season.”
Burns said Longhorns coaches Dwayne Roberts and Kyle Griffiths saw the problem coming and would accept a transition to six-man. Roberts also once coached a six-man squad at Mountainair, he said.
“They’re rather have football than the risk of not having football,” Burns said.
Board President Laurie Strebeck, reading the report by Burns on participation numbers, noted 50% of Logan’s boys aren’t playing football.
Burns attributed the drop-off in participation due to parents fearing injury. He said one Logan athlete won’t play the sport because his cousin is “a vegetable” after a football injury.
Concern has grown in recent years over the long-term health effects of concussions in football. A report last year by the Boston University CTE Center found chronic traumatic encephalopathy was in the brains of 345 of 376 of deceased former NFL players. The NFL has implemented rule changes to reduce collisions to the head.
Participation in youth football began trending down starting in 2010, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, in the wake of reports of head injuries among former professional players.
Burns said going to six-man actually would make it easier with scheduling. Grady, Roy-Mosquero, Floyd, Dora, Elida and Gateway Christian all play six-man football.
Burns also noted Texas allows six-man football and not eight-man, giving Logan another scheduling option.
He said going to six-man football favors speed. Because of Logan’s strong tradition in track and field, “I believe we’ll be very competitive” in such a format, Burns said.
Burns acknowledged the Longhorns were at a disadvantage size-wise against several eight-man teams this past season, including district foes Melrose and Fort Sumner.
Burns said several Logan athletes told him they’ll go out for football if the team goes to six-man.
He said Logan can return to eight-man football if projected participation numbers improve by the end of the 2025 season.
Several board members voiced their reluctance to go to six-man football but admitted the participation numbers weren’t in the program’s favor to remain in eight-man.
“I don’t know if holding on to that is worth the risk of losing the program,” board member Toby Willis said. “I don’t want to see us lose football.
“I don’t like it, but we don’t have a choice. I don’t want to rob these kids of the chance to play.”
A few minutes after saying “I’d rather keep football,” board member Tom Humble made the ultimately successful motion to move Logan from eight-man to six-man football.
Logan may not be alone in dropping to a smaller format. At recent district meetings, Burns said officials from Fort Sumner said they were unsure whether they would be able to stay in its current eight-man format due to declining numbers.
Burns said Escalante and Hagerman also were considering moving from 11-man football to eight-man.