A Rhode Island football team refused to play a high school game last week for a rather unusual reason.
St. George's (RI) canceled last Friday's scheduled game with fellow Independent School League opponent Lawrence Academy (Mass). St. George's officials felt the players from Lawrence Academy were too large.
This is kind of like, say, Charlotte Christian refusing to play Raleigh Ravenscroft because Knights coaches felt the Ravens had too many players who were 6-5, 240.
St. George's officials expressed concern prior to canceling the game and Lawrence Academy offered to play at "half-speed" to prevent injury.
Ultimately, the half-speed option was not taken.
"This is strictly a safety issue,'' St. George's headmaster Eric Peterson told the Boston Globe. "We are trying to keep our kids reasonably safe in a game that can be terribly exciting but has risks."
Three league headmasters will determine whether or not the game counts as a forfeit or not.
According to the Boston Globe, three Lawrence Academy offensive linemen weigh between 300 and 350 pounds, much larger than St. George's kids.
St. George was winless last year but is 2-0 this year, pending the outcome of the forfeit (or not).
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
High School football team cancels game....because opponent was too big
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6 comments:
I think this is where my friend Malvey went to school, he said he played football at a tiny school...cute.
No disrespect to the team who declined playing in the game, but it does not send a good message to the players of the forfeiting team. High school athletics is more than just competing. If the principles of high school sports stand true then they are used to teach life lessons that include but not limited to hard work, and sportsmanship. Opponents in life may often be giants but you cant back down from the challenge.
For years they will now be taunted as " St. Sally's". That ought to toughen 'em up.
Does anyone stop to think that this is a private "prep" school and the parents are paying $130,000 for their kids to get an education and become well-rounded members of society, not handicapped or brain-dead? Did anyone do the research to see that there were 4 injuries to SG players in last year's game against Lawrence. Or that this has been being discussed for a year between the two schools. It was not an overnight decision, there apparently were many factors going into this. It sounds like it would not have been a game where a kid or 3 might sprain their ankle; one wrong play could have killed a kid. And if that happens, the school is liable. Now if the parent can afford 130k for school, I can only imagine what they'd pay a lawyer to win a 'wrongful death' suit.
Size Hurts!!!!But Speed Kills
St. George's officials expressed concern prior to canceling the game and Lawrence Academy offered to play at "half-speed" to prevent injury.
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