MANASSAS, Va. — Editor's Note: This video is from Oct. 2017 about the decline in football participation in youth.
The sweet sounds of whistles blowing, cheers from stands and the snapping on of the helmet will be missing at a Manassas high school this year as they had to cancel the season.
Manassas Park High School will not have football players take the field for the 2022-23 season due to a low participation rate. On Monday, the Manassas Park City Schools (MPCS) confirmed that the season was canceled.
"This decision was made after the school was not able to secure enough players for a team, and the head coach of the team resigned from his position over the weekend," Kara Grasser, director of communications at Manassas Park City Schools, said.
Randy Starks, who resigned on Sunday, was the head coach at the school for one season. The school finished the 2021 season with a 0-10 record.
The school is looking to hire a new head coach to build a competitive team for the 2023-24 school year.
"MPCS is committed to both the safety of our players, and to giving our students the best opportunities possible," Grasser said. "Our athletic department will continue to offer different opportunities for our players to train this year."
Manassas Park will continue to provide other activities for students this year, including marching band and cheerleading.
Now, the opponents that were supposed to play the high school have three options for the upcoming season. They can take a forfeit, play a nine game schedule, or reschedule and replace the game.
