DRACUT – The football program at Dracut High School is in danger. The athletic director gave the team Wednesday 24 hours to sign more athletes or the program would be terminated because there were only 16 players on the roster.
Logan Anello, who was eager to play football with his older brother Connor, remarked that there is nothing quite like Friday night lights.
Logan and Connor’s mother, Amy Anello, expressed her desire for both last names to be used.
Logan remarked, “I wanted to play with him for a year.
There aren’t enough students at the school to field a team.
Neala Richardson tells WBZ they’ve spoken to the school administration about potential options, like encouraging charter school students who reside in town to participate for the squad. “This year it dwindled to a bleak number of about 16 that can play and that’s not enough for a football team,” she adds.
“We did discuss our worries with the AD and principal. Although they were heard, we didn’t really receive any definitive explanations for why the collaboration isn’t progressing, according to Richardson.
Football participation is declining everywhere, not just in Dracut.
The National Federation of State High School Associations reported a 3% countrywide decline in boys 11-player football participation in October 2022.
Dracut parents accuse health and safety
“Since COVID, things have changed, and the population has been declining. Naturally, I would never claim that there isn’t a cause if brain injuries and concussions started to gain attention, said Richardson.
According to Boston University research, 40% of young players who died before the age of 30 and were subjected to repetitive head traumas from sports developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
Dr. Dan Daneshvar, the study’s co-author, concluded that football was mostly to blame.
“Whatever touches your head doesn’t matter. You are at risk for developing CTE if you sustain repeated blows to the brain, according to Dr. Daneshvar, a researcher at Boston University School of Medicine.
Parents are parents and will defend their children, so of course that plays a part, adds Richardson.
While their children practice on the field, parents assert that they will continue to fight for the season off it.
Richardson claims that it would be wrong to allow the football tradition in Dracut disappear.
Parents are organizing a rally at the high school on Thursday to call on the administration to permit students from schools other than Dracut High to play on the team.
WBZ did get in touch with the school’s leadership. We didn’t get a response right away.
