Yesterday the Maplewood Board of Education announced it has canceled the Maplewood Richmond Heights football program, for at least the 2015-16 season. That means no football for any individual player as well, at any school, according to the Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA).
Citing low interest, MRH Board of Education President Nelson Mitten, said student safety was a concern. The announcement also stated that other MRH fall season sports for boys, such as soccer and cross county, are seeing record numbers.
According to Missouri State High School Athletic Association rules, students from MRH can’t play for another school. “Students can only play for the school in which they are enrolled at,” MSHSAA Associate Executive Director Harvey Richards said in an email on Thursday.
Update: MRH could join with Brentwood, but not next year
MSHSAA Communications Director Jason West, said in a second email that technically MRH could form a cooperative agreement with an adjacent school district for any sport or activity they wish.
But he said there are “howevers” for the sport of football.
In a co-op, the enrollments of both schools are combined for a “new” total to be used in determining what classification the “new” team would fall into. If the new enrollment total moved the “team” into a different classification, the MSHSAA Board of Directors would not allow the co-op if it was during the second year of a two-year classification cycle, as the 2015 season will be, West said.
“For example, using the scenario you are asking about… MRH and Brentwood could form a co-op,” he said.
“Brentwood’s enrollment (235) would be added to MRH’s enrollment (349) for a new total of 584. Separately, those enrollments put both schools Class 2. The new enrollment would put the “team” in Class 3. Since the classifications are already set for this cycle, the co-op would not be allowed.”
See also: MRH football to forfeit game due to injuries, Brentwood downs MRH in first-round football districts
The combined enrollment is only 584 students? Why not just merge the 2 school districts entirely?
A co-op with Brentwood? How about admitting that the administration and school officals turned the other cheek and allowed the Boys football and basketball teams to become Mathews-Dickey Boys Club West while schools (sometimes to their own detriment) like Brentwood played by the rules. Lots of great kids didn’t play because they weren’t big enough or fast enough and nobody cared because the good times rolled. The football coach a few years back literally admitted the past teams cheated and no one said anything. Please go CO-OP with another district , Brentwood ain’t interested.
“…in which they are enrolled at.” Seriously?? Figures that an athletic director would end a sentence with an unnecessary preposition.
That is the kind of grammar up with which I will not put.