Park View High School will not have a varsity football team this season, due to lack of interest. While Park View will have a JV football team, only 18 players tried out for the Varsity team, nine of which never played football before.

“This decision was made by the Park View administration and the Loudoun County Public Schools athletic supervisor,” said Wayde Byard, the public information officer for LCPS.

While lack of participation and interest was the main reason to not have a varsity team, safety also became an issue as only having 18 players is very dangerous for those athletes. As Byard said, “VHSL recommends that high schools not field a varsity [football] team if they have less than 25 players.”

Byard spoke more on the issue of safety plaguing Park View’s season saying, “Sports should [have] a positive enhancement to the high school experience. This is not the case if student safety isn’t taken into consideration.”

The decision to have a JV team instead of a Varsity team was made because, “It would not be competitive, or safe, to have younger players competing against experienced varsity players,” said Byard. The program is putting a lot of work into this JV team, with Park View principal Kirk Dolson saying, “We are working to provide a great experience and atmosphere for our current JV team to excel and build.”

Still, Park View is planning to get their team back as Byard said, “The plan is for Park View to play a modified junior varsity schedule next year with the varsity program returning in 2020.” Dolson commented on this independent schedule saying, “The schedule [for next season] is made up of teams that we choose.”

Park View is also planning to strengthen their football team in new and unique ways. One of these ways is, Dolson said, “Working closely with our feeder program (LLBFL).” This way Park View can hopefully get students who will one day attend Park View to get into football earlier.

The loss of the football team is felt by the whole Park View community. Mr. Dolson explains, “Students are rallying together in support and believe it is a collective effort to work together to build as an overall program. The support that we have received from alumni, the community, and the school system has been amazing and much appreciated.”

For Park View athletes who still wish to play football on the varsity level, they can make the choice to transfer to Dominion and play for the Dominion High School football team. The athletic director of Dominion, Dwayne Peters, says, “Only nine players were eligible to transfer and all nine did.”

VHSL also waived the transfer ruler that requires athletes to sit out a season if they transfer without changing residence. Byard said, “The upperclassmen on Park View’s football team were allowed to transfer to Dominion, without penalty, by August 10[th].”

Besides the nine students transferring to Park View, the only other way that this affects Dominion is that “We lose one game [cut from the Dominion schedule], but we are in the process of trying to find a replacement,” Peters said.

These athletes will be supported by the Dominion community, Peters said, “We are looking forward [to] these players becoming Titans. All the players that will be joining the Titan family will be accepted with open arms and have a chance to compete for playing time just like any other athlete would. They are part of the Titan family now.”