TRIMBLE CO., Ky. (WHAS11) -- There will be no more football under the lights on Friday nights at Trimble County High School this year. Superintendent Steve Miracle announced there's not enough interest among students.
"This really was about the numbers and the level of experience and ability of the students and really the final decision is about student safety," Miracle said.
Miracle told WHAS11 about seven upperclassmen were experienced enough to play varsity out of the 20 who showed up for Monday practice, but that's not enough to even field a complete offense or defense. Miracle defended his decision after talking with the district's athletic director.
"Some of those players themselves have the same concern we do for their safety or their own level of competitiveness on the field with the numbers that we have," Miracle said.
Bedford mayor Todd Pollock's two sons played for the district. He says he's seen a decline in the county population over the years and wants to invest in economic development opportunities to boost the population, which he hopes will boost interest in athletics.
"We have to be looking ahead at the next 20 years or it's just going to continue to decline," Pollock said.
For now, the short-term solution is to sack the football program as the superintendent looks for a turnaround in the spring. "We'll work starting now to get through the rest of the year and try to build up the interest and get some students who are committed to come out so that we can hopefully have them out on this field next year," Miracle said.