Todd Beamer High School’s varsity football season has been curtailed, with the Federal Way school canceling the remainder of its league varsity schedule. The team will transition to playing at a junior varsity level for the rest of the season. This decision was made by the district, coaches, and administrators after the team faced a significant number of injuries, resulting in an "extremely thin" bench.
Despite the cancellation of its full varsity season, Todd Beamer recently played Hazen High School on October 16, securing an 18-13 victory at Renton Memorial Stadium. This game occurred as both schools had openings in their schedules due to their respective season cancellations.
The Titans' struggle with player numbers and injuries has been an ongoing "war of attrition" for the program since around the pandemic. This season, a severe injury count further exacerbated the situation for the Federal Way team. While Hazen, a Renton school, faced a different set of issues leading to its season's end, Todd Beamer's challenges specifically centered on player availability and a depleted roster.
Todd Beamer High School has an enrollment of 823 students. According to Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) guidelines, Class 2A schools typically have between 450 and 899 students, while Class 3A schools range from 900 to 1,200. Federal Way Public Schools applies for Beamer to play in the 3A classification, a decision made to place all of its high schools in the same competitive tier, despite Beamer's enrollment size falling within the 2A category.
The forfeiture of a football season, particularly at the varsity level, is a rarity, though athletic directors and coaches across Washington have observed similar challenges in other sports. Jon Price, Auburn High School athletic director and North Puget Sound League (NPSL) football commissioner, noted that while football draws more public attention, such issues are increasingly common in various athletic programs. Steve Valach, a 39-year coaching veteran at Liberty High School, expressed concern for the affected students and the broader negative impact on high school football programs statewide.
Coaches and league officials point to changing dynamics in high school football. Jacob Allie, head football coach at Lindbergh High School in Renton, a school with demographics and numbers similar to Todd Beamer's but playing in 2A, noted that the state of high school football in the area is "tough right now." Allie, along with Valach and Price, cited student transfers as a significant factor affecting player counts and program stability. Valach stated, "I don’t think the transfer thing has helped the forfeits at all."
Todd Beamer head coach Rodney McCurry has also highlighted that open enrollment policies impact Beamer athletics, as students may choose to attend other schools for various sports. Liberty High School, which has open enrollment, also sees players from other service areas. These factors contribute to the challenges of building and maintaining consistent rosters, especially for programs experiencing difficulties, making it harder to recover compared to previous decades. Coaches like Allie and Valach emphasize the importance of creating an environment where players want to be a part of a program and build a foundation for the future, amidst a modern emphasis on winning that comes at a higher price.
