Upstate New York School Latest To Cancel Football Season

An upstate New York school district is the latest to end its varsity football season.

A Coxsackie-Athens School District has become the latest in New York to shut down its varsity football season, and the reasons hitting small schools across the state are adding up fast.

Coxsackie-Athens School District Cancels Football Season Mid-Year

a football sitting on top of a lush green field

The Coxsackie-Athens School District canceled the remainder of its 2026 varsity football season after injuries during a game against Greenwich left the team without enough healthy players to safely continue.

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There were 17 players at the start of the game, but injuries by halftime left Coxsackie-Athens without enough players to safely continue the game.

Superintendent Daniel Kalbfliesh determined it was simply unsafe to put them back on the field. The team had four games left on the schedule. He said the decision was not made lightly.

A Growing Problem Across New York

a football field with a crowd watching

Coxsackie-Athens is far from alone. Schools across New York State are dealing with similar issues. On Long Island, four separate programs have now canceled their 2026 varsity seasons.

Amityville Memorial High School canceled its varsity season citing preseason injuries, with Superintendent Gina Talbert saying the decision "centers entirely on student-athlete safety and the long-term health of the program."

The school has had a football program for over 100 years.

A football sitting on top of a field next to a sign

Port Jefferson initially canceled its varsity season before the state Education Department stepped in and said the team could merge with Rocky Point, making the joint team eligible for the postseason.

Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville canceled its season over the summer after head coach Cain Mack suddenly resigned, ending the program before it ever got started.

Jericho High School became the fourth Long Island program to fold, shutting down after just three games. Season-ending injuries, including torn ACLs and concussions, left the school without enough players to safely field a team.

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