Those who founded the Christian Athletic League of America and the Washtenaw Saints, did not do so because there were no opportunities for young men to play football. Rather, limited opportunities for some boys to play football and the negative way in which some teams were being administered created an opportunity to form a ministry. That ministry was to use all that the game of football has to offer, to help form and strengthen young men to face the world with the armor of Christian faith. Those of us who have inherited the mantle of league/team leadership have tried to live the ministry and never make it “all about the football.”
Some may remember that the first organized activities of the league involved retiring the jersey number “one” in the name of Jesus. This was intended to remind all those involved that we must always humble ourselves to the Lord’s will, despite our human desire to have things our own way. It is also a reminder that in the midst of the current uncertainty, suffering and strife, as the faithful we know that the battle is already won for us and that is news we need to share with a worried and distracted world.
We make this reflection having had to make some very difficult decisions about the season. As many of you know, we have always tried to keep fees low in the hopes of building up the largest number of participants possible. This means that our “savings account” is very limited and we count heavily on the player fees to pay for each season’s expenses. With that said, our liability insurance is set to annually renew on 8/15/20 at the cost of approximately $1,200 (the actual fee is based on the number of players within age groups, but this is a close estimate).
As you also may know, the Michigan High School Athletic Association has indicated it will make its next announcement about Fall sports around 8/20/20 and Michigan’s Governor has yet to issue definitive statements on allowing fall sports. This week, two additional NCAA conferences postponed football due to the health risks associated with Coronavirus. It is hard for us to imagine high school sports being allowed in the face of collegiate athletics having been postponed due to perceived health risks.
While we know that the many committed players who have been conditioning these past weeks want to play, the uncertainty surrounding the season comes in the face of the necessary payment of one of the largest financial obligations we face as a team, in the form of the liability insurance. Once paid, the insurance cost is non-refundable and our current policy cannot be extended for less than a year.
As stewards of the league’s resources and committed to refunding player fees with any future cancellation of the season, we have faced very difficult decisions. After much discussion and prayerful discernment, we have decided that the best option is to suspend all team activities after practice on Friday 8/14/20 and allow our liability insurance to lapse. We will then monitor the announcements that are expected next week and determine if positive changes suggest a different course of action.
The most difficult part of this decision is the feeling that we are not accomplishing the mission at the same time we are disappointing the players who want to play football. We are looking at the potential to direct players to another organization who may be able to organize flag football for those who may be interested. Details can be shared as they are developed, but this activity would not be under the activities of the league or the team.
If the season is cancelled, we would either refund the player fees paid or credit them to next season (at the player’s direction). We would ask that the fundraising fees be retained and credited to next season so that we can confidently purchase the helmets we need next Spring, rather than immediately before the start of our games (as is the situation today).
By suspending activities, rather than cancelling outright at this time, we are trying to be faithful until the door closes, but we must be candid in our sense that it is closing. But another tenet of faithfulness is to walk through doors that seem to suddenly open and see where they lead. Perhaps the Lord is opening another door. . .
In the meantime, keep up your conditioning and continue to build your strength and stamina at home. Let’s not be idle and instead use this time to exercise, study plays, watch old games to see what players do at our expected positions, etc.
We are as disappointed as all of you, but please continue to pray for our league, team, players, their families, for an end to the pandemic and for the whole world to grow closer to God through a meaningful relationship with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are open to thoughts or questions as we navigate the next couple of weeks.
Jesus, I trust in You.