Lincoln Public Schools Athletic officials have decided to cancel the remaining Lincoln Northwest High School varsity football games for the 2022 season. Northwest will still compete in freshmen, reserve and junior varsity level games this fall.
“We understand there may be disappointment behind this decision,” says JJ Toczek, LPS athletic and activities director. “The Falcons have experienced a number of injuries and we are unsure about timelines for when students will be able to return. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution and with student safety as our focus, we’ve decided to forfeit the remainder of the Northwest varsity football games.”
With approximately 75 students on the team, 15 student-athletes are currently out for various illnesses and injuries. These are injuries that either limit or prohibit an athlete’s ability to return to the team in the immediate future and there is an unclear timeline of possible return to play. Of the 60 students remaining on the roster, 36 are freshmen, 12 are sophomores, and 12 are juniors.
Only a few of the Northwest players have any varsity experience, and even more have never played organized football prior to this year. “We want our student-athletes to be safe and have a positive experience on and off the field to help them build their passion for the game. Our players will still be able to compete in junior varsity, reserve and freshmen competitions to build their experience as a team and player’s skills for future years, Toczek says.”