Gresham-Barlow School District Calls Audible

GRESHAM, Ore.- After opting-out of the upcoming high school football season last week, the Gresham-Barlow School District reversed course Tuesday and opted-in, “Sometimes the landscape changes, you step back and reflect…and make adjustments along the way. The football boys would say you call an audible at the line of scrimmage, and that’s what we did.”

Barlow High School principal Bruce Schmidt says new safety metrics released today allow for 11 man tackle football.

Gear will be checked out today, with practice starting tomorrow.

The first game will most likely be next Friday or Saturday.

Here’s more from the district:

Decision comes as COVID-19 school health safety metrics improve

The Gresham-Barlow School District announced today it will submit an OPT-IN plan for 11-on-11 football to the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Athletics and Activities Association (OSAA). This decision was made after the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released the latest school health safety metrics for Multnomah and Clackamas Counties February 23. The Clackamas County metrics (90.5 per 100,000)  makes the district eligible to participate in eleven man tackle football. The Multnomah County metrics (108.9 per 100,000) do not make the district eligible; however, the metrics are trending in the right direction.

Previously, the district had announced that Sam Barlow High School (SBHS) and Gresham High School (GHS) would be offering 7-on-7 football.  At that time, the school health safety metrics for Multnomah and Clackamas Counties did not make the district eligible to play 11-on-11 football unless Limited In-Person Instruction at the secondary level was in place. Limited In-Person Instruction will not be in place at the secondary level until March 8 in the Gresham-Barlow School District.

Practices for 11-on-11 football will begin February 24. SBHS and GHS are communicating with student athletes regarding the decision and the upcoming season.