Oakland's Skyline High cancels rest of football season as roster, injuries take toll

Once considered a Bay Area football, Skyline High School has canceled the remainder of its varsity football season, becoming the latest school in the region to shut down its program because of injuries, transfers and a shortage of healthy players.

The Oakland Hills school forfeited its previous two games after failing to field enough healthy players. MaxPreps had listed 22 players on the roster at the beginning of the season. But players on the team said they were down to roughly 14 healthy players after injuries and transfers.

For Skyline players, the decision was especially difficult because they had dedicated the season to the late coach John Beam, who built the Titans into one of Oakland's most successful football programs.

Sophomore Liam Camargo injured his right knee during Skyline's second game of the season against Healdsburg.

"In a game we were playing Healdsburg, I was in a dog pile, and a helmet ran into my knee," Camargo said.

The shortage of players eventually left Skyline unable to safely field a team. Football requires 11 players on offense and 11 on defense, in addition to special teams.

The team's coach called a meeting to tell the players the season was over.

"A lot of people started crying, a lot of heavy emotions," Camargo said of the team meeting when the coach announced the cancellation. "But at the end, we all came together and understood it was for the best."

Junior lineman Quincy Meadows also played through an injury. He hurt his shoulder in Skyline's first game but returned to play against Healdsburg in week two.

"I played against Healdsburg with a hurt shoulder, but I did good in that game. I was really active. I really loved it," Meadows said.

Some players who were recovering from injuries had hoped to return and finish the season. While they disagreed with the cancellation, they said they understood why the school made the decision.

"I think it's really unfortunate for Skyline, especially after John Beam and everything. We were really dedicating the season to him," Camargo said.

The cancellation represents a dramatic change for a program that once dominated Oakland football.

Under Beam, the Titans won 15 Oakland Athletic League titles and 11 Oakland Section championships. Skyline also had four undefeated seasons between 1987 and 2003.

"The legacy is disrupted a little bit," said John Sasaki, an Oakland Unified School District spokesman. "But we are very focused on making sure that there are enough players who want to play next year."

Skyline is not alone.

Six other Bay Area high schools have also canceled their varsity football seasons this year.

Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, Richmond High and John F. Kennedy High in Richmond canceled their seasons, citing a lack of players to safely field teams.

Irvington High School in Fremont also did not have enough players and was unable to hire a coach. James Lick High School in San Jose ended its season early, while Hollister High's football team was under investigation and also did not have enough players.

Sasaki said declining participation and concerns about football-related injuries are contributing to the challenges facing high school football programs.

"Kids aren't doing football as much anymore.  There are concerns about head injuries," Sasaki said. "That's no question that football is a pretty dangerous sport. That said, it's one of the most popular sports we have in the district."

Some parents discourage their children from playing because of concerns about concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Experts have also pointed to factors including lower birth rates and declining enrollment at some schools.

For Meadows, the loss of the season is about more than football.

"It's kind of sad to see, because this is a very beautiful game, a [team-oriented] game," he said.

Camargo is already looking ahead to next season and hopes Skyline can rebuild its football program.

"I can just get healthy and be ready for next season," Camargo said. 

For Skyline's upcoming homecoming, the school plans to shift the spotlight to volleyball and girls flag football.

School officials said Skyline plans to return to varsity football next year.