Parents of Cedar Park Christian High School made headlines after refusing to let their children play football against another school. The decision to forfeit came after Archbishop Murphy High’s football team defeated three opponents for a combined score of 170-0. Cedar Park parents are concerned for the physical safety of their children against a significantly larger and more powerful team.
“We are in agreement that to play Archbishop Murphy would compromise the best interest and safety of the players and be demoralizing by the certain and devastating defeat,” one parent wrote in an email asking their school to forfeit. “Football is a dangerous sport; however, this is an extreme and unnecessary risk that you are putting our sons in,” wrote another parent according to Fox News.
One parent gave Cedar Park a firm ultimatum saying “Please know that we will not be allowing [our sons] to suit up for the Archbishop game next Friday the 14th.” Their fear comes from the notable difference in size between the typical teens at Cedar Park and the larger athletes at Archbishop which rival professional players in height and weight. “We can’t put our 5-foot-8, 125-pound quarterback up against their nose tackle who happens to be 6 feet 5 inches and weighs over 330 pounds. He’s going to put that kid in the hospital,” said Stacey Morris, a parent at Cedar Park.