(WHTM) — A local high school will no longer be fielding a football team this year.

According to an announcement from Fairfield Superintendent Thomas Haupt, the Fairfield Area High School Knights will not play their remaining five games of the regular season due to safety concerns:

We want to provide an important update about the remainder of our 2024-2025 football season. After careful consideration, we have made the decision to announce the forfeiture of the remainder of the football season due to our inability to safely field a team. The decision was not made lightly, and we understand the disappointment this may cause our student-athletes, coaches, and community members who have supported our football program.

Please know that the health, safety and welfare of our students remain our top priority. We commend our student-athletes and coaching staff for their grit and determination throughout the season. Their hard work and dedication to the sport have been inspiring and we are proud of the effort they have put forth this season.

The Fairfield Area School District remains committed to supporting our student-athletes. We will continue to offer conditioning with the football coaches and staff for those who choose to participate, and we encourage our student-athletes to consider pursuing other athletic interests within the district for the remainder of the Fall season and beyond. Additionally, we understand Homecoming is an important event for our community, and we will be providing additional information regarding Homecoming in a future communication from the high school principal.

We appreciate your continued support of our student-athletes and your understanding during this difficult decision. Thank you for your unwavering support.

Thomas J. Haupt, Fairfield Superintendent

Participation numbers have dwindled at Fairfield for years.

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The school says the decision was not made lightly and they understand the disappointment of their student-athletes.

The team’s head coach, Keith Bruck, told abc27 that the school will determine how they proceed with their football program later this fall.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.