It appears a 57-year-old tradition is over at Hugh Boyd Secondary.
A decision was made this week not to continue with the school’s varsity football program for the 2018 season which would have started in September.
A letter from Boyd principal Ravinder Johal was emailed to players and parents on Wednesday afternoon and also posted on the school’s website:
“This was not an easy decision and every effort was made by our coaching staff to ensure a team was possible.
“The decision came down to the number of players willing to commit to playing football.
“We are saddened that Hugh Boyd Football has come to an end, however, it is a testament to our local community and committed coaches that it has thrived for so long. We know that football programs in the province and across the country, particularly in urban areas, are struggling to field teams.
“Thank you to the Haddow brothers, (teachers) Mr. Miller, Mr. Aura, and all of our community coaches for their time devoted to Boyd Football. We also appreciate the work of staff and parents who supported our players both on and off the football field.”
A city that had a rich high school football tradition, dating back to the 1960s now has no teams. Programs at Steveston High, RC Palmer and Richmond High all folded in the last three decades — reflecting the city’s immense change in demographics.
The Trojans program, launched in 1960, somehow marched on under longtime teachers and coaches Bill and Bruce Haddow — fielding teams at the senior and junior levels — since the mid-1990s when all Richmond secondary schools went Grades 8-12.
A partnership was recently struck with Richmond Minor Football for junior age players to play at the community level before coming to Boyd — leaving the school with just the one team in operation in addition to an introductory Grade 8 program in the spring.
Then the Haddow brothers announced the 2017 season would be the final chapter of their remarkable coaching careers that spanned over 40 years. The campaign concluded with a loss in the provincial quarter-finals last November at B.C. Place Stadium.
Bill is in his final days of teaching at Boyd and will be working part-time for the Surrey School District next year. It will allow him to be closer to home and spend more time with his growing business — White Rock Beach Beer Company. Bruce is also expected to retire from Boyd sometime next year.
The decision not to continue with the senior team came shortly after last month’s spring camp that attracted just over 20 players for the daily after school sessions.
Those numbers needed be closer to 30 for the program to continue. However, there was also some uncertainty who would oversee the team moving forward after an apparent successor to the Haddows was accepted to a university back east.
When reached for comment on Thursday afternoon, Bill says he is extremely disappointed with the decision, nearly admitting he never would have walked away knowing this is what the outcome would be so soon.
“I left thinking the program was in reasonably good shape and always assumed someone would step up (and take on the head coaching role) if it really came down to it,” he said. “In this day in age, you are never going to get a great turnout of kids in the spring. They are just way too busy with other things.
“Our low enrolment numbers don’t help either. I just feel really bad for the kids who have been with the program for the last four years and now don’t get their Grade 12 year.”
The decision being made in early June allows student athletes who wish to continue their football career to transfer although South Delta Secondary in Tsawwassen is the nearest public school option.
