On a unanimous vote, the West Central Board of Education approves 8-man football. High school principal and head football coach Jason Kirby says the move was spurred by declining enrollment and declining participation numbers. He says if the Heat would have stayed with 11-man football, it would have been a challenge to field both varsity and JV teams.
The move to 8-man football is effective next fall. West Central’s football schedule will be set by the Illinois 8-Man Football Association. Lincoln Trail Conference schools will now have to fill an open date on their schedules with the Heat moving to 8-man.