The Great Neck North and South High School Varsity Football teams have united this year, leading the team to qualify for more games and develop more strategies for victory. Without this unity, parents, coaches, and athletes would have been increasingly concerned because of need for substitutes after athlete injuries. Statistically proven by Stanford Children’s Health, “Almost 215,000 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for football-related injuries.” Reports from “The Island Now”, show that this unease has led to a lack of players on the field, and a sharp decline of participants who have stopped trying out for this popular sport (The Island Now). David Zewatson, Director of the GNPS Department of Recreation, mentions that it takes a minimum of 18 students to form a legal game, but it was “not uncommon” for both schools to cancel upcoming games on account of being too small in quantity. The unification of the Great Neck varsity football team plays in the greater interest for both schools.

Great Neck North High School’s Athletic Director Eamonn Flood, mentioned that while the daily transition does extract valuable practice time from the team schedule, it pays off in the long run when the players can safely cover more positions on the field. Currently, the joint team has 37 players, saving both schools from being disqualified from certain games.

Despite the decreasing trend of participants in football, Coach Flood indicates a rise in tryouts of other sports, such as badminton, volleyball, lacrosse, and soccer. These sports have athletes who “Vote with their feet” and pursue interests in other athletic activities offered in the school.

While unfortunately, the general trend of football players in the school district has declined, other athletics have generated more participants.