The process and eligibility of trying out for the Metea Varsity and Junior Varsity football teams were recently changed by the school. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has also added rules that affect football player’s ability to express themselves visually.
New ways of trying out have been implemented this season. The main change was who was able to play on the teams. Freshmen can now only play on the freshman team and are no longer allowed to play on the Varsity team. Similarly, all sophomores will play on the Junior Varsity team. Juniors and seniors are automatically on the Varsity squad.
One of the main changes that was enacted is a restriction on the amount of eye black a player can put on their face. In past times, messages were banned from being written with eye black. Now, the IHSA has limited it to one line being drawn on the face.
IHSA is allowing football players to wear only two colors for the jersey and jersey numbers. .Football players have expressed their feelings about the new visual changes.
“Although it will not affect our game play, it’s more fun when you are able to express yourself when playing,” junior Spencer Gondek said.
