After five seasons, which included a surprising region championship in 2006 followed by TSSAA sanctions last fall, Tennessee Temple Academy has announced it will drop its football program effective immediately.
“This decision is in the best interest of our school and athletic program,” Temple athletic director Caleb Marcum said. “Football is a very expensive sport to maintain. We’ve lost money every year we’ve had football, and that takes a toll.
“We are all in agreement as an administration at the school that this was the best decision. I hate to do it, but we don’t have much choice. Instead of hiring a new coach and trying to keep the program going for one more year, we just decided it was time to give it up.”
According to Marcum the football program was an annual expense of between $15,000-$20,000. After struggling to have enough players to field a competitive team last season, the Crusaders also had fewer than 20 kids currently signed up for spring practice.
Because this fall is the second year for all TSSAA school’s two-year football contracts, Temple must also pay the three teams within its region which were scheduled to host the Crusaders $1,500 each to make up for lost revenue.
Stephen has covered high school sports in the tri-state area since the early 1990s, starting at the News-Free Press as a 19-year-old reporter. He has been with the Times Free Press since its inception and has been an assistant sports editor for more than seven years. Stephen is among the most decorated writers in the TFP’s newsroom, winning numerous state and regional awards for his writing on high school athletics. He has two children, Riley ...
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