(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo High School girls’ softball season has been cancelled due to a shortage of players. NBHS Athletic Director Matt Johnson said the decision was made March 23rd after practice.

 

“We just didn’t have the numbers to be able to confidently field the team for the whole season,” he said.

 

Johnson said there were only seven or eight committed players showing up for every practice.  He said there were also no guarantees when two players from last year’s team would be physically able to compete due to injuries during the off-season.

 

The future eligibility of another player was also in doubt because of grades. The first game for the Lady Bison was supposed to be March 29 at Brandywine. Johnson said starting the season hoping to have enough players could have resulted in forfeiting a bunch of games.

 

“We needed to make the decision when we did so our opponents have the time to find other games,” he said.

 

Johnson said players on the team also have time now to play another spring sport if that’s what they wish to do. 

 

The plan is to field a team in future seasons by trying to increase turnout at the high school and in the youth leagues for children 14 and under. Johnson said youth league participation is high in the younger age brackets but starts tapering off some after 12.

 

“We just have to look and analyze to see where we’re missing that connection between when those girls stop playing and then we don’t get them at the high school level either,” he said.