After a low turnout, South Bend will play eight-man football beginning this fall.

South Bend Athletic Director Tom Sanchez and the football coaching staff made the decision after realizing they wouldn’t have the numbers they wanted to compete in 11-man football in the 2B Pacific Coastal League.

Sanchez said the lack of football players in the district has been on his radar for a while and that drove the district’s decision to switch to eight-man.

Sanchez added the negative media attention surrounding concussions and injuries can play a factor in low turnout, but noted that other communities around the Harbor aren’t having the same issues South Bend is having.

“Some places are football communities. Montesano is getting the same negative media about football everyone else is getting, but the kids still come out.”

The Indians are not that far removed from gridiron success. South Bend qualified for the state 2B tournament four times between 2006 and 2010 with the team winning a state title in 2010. The school had a population of 125 when it won state.

South Bend’s enrollment currently sits at 109.

The Indians went 2-6 with 18 players on the roster last season. Eight of the 18 were seniors and from what Sanchez can tell, they won’t come close to making that up with the incoming class.

Playing with a thin bench against some talented teams in the Pacific League took a toll on some of the younger players and Sanchez hopes playing against teams with a similar roster size will encourage a higher turnout.

“We’re hoping it’ll help the participation. Not that eight-man football isn’t competitive, but I think it’ll help the younger kids when they step on the field and don’t have the fear of God in them. I hope it’ll be a more positive experience for the kids.”

South Bend football will be a program without a league this year as the school’s request to join the 1B Coastal League was denied by the WIAA.

The WIAA denied the request based on enrollment thresholds. South Bend currently sits five students above the maximum required to compete in the 1B classification.

The WIAA allows schools classified as 1A or higher to drop down a classification if the school has a certain number of students receiving free and reduced lunch. On that basis, South Bend could drop down, but the WIAA is hesitant to allow that for the smallest classification, fearing a power imbalance against schools with approximately 100 or fewer students.

As a result, the Indians will play schools like Taholah and Wishkah Valley, but will not be eligible for any type of postseason play.

Sanchez was frustrated by the WIAA decision to deny the waiver and hopes that the economic status of his students can be considered in circumstances like this in the future.

“I understand the WIAA wants to protect the IB schools because they don’t have anywhere to move down to, but they are sending a mixed message,” he said. “They should take the socioeconomic stuff into account for the 2B schools.”

Despite this year’s ruling, South Bend plans to apply for the same waiver again next season.