Petition created to resurrect NSU football season
NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) - On Oct. 26, Northwestern State University announced the cancellation of its football season and the resignation of Head Coach Brad Laird following the death of junior safety Ronnie Caldwell Jr.
The school cited the health and well-being of their players as the primary reason, but over the weekend, several players took to social media to speak out against the school’s decision, claiming if it were up to them, they would finish the season on the field.
NSU’s sophomore tight end, Travon Jones, started a petition in hopes of persuading the school to let the team finish out the remaining three games of the season. The petition has already received over 50 signatures.
Jones created the petition as a platform for the players saying:
“The fight to finish out the season is because it’ll give the athletes an outlet for the troubled times we’re facing. This is a life-changing decision we should have a say in.”
Players we have heard from said they want the petition to put pressure on the university to let the team carry out the rest of the season.
“We should have been playing football, playing the sport that we came here to play,” said Cadillac Rhone, a safety for the NSU Demons. “We sacrificed our time away from our family and loved ones and all the work that we put in everything, and we get to display that on the field and just Saturday…that’s all I could think about, just going out there and playing ball. I miss it already.”
KALB received this statement from Northwestern State’s athletic department in response to student-athletes speaking out against the season’s cancellation:
“We understand and respect the feelings of our players. They are fierce competitors and no doubt some wanted to get back on the field of play. At the end of the day we had to take the health and welfare of players and coaches into consideration when making this difficult decision. While not easy, we are confident we made the right call.”
NSU canceled the last four games of the season, including its homecoming game that was scheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 4.
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