No more football for one Memphis high school: leaders cite lack of money for decision

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Friday night lights have come to an end for two Memphis schools.

Freedom Prep officials just announced they’re ending their football program at both their middle and high schools.

The school has a fairly new football program, the inaugural season was in 2017.

According to a letter sent to parents May 22nd said school officials decided to shut down the program at both the middle and high school to ensure financial stability and “ensure the equitable distribution of resources across all programs-athletics, arts, and academics.”

“For them to take this program from them it’s saddening,” said Tierra Malone whose son played for the middle school.

“Yesterday they’ve been practicing, if y’all knew y’all were going to do this why have our boys practicing? They live for this. This all they talk about on social media. They’re on the phone with each other. Football is something all some of these boys have,” said Malone.

Freedom Prep officials say they will continue a number of sports at the schools including baseball, soccer, volleyball, rugby, golf and track.

As far as their football program, school leaders said in the letter to parents that they will enter into a co-op program with another local school.

It did not say which one.

A Freedom Prep spokesperson sent us this statement late Thursday afternoon:

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