The Illinois School For the Deaf announced in a press release at the beginning of the month that it will be cutting 4 sports at the school next year.
Julee M. Nist, ISD superintendent, wrote on December 9th in the release, “It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce ISD will not be able to offer a few sports for next year due to lack of student interest. Our numbers are just not there to be able to field a team in the following sports: football, volleyball, basketball and cheerleading.” Track & Field will continue to be offered at the school.
Nist said that it had been a possibility at the school since she was hired three years ago. ISD started playing eight-man football games back in 2014 and was 2-4 in 2019. The Tigers’ final IHSA playoff appearance came in 1998 in Football. The school has offered football since 1885 and boys’ basketball since 1927.
ISD was founded in 1839 in Jacksonville.