Selma High School freshman football season cut short

SELMA, Calif. (KFSN) -- According to their athletic director, the Selma Bears freshmen football team has already played six of seven games, but he says the last game of the season was canceled.

Up until recently, Selma High School varsity football player Isaiah Smith says he wasn't working as hard as he should have been, and getting lazy with school work.

"Junior year I had to flip the switch and now as a senior I'm eligible and doing good -- on the right track"

Smith wasn't academically eligible to play football, which he says requires a 2.5 GPA at Selma High School. Now he's part of a winning team with a few more games left in the season.

Smith says there are only a couple academically ineligible players on the varsity team. But he's heard about the freshman team, whose season was cut short because at least a dozen players aren't academically eligible.

"It's sad to know that those that are academically eligible they just can't play because half of your team is just not doing the work that they're supposed to do,"said Smith.

Selma Unified's superintendent would not release how many students were ineligible and why. She says safety is a high priority for students, and was the basis for the decision to cancel the last game of the season. Smith understands that reasoning, and believes there are no excuses for the players' grades, even if they are freshmen.

"Just don't slack off with your work, just stay on top of it because in the end, you're only hurting yourself, you're not hurting anybody else."

If they can work and play hard, and turn things around, maybe, they'll play under the big lights.

Selma Unified's athletic director said it's a privilege to offer freshman football, and wants to continue to do so, but that decision will be based on many factors, saying they'll do what's best for their student athletes.