Legion Collegiate Academy details why it’s pausing the school’s football program

Legion Collegiate Academy’s football program is no more — at least for now.

The decision was made this week by Legion’s school and athletic stakeholders, according to a statement released Friday by Pinnacle Charter School Management Group.

Pinnacle and Legion are calling the move a “pause.”

“The primary issues that led to the decision to pause the program are a limited number of student-athletes on the roster and remaining in the program, issues scheduling games and the lack of a football facility to play home games,” Pinnacle said in the statement.

The football program had fewer than 15 players on the roster when the decision was made, according to Pinnacle school support coordinator Ricky Hazel.

“We did not come to this decision lightly, nor do we expect this to be a permanent move,” Legion athletics director Rich Posipanko said as part of Friday’s statement

A group is being formed to address the issues that resulted in the pausing of the program, according to Friday’s statement.

The Lancers football program, which was led by former South Pointe head coach Strait Herron, went 15-14 overall in four seasons.

Legion Collegiate students will be allowed to play football “while competing for the high school in the district zone where they live,” according to the statement.

Legion’s sports teams compete in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association. According to Friday’s statement, the school will continue to offer baseball and softball teams as well as boys and girls sports teams for basketball, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and volleyball.