South, southwest suburban high school football begins season amid weather and security challenges

Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox interrupted its typical social media posting habits of showcasing latest victories and school spirit Friday. the school took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to make a public service announcement.

“Please be aware - we have seen an uptick in scam links posted in the comments regarding streaming of games, tickets, and spirit wear,” the post read. “Any links we share will be in the original body of the post and not in the comments - if a link isn’t coming from our page, please do not click.”

Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn posted a similar warning to those interested in viewing the game.

“NEVER click on these links. They’re scams. If one of our events streams, WE will post a notice on this page,” the message from Aug. 25 reads.

These posts are the first of their kind to appear on either schools’ accounts. They are also just some of several oddities that signify how this year is unlike others for high school athletics in the south and southwest suburbs.

Between record temperatures and technology concerns, athletic programs have dealt with cancellations and changes to procedure to keep students and staff safe in the opening weeks of the 2023-2024 school year.

While Labor Day weekend is not forecast to reach the historic triple digits temperatures that some experienced earlier in the month, which altered practice procedures and postponed games, more schedule changes may be in store. Most high school games will take place on Friday, which is projected to only reach a high of 83 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. But Saturday and Sunday are forecast to reach highs of 89 and 93 degrees respectively.

Joe Reda, the athletic director for Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, said they brought everybody indoors Aug. 23 and 24 during that heat wave.

“Thursday we ended up canceling the soccer tournament we had here,” he said.

Bloom plays its football games Saturday mornings so its season opener may avoid disruptions caused by the weekend’s heat wave expected to hit later in the day.

Kevin McKeown, atheltic director at Andrew High School, said the Tinley Park school is monitoring upcoming weather conditions and more changes could be in store.

“We recognize we’re having some warm weather coming back into the area next week,” McKeown said. “Our coaches know to be responsive ... so we’re moving practices in doors (and) we’re reducing practices based on that.”

Other changes facing high school athletics come due to technology.

“We had cash sales at the gate last year. We are not planning on doing that this year,” said Marist High School’s athletic director Eric Simpson. Marist will demand that all attendees buy tickets online ahead of Friday’s game.

“We just think it is more efficient for everyone here at the building and that this is a trend that is overwhelmingly being used at entertainment venues across the country,” Simpson said.

Last year, Thornwood High School in South Holland beefed up its security measures following an incident at an early season football game led to two teenagers being detained, ABC7 reported at the time. The two students were students at other districts.

Now, Thornwood is maintaining a healthy list of precautions; some routine and others more strict than other schools. For example, no one may enter the game after halftime. There are also restrictions on from where spectators arriving in vehicles may enter the game, according to a rules and restrictions notice forwarded to the Daily Southtown.

Security measures at other schools including those in High School District 218, with Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Shepard in Palos Heights and Richards in Oak Lawn, are mostly unchanged, according to Bob McParland, public information specialist. But leadership says there is room to tighten security if deemed necessary.

McParland said the school does own mobile metal detectors.

“If we felt the need, we could use them for visitors to pass through entering our stadiums,” he said.

District 218 and other schools hope for a safe season of Friday night lights and, for some, Saturday sunlit mornings. Still, leadership confirms, scammers and outside threats are on high alert.