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Highland Football Coach Resigns Over Player Safety Concerns, Program Cancels Upcoming Games
RIVERSIDE, Iowa — In a striking move that underscores growing concerns over player safety and declining participation in high school football, Highland High School head football coach Cory Quail announced his resignation Wednesday night. Quail cited an unsustainable and unsafe playing environment as the primary reason for stepping down.
The coach made the announcement in a candid Facebook post, stating that his resignation was intended to protect student-athletes and potentially push school leadership to halt football activities for the remainder of the season.
> “I tendered my resignation with hope that it would force the decision to not play another football game this season for player protection,” Quail wrote. “Participation numbers are low and injuries have accrued. It was not safe to be out on that field last Friday night and anyone who saw us trying to put receivers in lineman jerseys would agree. That scenario will not change over the course of this year.”
Safety Over Competition
The resignation follows Highland’s 40-7 loss to Wapello last Friday night — a game that, according to Quail, pushed the team to the brink of safe play. With injuries mounting and only 21 players listed on the team’s online roster, the program was forced to make difficult adjustments, including playing athletes out of position simply to field a complete team.
> “I will not put our kids in an unsafe place to selfishly build ego for competition,” Quail stated in his post.
Program Response: Games Cancelled
Following Quail’s resignation, Highland Community Schools announced it had canceled its next two football games, according to a report from the Southeast Iowa Union. The school did not immediately confirm whether the remainder of the season would be canceled, and calls to the district office on Thursday morning were not returned.
The Highland Huskies started the 2025 season 0-2, with an opening loss to Martensdale-St. Mary’s (13-0) followed by the lopsided defeat at Wapello.
Coach Remains Committed to Students
Despite stepping away from the football sidelines, Coach Quail emphasized that he is not walking away from Highland or its students. He will remain at the school as a physical education teacher and continue leading the strength and conditioning programs, focusing on building athletes in a safe and supportive environment.
> “To say that I’ve quit on our kids would be wildly inaccurate,” he wrote. “We are not going to let this one unfortunate situation define Highland. We will continue to show up and do work for the betterment of our kids.”
A Growing Trend in High School Football
Highland is not alone in facing these challenges. Earlier this season, Siouxland Christian School also canceled its football season after just one game, citing similar issues with low participation and concerns for player safety. These incidents reflect a broader trend in small-school football programs struggling to maintain safe roster sizes amid declining participation and increased awareness of injury risks — particularly concussions and other long-term health concerns.
As the conversation around high school football safety continues, Coach Quail’s decision has resonated with many in the Iowa sports community, highlighting the difficult balance between tradition, competition, and the responsibility to protect student-athletes.
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