Word from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu is that football is canceled for the spring.

The heads of the ILH met Friday and voted to cancel football, judo, water polo and kayaking. Football, judo and water polo are considered higher risk for COVID-19. Kayaking lacks the permits to work out and compete, according to ‘Iolani co-athletic director Eddie Maruyama.

Football had been postponed along with other fall sports in 2020. The hope was that it would start in the spring season. Longtime Saint Louis football coach Ron Lee had worried about the situation for months. The league heads met on Friday and athletic directors are scheduled to meet Monday.

“I don’t think they want the responsibility. That’s a lot of it,” Lee said.“There’s a board of nine. Dr. (Glenn) Medeiros, the Saint Louis representative, voted yes. I think he was the only one. We don’t get a say. The athletic directors and coaches were ready to go. Right now, they voted it down. I feel we were getting back to normal. At Saint Louis, I’ve watched all the basketball (exhibition) games. They practice. We’ve got baseball going. Football going. Soccer. It’s like a regular year. But they don’t allow us to play.”

Punahou interim football coach Leonard Lau also confirmed the news.

“The school sent emails out to all the families this evening,” Lau said. “Unfortunate, especially for our seniors, but we totally understand the decision and we’re not surprised. We’re grateful for everyone who tried their best to make it happen, especially our ILH football coordinator, Wendell Look.”

A source close to the board noted that football in private-school programs will have the flexibility to play in a “bubble” the way other canceled sports did, such as basketball. Saint Louis’ basketball team played a dozen exhibition games.

“That will be a school-to-school deal, so there still may be some games put together between schools who allow it,” the source said.

“I’m all for that,” Lee said of the concept of exhibition games. “We were talking about doing (exhibitions) just like basketball. That’s the next step. I just wish that the kids, I haven’t talked to them. We knew about the meeting. We were very optimistic. I’ll see them on Monday. I know they’ll be so disappointed. They’ve been working so hard for the last three months.

“Tuesdays and Thursdays. We practice with masks. Knock on wood, we’re OK. No cases for coaches and everybody. If you’re careful and we have sanitizers out there, wipe the balls, wear our masks, distancing, the whole 9 yards. It’s been great for the kids. Because of our administration at Saint Louis allowing us to work, kids in the elementary school, we’re as close to a normal school year as can be. I see it in the kids. The competition, being with their friends. It’s terrific.”

Lee has a message for the board.

“When do we go? When would it be OK to go? When we got no cases? Basketball’s good. Soccer finished, baseball’s ready to go. I think there’s a lot of being scared to take risks. I don’t know. You would have to ask them. Does the value of athletics override the vaccine now that the cases are down,” he said. “A lot of kids are going to Washington, Idaho, maybe Nevada. The ILH really could have showed some leadership in the state. I’m concerned now about May, June and July. Who’s going to make the call? Nobody wants to make the call. That’s what’s real disappointing.”

The exhibition basketball games between some schools included COVID-19 testing as a part of protocols.