Saints Returning to 11-Man Football in 2020 Season

St. Anne’s-Belfield School will return to an 11-man football season in the 2020 – 2021 school year. This return follows two years playing 8-man football as part of the Virginia Independent Schools Football League (VISFL).

“All along, our goal has been to ensure that football remains an educational, beneficial, and competitive part of our athletic program,” said Varsity Football Coach John Blake. “Our two years in eight-man football allowed us to develop critical components of a successful and sustainable football program moving forward.”

The move comes following conversations between Blake, Athletics Director Dewayne Robinson, and members of the St. Anne’s-Belfield School administration. With a reinvigorated Junior Varsity (JV) football program now part of the school’s athletics program, all felt the time was right to make the change.

St. Anne’s-Belfield School will compete independent of a conference in the 2020 season.

“We are thankful to the members of the VISFL, and were happy to have been a part of providing an alternate football experience for those struggling with numbers,” said Robinson. “It has served as a way to keep football alive in many schools and will hopefully continue to do so for years to come.”