Oberlin did not play the 2026 high school football in Ohio because its participation numbers dropped below a safe level. It also decided to move on from head coach Rob Oursler, who found out he was fired on the internet.
The school did not inform him of the ouster before it informed the local news.
Not only did the administration fail to tell the high school football coach why he was fired, it also did not tell him why. Not great.
Oberlin canceled its high school football season.
Oberlin High School is a public high school in Oberlin, Ohio. It partners with nearby Oberlin College to offer free college tuition for students who live within the local school district and attend the high school for all four years. That offer applies to less than 70 students each year. Total enrollment typically hovers around 220 students in grades 9-12.
The Phoenix compete in Division VII of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) for football. They are members of the Lorain County League. Just not this year. They didn’t play this year.
Oberlin announced at the beginning of August that it did not have enough players to field a varsity high school football team in 2026. According to the school district, 14 students attended a football interest meeting on July 29. That gave the administration optimism that there would be enough players to move forward. However, only 6-8 players showed up to the first day of practice.
Athletic director Julian Acosta-Gorman worked alongside the district to explore every reasonable option to play. They ultimately decided that they could not safely field a varsity team with such limited participation.
Parents and upperclassmen players were furious with the decision, especially the timing. Senior players were forced to scramble to find a nearby high school football program that would let them play in 2026. I don’t know whether they did.
Head coach Rob Oursler is fired.
Oberlin High School hired Rob Oursler as the varsity football coach on April 29, 2026. He took over as head coach after two seasons as an assistant. He was fired after less than six months. The decision was announced publicly on Tuesday.
The Lorain Morning Journal published an article titled: ‘Oberlin looks for a new football coach, doesn’t plan to play eight-man football.” It revealed the school’s plans to move on from Oursler, which marks the fifth head coaching search since 2021.
Oursler, who has yet to coach a game for the Phoenix, did not know he was let go until he read the Morning Journal’s article.
“I had every intention of continuing to coach football at Oberlin City Schools. I was disappointed to learn through a public article that I would be replaced, especially since no one from the district had a direct conversation with me or provided an explanation regarding the decision.”
Acosta-Gorman apologized for how the events transpired in a statement to the publication.
“I acknowledge that communication regarding this situation fell short of what Coach Oursler deserved and I take full responsibility for that. As I have expressed to him personally, I sincerely apologized for how it was handled. There is no excuse for the breakdown in communication.
“I have a great deal of respect for coach Oursler and appreciate his dedication to our student-athletes and Oberlin Athletics. I remain committed to learning from this and ensuring better communication moving forward.”
Oursler, who also works as a building sub, JV boys basketball coach and flag football coach at Oberlin, took the high road.
“My passion for coaching and developing student-athletes has not changed. I remain committed to the other programs I coach at Oberlin City Schools and will continue to support those athletes and their development. I am proud of the time and effort I have invested in coaching and I will continue to stand by my values I believe are important both on and off the field.”
It is unclear as to why the administration decided to move on from Oursler before his first game. A reason was not provided.