TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) – A shocker within the Tuscaloosa County school district. Officials have announced there will be no more varsity sports at Holt High School starting the 2026-2027 school year.

A meeting is scheduled next week for parents and students to learn more.

According to county school district officials, the student ‘participation rate’ has been declining and cancelling varsity sports was not an easy decision.

“Decisions like that are never easy,” said Tuscaloosa County school district director of public relations Terri Brewer.

Never easy but a decision that had to be made; Tuscaloosa County school leader Terri Brewer says this was a ‘collaborative’ decision. They plan to go into further detail with parents and students Monday night at a meeting at Holt High School.

“I mean every school is different and this decision is looking at what is best decision for a student population at a school,” she said.

Just because varsity sports are being cancelled at Holt High, that is NOT the same as saying students at the school can’t play sports. Terri Brewer says there’s a plan for that.

“Students who want to participate at varsity sports who attend Holt High School depending on where they live would either have the opportunity to play at Brookwood High School or Tuscaloosa County High School and that decision is based on participation rates,” Brewer said.

Brewer also made a point to shoot down any and all rumors circulating on social media and on the streets that Holt High School is closing. That is absolutely NOT true, far from it.

“Holt High School is not closing. Holt High School is not dissolving. Students at Holt High School will have the opportunity to be at Holt High School moving forward. It is, in fact, one of our newest high schools,” said Brewer.

And a school that’s state-of-the-art but no sports starting the 2026-27 school year.

That meeting Monday night will be at Holt High School starting at 6 PM.//

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