Players are reeling after the Jan. 8 announcement of the dropping of Western Washington University’s football program.

Team members entered the meeting to find WWU President Bruce Shepard and athletic director Lynda Goodrich present. The announcement was made that Western would be dropping football, effective immediately.

Local players on the 2008 roster were Bothell High’s Tony Gardiner (senior quarterback), Zack Hekker (junior tight end) and Travis McKee (senior wide receiver) and Inglemoor High’s Caleb Jessup (junior linebacker).

WWU officials cited financial woes as reason for dropping the program. A statement was released on www.wwuvikings.com, the schools athletic Web site, soon after the announcement was made.

“We cannot ethically commit to maintaining a program based on the hope that additional significant funding might be found in the future,” the statement read. “The amount of money required to not only sustain the program today but also in the years to come, is not a realistic possibility given the tough economic times we’re currently facing.”

WWU did announce that players on scholarship would remain so for the duration of their eligibility.

Many players, however, are now scrambling to find another place to play football.

Football had been played at Western for more than 100 years, having begun in 1903, with the only stoppages coming during World War I and World War II. In those 98 seasons, the Vikings had a record of 383-380-34 and finished 2008 with a 6-5 record.

Western also won its first bowl game this season with a victory over the Colorado School of Mines in the Dixie Rotary Bowl.

The statement released on the WWU Web site makes it clear there is little chance for the football program to make a return, stating “Now that the decision has been made, it cannot be reversed.”