Air Academy Coach Rejects Lutheran Game Citing Safety, While District Stays Silent

High school football in Colorado Springs has become a flashpoint for broader community tensions, with new evidence suggesting a rift between coaching staff and administration over how to handle allegations of racism. On Wednesday, internal emails obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act revealed that Air Academy High School’s head football coach, Waymond Jackson, explicitly refused to risk his players facing racial abuse by playing Lutheran High School of Parker. This disclosure comes days after the school publicly stated that a lack of sufficient coaches was the sole reason for forfeiting its Oct. 9 homecoming game, a decision that players later described as a protest against the conduct of Lutheran students and adults during a previous matchup.

The emails illustrate a clear division within Academy District 20, pitting Jackson’s desire for a visible stand against what appears to be an administrative preference for maintaining the status quo. In a message dated Oct. 5, Jackson told a district official that the decision was not merely about football, but about ensuring the safety of the district’s young people. He argued that as a Black man responsible for students, managers, and families, he would not knowingly send them into an environment where they might face racial abuse unless the allegations were thoroughly investigated and met with concrete accountability measures to prevent future incidents.

The root of the controversy traces back to a Sept. 24 game between Lutheran and Sand Creek High School, where several Sand Creek cheerleaders and their coach reported racist remarks and gestures from Lutheran spectators and community members. These accounts included references to Black cheerleaders as “Harriet Tubman,” the use of slurs, belts being whipped toward the visitors, and demands that they return to where they came from. Jackson also cited reports from Rampart High School staff, who described similar behavior from Lutheran attendees during games at two different levels of play, characterizing the conduct as disgusting and foul.

Jackson expressed frustration with the district’s lack of formal support for his decision, describing the silence as a slap in the face. He requested that the district formally back the forfeit and communicate this stance to both Lutheran and the Colorado High School Activities Association. However, other internal communications suggest the administration was less supportive. Flag football coach Barry Clark told a parent on Oct. 5 that the district would not back the school if it declined to play, while Assistant Superintendent Becky Harris directed Principal Amy Ripperger to respect Jackson’s decision but keep it from the staff and students. By Oct. 7, Ripperger had officially reported that no coaches were willing to coach on Friday night, aligning with the public explanation.

The district issued a statement on Oct. 8 claiming it had worked with both schools to hold the game by limiting visiting fans and adding security, attributing the forfeit to individual decisions affecting coaching participation. Communications chief Mark Belcher noted that staff emails do not always reflect official district positions. Meanwhile, Jackson remains unable to speak with the media directly. The CHSAA has since found that Lutheran spectators used discriminatory language across multiple events and has threatened suspension unless a corrective action plan is completed.

Lutheran executive director Dan Gehrke stated that the school condemns racism and intends to meet all CHSAA requirements, noting that they had offered a spectator plan and a coaches' meeting. He expressed regret that students lost the opportunity to compete. Coronado High School also forfeited its game against Lutheran. As the controversy continues, a parent coalition has launched an online fundraiser for security and legal action, raising over $53,000 toward a $500,000 goal as of Thursday.

Lutheran is scheduled to play Montrose on Friday, marking its first game since the controversy emerged. The outcome of this matchup, along with the completion of the corrective action plan, will likely determine whether the CHSAA proceeds with a suspension. For now, the community remains divided, with some focusing on the need for accountability and others on the financial and legal efforts to support the school's response.