Recent changes enacted by the Iowa High School Athletic Association will cut the high school football playoffs in half . The change, made in the name of safety, will prevent teams from playing 3 games in 10 days during the opening rounds of the playoff, but will allow for just 16 qualifying teams in each class, instead of 32. West Central Valley Activities Director Tod Broman says that overall, he’s a fan of the change. “The main theme behind it all is the safety of the players. They get tired and it’s hard to recuperate from one game and then a few days later play another game. With the main emphasis of watching for concussions and all of that, this is the right move. This is a smart move.”

The change will begin to take place in the 2016 high school football season.