OTTAWA, Ont. – Students are being sidelined by teacher protests against Ontario’s anti-strike legislation.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board confirms half of the board’s 25 high schools won’t be offering team sports programs.

Sports affected range from football, soccer and basketball to cross country running, golf, swimming and field hockey.

Teachers usually make up the lions’ share of volunteers for athletics, but many are following their union’s lead and taking a break from volunteerism.

Parents are allowed to volunteer at their child’s school, but there are security clearances required, first.

“I’d coach hockey, or anything they needed help with,” said Ray, who has two children in high school. “I just don’t know where to go to volunteer.”

But most people tell 1310News, their lives are just too busy to take on another responsibility.

“I work 12-hour shifts and overnights, and it switches all over the place,” Jen told 1310News. “But if I had a consistent, 9-to-5 (schedule) where I could, then yeah.”

Schools had to register their teams by Monday, so the fall sports season is a writeoff. But parents eager to pitch in may be needed for winter and spring sports, if the teachers’ union and the province can’t come to an agreement before then.