The Georgia High School Association is still at least two
months away from having to make tough decisions about the potential impact of
the coronavirus pandemic on the 2020 football season. “I hate to talk about it.
I don’t want to add to the angst that’s already out there. We will prepare for
the worst and pray for the best,” said Robin Hines, the Executive Director of
the GHSA.
When President Donald Trump spoke with commissioners of the
nation’s major professional sports leagues and associations last week, he met
with the industry’s “big business” leaders.” By comparison one might refer to
high school football as the “small sports business” of this country. But
collectively it’s also big business. On any given Football Friday in Georgia
one could conservatively estimate 200,000 fans are in hundreds of stadiums
across the state with tens of thousands more watching on GPB.
Much like its college football counterparts, the GHSA may
be faced with decisions like delaying the start of the season, shortening the
season, or perhaps not even playing the season at all.
“Losing the Fall season would be catastrophic,” said Hines.
Again, much like college football, high school football is critical to funding
the other sports programs at most schools and within the GHSA itself.
But Hines stressed the GHSA still has a “long way to go
before summer gets here.” The Executive Director believes that if football
programs can start their strength and conditioning programs in the first or
second weeks after the Fourth of July holiday, the season can be played as
scheduled.
“It would be hard if the first time we see our team is the
first of August. That would mean putting on pads just two weeks later,” said
Buford High School Coach Bryant Appling. Only four months ago, Appling led the
Wolves to the GHSA 5A State Championship with a dramatic 17-14 overtime win
over Warner Robins. It was Buford’s 12th state title (second most in
Georgia history), but their first since 2014.
The fear of cutting short summer strength and conditioning
is the number of injuries that might result.
As Coach Appling points out stretching and core strength are so
important to staying healthy in football.
Hines knows that from personal experience. Back in the
early 1990s when he was the head coach at Westover High school, his team lost
valuable off-season training time due to historic flooding in Albany. “I
remember how difficult it was from a strength and conditioning standpoint,”
Hines said. “It was almost like we had to play ourselves into shape.”
Blessed Trinity Coach Tim McFarlin sees a bigger question.
“How comfortable are fans going to feel about filling in the stands?” Although
he doesn’t see games being played in empty stadiums, he said, “There are a lot
of adjustments that are going to come out of the coronavirus crisis.”
Back in December, McFarlin led the Titans to their third
consecutive state championship when B.T. defeated Oconee County 17-14 in the
GHSA 4A Final. McFarlin became the 14th coach in state history to
win four state titles. “I’m going to remain positive. I think we’ll get the all
clear to play. High school football has a big opportunity to bring our country
and communities back together.”
McFarlin’s football program is rare in that the Titans
don’t conduct spring football practice. He prefers for his players to play
spring sports instead and believes the importance of spring football can be
overrated. “For the first time ever this season, eight teams will win state
championships this December without having played spring football. That might
change some peoples’ minds about it.”
In the meantime, many coaching staffs and players are
staying connected via video conferencing. Coach Appling believes this is essential
to his players learning the team’s offense and defense prior to finally being
able to get back together. Meantime coaches are counting on players to work out
on their own and stay in shape. “Coaches will figure out pretty quick,” whether
they did or not Appling said.
Appling is banking on his seniors to lead the way during
this time away. He’s telling them, they’ve got to take charge of their position
groups, guide and instruct underclassmen. He believes players will listen to
seniors quicker than they will coaches.
“Players are chomping at the bit,” Appling said. “Many
players didn’t realize how much they loved it, until it was gone.” McFarlin is
seeing the same thing. “I’ve got kids who hate to go to class who now can’t
wait to get back.”
McFarlin believes this age of social distancing will create
a greater emphasis on relationships and not taking them for granted.
“I look forward to being able to hug somebody again.”
When that day finally comes, blocking and tackling can’t be
too far behind.
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