Delayed but not canceled: Georgia high school football teams prepare for the fall

Editor’s note: This story is a collaboration between sister papers the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer and Macon Telegraph.

Coaches and athletic directors in middle and west Georgia agree with the Georgia High School Association’s decision to delay the start of high school football season until Sept. 4.

School officials and coaches say the delayed start provides more time for athletes who have not taken part in optional workouts to prepare for the season. With the start of the season pushed back, GHSA football players will have over a month to work out in full pads.

“I think it’s going to be a good opportunity. We still have some players who haven’t attended a workout yet, and that’s perfectly fine,” Muscogee County School District Athletic Director Jeff Battles said. “This is going to give those kids an opportunity to get acclimated to the heat, to practice, to be in equipment, things of that nature.”

All summer workouts are voluntary. The GHSA began allowing athletes to wear football helmets on July 20, stating that schools must sanitize helmets before and after each workout. Intra-squad competition (7-on-7 games) were allowed beginning July 1.

More time to ‘evaluate the situation’

The GHSA’s decision also allows schools — and the governing body itself — more time to assess the COVID-19 situation prior to the first week of games.

On Tuesday, Georgia reported its largest daily increase in COVID-19 deaths since May. Statewide, total cases are above 150,000.

“It gives you a little more time to evaluate the situation,” Pacelli Athletic Director Corry Black said. “Just to see how it plays out between now and then. If it gets worse, you may have to push it back again. But for now, I think it’s a good move.”

The GHSA plans to have a full 10-game regular season, and a full five week playoff schedule. Games are delayed, not canceled. Mandatory practices begin July 27 and to workouts in full pads Aug. 1.

The decision affects only football: All other fall sports will remain on schedule.

A motion to stay with the current GHSA calendar was voted down 8-4 by the governing body’s board of trustees.

The right call with recent spikes

With the recent spike in cases in Middle Georgia, Bibb County Athletic Director Barney Hester is glad the GHSA made the call to push the season back. It’s a decision that makes sense for the schools in the Atlanta metro area and in places like Macon where cases are continuing to rise, he said.

“It seems that there is a spike going on in our area right now,” Hester said. “With schools starting a little bit later it works a little better for us with the extra two weeks, so I am not opposed.”

Hester said that coaches and players in Bibb County have down a good job of slowing the spread of the coronavirus by educating players on how state and CDC guidelines and safety best practices. Hester applauded the GHSA for implementing a minor delay when compared with some state athletic associations, which have delayed seasons until December or even next year.

“I think the two weeks gives us a little better handle on if we are doing a better job with controlling this virus that has kind of ransacked this area recently,” Hester said. “I think that two-week period will be great insight for the people making that decision.”

Athletes excited by the prospect of fall season

At Mount de Sales Academy, a Catholic private school in Macon, students often compete in both fall and spring sports. Pushing the start of football season further, or even into next year, would impact those sports as well. Football coach Keith Hatcher said he and his players saw the GHSA announcement as a good sign that they’ll be able to compete in both fall and spring sports.

“When the news came out yesterday, they were really excited,” he said. “There was no talk about, you know, a shortened season or bumping back. It was more of a celebration that we’re going to be at play football this season.”

One of the other benefits to the delayed start is a chance for the players to continue to get workouts in as they lost their spring practice and some of their summer.

“Our top priority for our students is making sure that they’re ready and comfortable going back to school and attending class,” Hatcher said. “I think it just gives us a little bit of extra time to make sure that we’re ready for our first competition day.”