News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville Head Football Coach Jimmy Maynord found out on the football field Tuesday that high school football could start on time.
“I think everybody’s excited about that,” Maynord said. “I know that’s something that we really was not expecting, I guess, but very, very happy that we’re going to get to start on time. I think that every football coach and every player and every high school football fan in the states probably happy right now.”
Governor Bill Lee issued executive order 55 Tuesday giving football and girls soccer the chance to begin contact work. Teams that are heat acclimated can begin practicing as soon as the governor signs the order. Schools must follow all TSSAA guidelines for that contact work. The TSSAA said last week if Lee made the change, the football season could start on time.
“Back when we were shut in and couldn’t get out, I’d get text messages from the players ‘are we going to get to play or are we’re going to get to practice,'” Maynord said. “I know they’re excited about the opportunity to at least, you know, get their season started on time. And hopefully we, you know, things will work out where we can, you know, get through our season and it can be a, you know, somewhat normal season.”
For that to happen, Maynord said the student athletes must be careful in their approach. And that’s not just about football, Maynord said, it’s about the high school experience.
“We told the guys to be smart, to be around who you know, don’t get out in crowds, just try to take care of yourself,” Maynord said. “And and we do that, you know, even in the flu season or when, you know, things are going, you know, sicknesses going around, we tell them to be smart, get rest and follow the guidelines.”
Those guidelines have changed Maynord’s practices, limiting the amount of large group work, sanitizing, getting ready for sports in the COVID world.
“But, you know, these two kids are going to be able to get out on the field, play against the competition,” Maynord said.
The TSSAA approved a hybrid scheduling plan in hopes the Governor would approve the change. That plan kept games as scheduled while giving the TSSAA the ability to help schools with a district-only schedule if needed. TSSAA leadership has often said that the ultimate control belongs to local school systems and local health departments.
