Still waiting

High school football coaches hope to get started
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It is still a wait and see game for all high school football coaches across the state.
With Governor John Bel Edwards’ announcement Monday that the state will move forward to Phase I of the re-opening process, those same coaches are anxiously awaiting word from the LHSAA, local principals and superintendents on just how to proceed with getting their team ready for the season.
The LHSAA was scheduled to have a conference call yesterday to discuss high school sports guidelines that fulfill Phase 1 of Louisiana’s COVID-19 reopening.
That meeting will most probably produce only recommendations as to what LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine refers to as the “dos, don’ts, cans and cant’s, etc.”
Ultimately, it will be up to the superintendents of each parish as to what can and can’t be done.
But, if you ask head football coaches right here in Evangeline Parish, getting started cannot come soon enough.
“Personally, I’m ready to get the team together next week,” Basile head coach Kevin Bertrand stated emphatically. “It’s time for us to start getting into a routine. But, I know whatever decision is made about football will be for the safety of the players.”
“I am hoping to get things going immediately,” said newly hired Pine Praire head coach David Michael Carrell. “I would be good with them allowing us to have 25 players at a time so that we can begin our preparation for the season.”
However coaches are still very cognizant of the need to protect the players and their families.
“We want to first make sure that everyone is safe and healthy,” commented Mamou head coach Dwight Collins. “Honestly, I’m a little nervous about the situation. Right now we are just waiting for our orders so that we can follow them and begin doing what we can.”
With all of the uncertainty surrounding how football season will be carried out, there have been a number of rumors concerning what high school football will look like come the first Friday of the 2020 campaign.
One of those rumors that actually had some discussion within the LHSAA Executive Committee is a modification of the season. According to a source, there have been contingency discussions on reducing the number of games in the season, up to and including the first three games.
If that does come to fruition, a number of programs around the state will loose much needed revenue, not only to sustain football, but to also provide monetary assistance to other sports.
“I would hate to lose a game like the T-Cotton Bowl because of the amount of money it makes us,” said Sacred Heart head coach Josh Harper. “As in just about every high school, football revenue makes other sports happen. But, it boils down to the safety of the players, whether it is because of the Corona virus or the type of shape they are in to start the season. We are definitely in unchartered waters when it comes to every aspect of getting high school football back to something normal.”
“For us, the week one game sets the tone for the rest of the season,” said Ville Platte High head coach Randle. “With us having a very young team coming back, we need to play as many games as we can before district play begins. Those first few games gives us a chance to evaluate our players. But, we have no control over what they decide. We will just have to adjust.’
Another rumor circulating concerns a limitation on the number of fans that will be allowed to attend the game. Some speculate that there will be a limitation on that number, while others wonder if there will be any fans at all to view the games.
While all parish coaches agree that a major part of Friday night football is the pageantry that surrounds the stadium, the majority of them also feel that playing the game without fans is something they may have to live with.
“I would hate for the kids, the parents and the fans to have to be in that situation, but if that is what is decided by the powers that be, then we have to go with what we are told to do,” stated Bertrand.
“The selfish part of me says let’s get on the field and play,” commented Harper. “It would be tough to not have fans there. The atmosphere is something that the players want when they play. I am anxious to see what they decide.”
Ville Platte High head coach Jorie Randle re-iterated the thoughts of both Harper and Bertrand.
“If we have to play without fans in the stands, we would roll with the punches,” said Randle. “I would hope that if they do decide not to have fans in the stadium, that it would be only for a small number of games.”
When will the teams be able to begin they preparation for the season and what will that look like?
Those are two major questions that coaches around the state want to have answers to.
According to the LHSAA by-laws, any team that chooses not to participate in spring practice has access to 10 extra days of fall camp. Because of school closures, no team in the state was able to take advantage of those days allotted in the spring. Therefore, if possible, all teams in the state will take advantage of those extra fall days.
However, the by-laws of the LHSAA also state that “summer activities in all LHSAA sports at the school’s facilities, use of school equipment and sport specific apparatus are subject to the approval of the school principal.”
Most of the parish coaches agree on a latest start date they would feel comfortable with before sending their players out on the battle field.
“I think that if we are able to come back full speed by mid-July, I would feel good about getting kids on the field to play,” said Collins.
“Mid-June would be ideal for us to get started,” commented Harper. “I believe the latest would be the beginning of July. Beyond that we would be pushing the envelope as far as having players ready to play.”
“Football is a violent sport,” stated Randle. “We don’t lift weights in the summer to get bigger, but rather to prepare for the pounding that the body takes and to prevent injury. My biggest thing is getting players ready to play. I don’t want somebody out on the field that is not ready to play. So, the sooner we can get started, the better.”