JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Face coverings, fist bumps and hand sanitizer were on display and in full force on Thursday.
That must mean high school football season, pandemic style, is right around the corner. At least that’s the hope, from players and coaches across the area, right up to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Baker’s Sports high school football media day typically serves as the launching point of the season. It did again this year for the 15th annual event, only this time with the backdrop of a pandemic clouding the season.
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing most high school seasons around the country to alter start dates or even move football to the spring, uncertainty was the theme during the event at the Riverside YMCA.
Coach Matt Toblin of Bolles led his team to the Class 4A state championship game last year, his first season at the school.
Schools around the state have a tentative starting date of Aug. 24 for fall sports practice. That is penciled as the day now because the Florida High School Athletic Association is scheduled to discuss and vote on one of three options for safely starting sports next week.
Those options range from holding games beginning the week of Sept. 7 — the preferred choice by area coaches and players — to pushing the start back to as late as Nov. 30. Feelings on those options vary depending on the part of the state schools are in, but area schools are no doubt prepared for it to start now.
“Basically, we’re just trying to find out are we going to play, are we not going to play,” said Trinity Christian coach Verlon Dorminey. “Are we going to be able to play county teams [already on the schedule]? Right now, we don’t really know. Who’s opting in to play, who’s not?”
As expected, that was a significant topic of conversation at media day. One question was asked throughout the daylong event — why are there so many things left to still hash out?
“That’s been the hardest part of this, the unknown,” said Baker County coach Kevin Mays.
Coaches brought up the Georgia High School Association repeatedly and asked how that organization could have return to play plans in place nearly a month before Florida. The GHSA voted on July 20 to push the start of the regular season back to Sept. 4. The only changes since that announcement was the cancellation of scrimmages.
Florida has held two fall sports task for meetings, followed by two board of directors votes that yielded two vastly different results, the latter putting a pause on practice and games. Coaches and players hope that the FHSAA opens the door for a return and that individual school districts follow suit.
“The big thing is we’ve got a good plan, good protocols [at school], it’s more work on us as coaches, no doubt,” said University Christian coach David Penland III. “I just have a lot of questions. What happens if one of my linemen test positive? Do I sit all my linemen [for quarantine]? That’s the biggest thing at this point. A lot of questions that no one can answer.”
St. Augustine High School football coach Brian Braddock said that pandemic has forced a hard reset of priorities across the board. His time with virtual meetings or abbreviated workouts has allowed him to spend more time and home with his family.
“For me personally, it has been more gratifying because I’ve been around my kids more than any other time in my coaching career,” he said.
“The thing that’s been magnified in this is the community involvement in schools. It could be football, it could be theater class, whatever that outlet is, is a second family. What the schools provide is extremely valuable for the students and for the community.”
Players are no doubt ready to get back on the field, something that was repeated throughout media day.
“Football, to me, is a big part of life so I’ve got to have that in my life,” said Baker County defensive end Zane Mobley. “There was no question in not playing football.”
Trinity Christian offensive tackle Austin Barber said that if schools are open for in-person learning, then sports should be allowed to go on, too.
“I think it is safe. I mean, if they are letting us go back to school, we should be able to play the game,” he said.