Vote delayed… TSSAA stays vote after conferring with Governor’s legal counsel
Published 12:08 pm Wednesday, July 8, 2020
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Photo Contributed by TSSAA The TSSAA Board of Directors decided to delay the vote on the contingency plan for the upcoming fall sports for prep high schools in Tennessee.
Photo Contributed Bernard Childress - Executive Director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
For now, the current plan of no contact in practice while only working out and conditioning will remain in place for both girls’ soccer and football.
“The time will come but the legal team will need time even if it’s needed in soccer and football,” Childress said. “We will continue to work to get answers as soon as possible.
“We had a lengthy meeting with the legal counsel yesterday and both agreed that we would hope for the best but plan for the worst.”
Also, Childress stated that a common theme echoed from the meeting between both groups if there is to be any chance of having a fall sports season.
“We all need to help out,” Childress said. “Wear a mask, participate in social distancing, and wash hands as much as possible. The numbers have to come down and the return on investment will be that we will get to have fall sports.”
Childress added that the TSSAA will continue to work with the Governor’s legal counsel and will update everyone just as soon as they can on what they find out.
Elizabethton athletic director Forrest Holt said that ultimately it comes down to one important thing.
“I hope they make the best decision they can for our student-athletes and coaches,” Holt said. “I don’t know what the right thing is at this point.”
The TSSAA Board was expected to decide between four contingency plans:
1. Seven game season w/full 5 weeks of playoffs
2. Eight game season w/4 week playoffs (drop 1st round of playoffs)
3. Nine game season w/3 week playoffs (region champs only)
4. Cancel playoffs and championships and play regular-season games.
The TSSAA did set July 22, 2020, as the date they would hold a classification study session. That meeting will take place at Seagal High School at 1 pm CST.
Limited seating will be available with social distancing of six feet in place. Participants are encouraged to bring their own hard copy, notepads, and pens as those won’t be provided.