HornetFan

They should invite several players from teams around the Gainesville and Central Florida area and ask them to speak on behalf of the players who have been training for months. The players could poll other players in the area and if possible, from around the state, to at least give the kids a voice before a decision is made that effects them more than anyone else.

I know it's not a perfect solution for the small schools, but this is a "hopefully" once in a lifetime problem. Couldn't they allow kids double up for this one year and if they wish, play two sports at the same time as long as the two coaches feel it is feasible? I know that at my grandsons' school (an 8A school here in Orlando), they have several football players that also play lacrosse or baseball, and one of their top WR's is and outstanding baseball player with college and/or pro potential who would have to make a very difficult decision if both sports were played in the Spring and a waiver wasn't granted. He'd be crazy if he didn't play baseball, especially after missing last season to the virus.

I think you're right. The article said there were 15 members and that's what they have on the Advisory Committee.

I would never want them to cancel a single sport or shorten a season for any team. Every student athlete should be able to compete in the sport of their choice, especially if it may lead to a scholarship opportunity. If they had a conflict because they played multiple sports, they would probably have to choose. I don't want to ever give the impression that I would play football and deny another sport the opportunity to play their season. I'm sure the powers that be could find a way to allow them to survive concurrently.

The problem I have with delaying the start of football beyond late Fall is that we could end up with another Spring that results in no sports. These kids train year round for the Fall football season. I would rather see them start the season in the Fall and if it drags into late Winter, so be it. At least they would have their season and the opportunity for many to earn a chance to go to college on a football scholarship. If they wait for Spring and adults once again put themselves before the kids, it will be another lost senior class. In 5 years it will be just a bad memory for adults that has passed, but they'll continue with their professions and heir lives. The kids won't get back their senior year of high school and the memories that were stolen from them. To not even try to give these kids that last year in high school is blatantly unfair, especially when the adults are erroneously using the kid's well being as an excuse for the adults to continue to stay home.

The other day, the Orlando Sentinel mentioned a phone call that took place this past week where the three options for Fall sports were discussed. They said there were 15 people on the call; I don't know their official capacity, but they were supposed to represent various regions of the state. Seven preferred Option 1, play football in the Fall; the other 8 opted for Option 3, play an abbreviated season in the Spring. It didn't say where each person was from, but I imagine the 8 that voted for option 3 were from the areas most effected by the virus outbreaks.

I don't think any other HS sport can be compared to football, not basketball, baseball or any other. You can't get a thousand people out on a Friday night to watch any other HS sport but football. Freshmen and JV often draw a hundred or more fans on a Thursday night. Football holds a special place in high school; there's no Homecoming Dance after a soccer or baseball game. For the fans and the students, it's not about the money; it's tradition; it's the social event every Friday night in the Fall; it's Homecoming. For the players, it's their passion. They work year round to be ready to perform at their best during the football season. For many players, it's their ticket to a college education. For administrators and coaches, it may be about money, but for the kids, it's love of the sport.

FHSAA No livestream for the next fall sports meeting Orlando Sentinel Article (8/8/2020) By Buddy Collings The Florida High School Athletic Association had an audience of more than 4,000 YouTube viewers on July 20 as its board of directors took on an array of coronavirus concerns and tried to pick a palatable start date for football and other fall sports. It was much the same three days later, with another avalanche of real-time social media commentary as the embattled board held another meeting via Zoom and YouTube. That digital discussion saw the board vote to push preseason starts back a month from July 27 to no earlier than Aug. 24. Round 3 is set for Friday, Aug. 14. It will be the board’s third emergency meeting, but this time the 16-person panel will meet face-to-face in Gainesville and the stands will be nearly empty as the FHSAA hosts an in-person meeting for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak halted high school sports in mid-March. There will be no FHSAA livestream available and an association official said only 50 people, including board members and staff, will be allowed into the meeting ballroom due to Alachua County social-distancing restrictions. That has sparked heavy criticism as the FHSAA’s 700-plus member schools await the fate of fall sports seasons. “I was very disappointed to learn that we were not live-streaming this meeting,” FHSAA board President Lauren Otero, a Tampa Plant High assistant principal, said in a phone interview with the Orlando Sentinel on Friday. “The impact that the decisions we are making have on our students and our schools across the state is so important to so many. Given the fact that the two prior meetings were broadcast it didn’t dawn on me that this one would not be.” Otero said she emailed FHSAA executive director George Tomyn on Thursday asking for the meeting to be streamed to the public in some manner. “Mr. Tomyn told me there would be no broadcast,” Otero said. The meeting is set for 10 a.m. at the Best Western Gateway Grand. That hotel is close to association headquarters and has been used regularly for larger FHSAA events, including Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Media outlets are complaining loudly about lack of access. Some have suggested the FHSAA will not be following Florida Sunshine Law guidelines because few media members will be granted entry and others will not be able to hear the proceedings. “I’m not trying to avoid anything,” Tomyn told the Sentinel on Friday. “This is how we decided to do things because this is the customary arrangement for our meetings. Social-distancing requirements mean we cannot accommodate as many people, but this is our standard meeting procedure. We’re an athletic association, not a broadcasting company.” The FHSAA is not a government entity, but it has long stated that it abides by Florida Sunshine Law standards, which mandate that all meetings of state, county or municipal agencies be open to the public. An association bylaws states, “All FHSAA meetings are conducted in compliance with the Florida Sunshine Law.” Tomyn said the FHSAA will not be in violation. “We do follow the Sunshine Laws. I’ve talked to our attorney, Leonard Ireland, at length and we feel very comfortable that we continue to follow the requirements,” Tomyn said. “There has to be availability for public input. We are providing for that.” The FHSAA has an email address, questions@fhsaa.org , set up for anyone who wants to offer suggestions or ask questions. Those must be received prior to 8 a.m. on Aug. 14 to be shared with all board members for consideration. Its Friday announcement stated individuals who wish to speak to the board can attend the meeting and sign up on site prior to the start of the meeting. Tomyn said those who attend will likely be allowed into the ballroom for several minutes to make statements, then will go back out to allow room for the next guest. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the FHSAA held directors’ meetings five times per year, without webcasts, in its board room. Those meetings were open to the public with opportunities for guests to address the board. Tomyn said full minutes will be taken and the meeting will be audio-taped by the FHSAA, as is the norm. But those transcripts are typically not made immediately available to media or others. The meeting was initiated by Citrus County School Board member Doug Dodd, who submitted a motion that asked the FHSAA board to reconvene in person by Aug. 17. His measure, which passed by an 11-4 vote, was designed to give FHSAA staff time to confer with the fall sports advisory committees and prepare return-to-play options for the board to consider. FHSAA administrators held online meetings last week with the athletic directors committee and coaches committees for football, girls volleyball, cross country, golf and swimming. Each committee was presented a document that listed three options, one of which would delay fall practices until Nov. 30 and shift postseason play for those sports into January and February. Another would keep Aug. 24 as time for fall sports tryouts and a third is built around starting in September or later. The board could choose to approve one of those plans or consider others. Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com .

No idea, but I would guess a higher percentage of championship games played in the top few classes were decided by closer scores. I think it would be easier for a real good small school to dominate it's opponents.

I don't think it's a realistic expectation that a network would be interested in televising all 8 classes; but they may be interested in 2-3 games, say the 7A and 8A games. Good football is good football, and if our country is still scratching out of this virus, which we may well be, desperate football fans will watch live games. I know that in the past, I have watched CUSA and MAC games during the week rather than dancing and singing shows that fill the air.

The state championship games are played after all other high school football schedules have been completed so it could be an attractive Friday TV format. Or, if a Friday presented a conflict, what if our state played the state championship games on a Wednesday or Thursday? If few or no fans will be able to attend the games, I would think the FHSAA could be very flexible if it meant much needed revenue.

In Central Florida, Dr Phillips has the potential to be a good team this year, with returning starters on the line and their big transfer. I would also consider several playoff teams from last year that are returning strong rosters such as Edgewater, Jones, and Seminole. They will all be tough. Another team to watch is Winter Park. They are loaded at the skill positions with a lot of speed; they also benefit from some good transfers coming over this past January. Timber Creek should also be good if they can replace their QB that graduated.

The games that I have watched on ESPN usually focused on one or two 5 star players, or on a "so-called" top ten national team, like Bishop Gorman, St Thomas Aquinas, etc. I saw a team from DC area treat MC (supposedly a SF powerhouse) like a middle school team this past season on ESPN; how big a TV draw could that have been?. I think the prospect of having the state championships from one of the country's hotbeds for high school football would be better than an evening of MAC Conference games in the middle of the week, such as Buffalo vs Western Michigan. We'll never know if ESPN would be interested unless the FHSAA takes some initiative.

ESPN broadcasts top high school football games every year. I would think that Florida State Championship games would meet that criteria, especially the upper division games.

And right now, the loudest power broker is the Teachers Union.

Major League Soccer and the NBA are playing without fans. Maybe the FHSAA should approach Disney and see if there is any interest.

Does Disney have the facilities to put on the 4-8a championships? Major League Soccer is competing there now. Revenue could be derived from live streaming of championship games. ESPN could televise the games nationally if the country is still starved for football at that time.

Jambun, I just try to keep it real. The football season is just another tool in the teachers union's arsenal.

It appears that those who have a financial interest have been heard; the kids have become an after-thought except when it advances the financial interests of adults. Believe it or not, the Los Angeles Teachers Union just announced they would return to classrooms only after the city defunds the LA police and financial support for charter schools is terminated. I guess the virus is no longer an agenda item. HS students and athletes are being used by the adults whose job it is to educate and protect them. Shame on the Teachers Unions.

The first priority in deciding if football is played this season should be about the kids that play the game. If the FHSAA fits into the equation fine; if not, play the season without state playoffs. I think if you polled all players as to whether they feel a state championship game is a high priority, the vast majority of kids would say the season is the priority. Do they need a stadium full of fans? It would be nice, but not nice enough to cancel the season if they can't have fans. No one seems to be thinking very seriously about what missing the season would mean to seniors that hoped they would be seen as an opportunity to attend a college on a scholarship. To many kids, football may be their only chance of a ticket to college. They missed Spring football practice and their Spring game. College campuses were closed, preventing visits and college football camps. This season is probably their last shot at a scholarship. These kids are more than likely going to be sitting in classrooms this Fall for approximately seven hours a day, five days a week. Two and a half hours in an empty stadium with only necessary personnel present and the teams being controlled by coaches seems to be less risky than a crowded beach on the weekend, or a protest attended by thousands, or even a trip to Walmart or Publix. Orange County had moved the start date of school to August 23rd and suspended Fall sports indefinitely just last week. Then, this week, under extreme pressure from the Teachers Union and without conferring with parents or taxpayers, they announced they will move the start date of school forward two weeks to August 10th (on-line education only) as to ensure teachers will be paid in August. So, it appears that the FHSAA is a priority, and the Teachers Union is a priority, but what about the students, especially the kids entering their senior year?

I never said that in any one year, the flu killed more people than Covid-19, so please don't misinterpret what I said or call them untruths. What I did say was the flu killed thousands of "kids" each year. The victims of Covid-19 have been mostly senior citizens with other serious conditions, and the majority of them have been in their 70s to 90s, living in nursing homes and ALF's. They weren't in good health before they became infected. There have been 5 people under the age of 18 die from Covid-19 in the state of Florida since this pandemic began; the latest last week, a 9 nine year old girl with other serious conditions. Would you prefer these kids continue to play football unsupervised or under the guidance of coaches? The kids are going to play football just as they have since the beginning of the year.

What happened that year when we cancelled football because of the flu? Oh yes, that's right, we have never cancelled school or sports because of the flu and every year the flu kills thousands more kids than the Covid-19 virus has. Truthfully, this isn't about the kids. Why did we have a surge in Florida and what age groups were responsible for that surge? Yes, mostly adults in the mid 20s through the mid 40s who couldn't stay away from the bars, pubs, beaches, and protest demonstrations. The kids have been playing football throughout the pandemic with no masks or social distancing, and they're the least effected group in our population. We talk about people dying, but it's not the kids. We already took away Spring sports, proms, graduations for the 2020 seniors; why not take away the senior seasons of the 2021 class and the only opportunity that many of these kids will have to earn a college scholarship?

How much does the FHSAA really have to say as to if and when HS football will be played? I realize they control state playoffs, but does anyone really think we'll have state championships this school year? How we do this past Spring? I'm not a coach, teacher, or administrator; I'm just the grandfather of two HS football players that want to play football this year (sometime this Fall or Winter). From what I see on the news and read in the papers, local governments are making the decisions as to when schools reopen and sports team can start practicing. It doesn't seem they're overly concerned with the FHSAA announcing a July 27th start date for practice. This stopped being about he kids a while ago. As I've stated many times on this board, the kids are practicing without social distancing or the benefit of concerned coaches looking out for them. They do conditioning under the supervision of the coaches and when the coaches leave, the kids play 7v7 pickup games for an hour or two. They're training in groups with private trainers (coaches). I would rather see organized practices under the guidance of their coaches and a start to the season without fans in the stands.

"What have your kids (and by "your kids," I mean the ones you coach) been doing lately? Here's why I'm asking. I keep seeing pictures on social media of 7 on 7's and camps where literally hundreds of kids are coming together and playing games and doing drills that involve close contact. My hunch is that the longer they wait to start "real" football, the more these things will continue." The kids have been getting together since before the schools were shut down in March and they'll continue to do so. They're kids; they don't fear the virus. I know my grandsons have single and group close contact workouts every week with their non-school coaches. They're doing conditioning drills with their school team. When the coaches leave after conditioning, the kids spend the next 1 1/2 hours playing 7v7. These meetings about starting school and playing football are not so much about the kids as they are about the teachers and coaches, who are possibly at risk from the virus. I commend the coaches for the time they are putting in with these kids during conditioning. I truly believe the coaches want to play football this year and they will do their best to keep the kids as safe as possible.

I don't think there is much of a chance that we will see state playoff games this season, especially if football is scheduled in the Fall. South Florida has been hit much harder than the rest of the state; they may not be able to start playing till late September, if at all this Fall. If I were a team from an area of the state that didn't suffer massive cases, I wouldn't travel to South Florida for a game. County championships may be the best option.