BACK TO NORMAL The camaraderie, tailgat- ing, school spirit and the grand ole sport of football will soon return

SPORTS

BACK TO NORMAL

The camaraderie, tailgating, school spirit and the grand ole sport of football will soon return

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BOB LABBE

IIn our society the world we knew prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in many ways will never be normal again, but high school football gives the community a chance to travel back in time to have some remembrance of normalcy. The camaraderie, tailgating, school spirit and the grand ole sport of football will soon return.

More than 42,000 participate in high school football in Alabama and all those surrounding the most popular sport in the Yellowhammer State look for some normalcy resemblance of the past. In 2021, the popping of the pads, the cheering from sideline cheerleaders, the thunderous music from the school bands and the rousing cheers from the crowds will be close to normal following the guidelines set forth by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Kelvis White enters his second season as head coach of the Bob Jones Patriots in 2021 with intentions to use football as a way to bring together the community in the safest way possible. He said, “This is the new normal as our players have adjusted to the guidelines we have in place. We still take precautions as a lot of our activities are held outside and inside we still wear masks and try and keep spread out e try and eep our sta and our players safe

At crosstown ames lemens i h, the o cial overall athletic program will follow any best practices passed down by the AHSAA, which includes no restrictions on capacity among the attending crowds. Just that one factor will bring back the memories of yesteryear. had Mc ehee is ta in his rst team at ames lemens to the eld this season comin to the pro ram from oover where he was defensive coordinator the last three seasons. He’s had a short preparation timeframe taking over the football program earlier this year, but is strict on following the uidelines for the safety of the players and sta

“COVID is still here and we’re following many of the same guidelines set forth last season as we’re trying to provide the safest environment possible for everyone involved with our team,” said the 44-year old McGehee. “Everyone’s more comfortable with our preparations and ready to move on to full stadium crowds, especially after last year’s limited attendance.”

In 2020, COVID guidelines were set to where if a team had a certain infection rate from the virus games were forfeited as the AHSAA left that decision up to each individual school system. Those recommendations remain in place, but with the COVID vaccinations in high gear the idea of having to forfeit games is hopefully a thing of the past.

Generally most schools on occasions have a case of CO-

VID pop up here and there. At both Bob Jones and James Clemens no positive cases have been among its football programs since the spring.

“There have been no positive cases since I arrived here at James Clemens and I think we’ve been very fortunate not to having any cases,” said McGehee, who cautioned by adding, “You never know as we could get COVID from outside the program. We express to our players to be safe at all times.”

“For coaches this has been uncharted waters and has been tough making adjustments,” added White, who has 85-90 players on the eld with an additional 35-40 in the freshman program. “It’s been a tough year for all of us mentally. All teams across the state have done a great job dealing with the pandemic and have bounced back.”

re season practices be an the rst of Au ust and, unlike 2020, teams across the state had some type of spring practice and summer workouts this year to help prep the players in a way that is very close to what would be considered normal in previous years. During the pandemic and with many weeks of some type of quarantine the high school student-athletes became bored and many of the players opted not to play in 2020. This season, the participating numbers have increased at most local schools and the feeling in the weight rooms and on the practice elds is a more normal atmosphere.

“We’re approaching everything as normal as possible and want to be at 100-percent as we head into our season,” said McGehee, as his Jets see its rst action of the campai n on Au ust in Oxford and a week later against Murphy High in Mobile. hite indicated he and his sta underwent some new coaching techniques to accommodate the pandemic in an e ort to eep his players and sta as safe as possible e made it wor , said White.

“It’s been a crazy year and we’re ready to get back to ‘Friday Night Lights’,” said McGehee.

It’s been a tough year for all of us mentally. All teams across the state have done a great job dealing with the pandemic and have bounced back