MADISON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — It may have taken over four hours to make a decision Monday night but the Florida High School Athletic Association's Board of Directors voted to keep the fall sports schedule the same.
Leon County Schools confirmed Tuesday they will not start on July 27. Their plan is to meet with athletic directors and principals later this week and a plan for a return should be released early next week.
In Madison County, the Cowboy football team is ready to get back to work on Monday. Head coach Mike Coe said if parents are comfortable then sports should happen.
Coe just recovered from COVID-19 and says returning to sports is much bigger than just playing a game.
"Football saved my life," said Coe. "My football coaches saved my life because they didn't allow me to be a dipstick. They didn't allow me to do those things that sometimes young boys want to do. It's not just football, it's band. You're talking about hundreds of kids, some bigger schools over 1000 kids that's doing something productive after school with certified adults that care about them. To me, it's important. It's important we get back to that and give them that opportunity."
Coe said in Madison County he's not sure if they'll be able to play every game on their schedule, but he's hopeful they'll play as many games as the Cowboys can.
For safety, they'll extend the sidelines, they will not shake hands, coaches plan to wear face shields, and the athletes will wash their hands coming in and out of the locker rooms.
