Texas High School Football Coaches Say Statistics Show Teams Can Play Safely During Pandemic
NORTH TEXAS (CBDSFW.COM) - Duncanville High School senior Roderick Daniels has spent the last several months grinding for fall football.
The star receiver, committed to Baylor University, accepts that masks have just become part of the uniform.
"We're trying to be safe while we do this," says Daniels.
Highland Park High senior Sam Morse is also accepting the changes.
The offensive lineman spent the summer working out with masks as well as temperature-taking, cohort groups and social distancing.
They both have big plans for their teams and their last year in high school.
"This is the biggest season," says Morse.
The Texas High School Coaches Association is reporting the protocols, players such as Morse and Daniels, followed have paid off.
The organization surveyed 314 Texas school districts which had summer workouts. It reports 244 responded.
They represent 65,290 athletes.
The coaches say four cases of COVID-19 were traced to their camps.
Four students were hospitalized.
And, there were zero deaths.
The coaches report 278 of the more than 65,000 athletes tested positive for COVID-19.
That is .426 percent of the players.
"That's what we were seeing. We just wanted to be able to verify that," says Tyler Legacy Head Football Coach Joe Willis. Willis says the THSCA did the survey to see what was happening across the state.
"That statistic told me we aren't spreading this at camp. Our kids are getting this from home. When we are checking on kids daily and are able to monitor them on a long term basis, we are not seeing the spread of the virus," says Willis.
Parish Episcopal School Head football Coach Dan Novakov says the numbers are consistent with the findings at his school He says it's proof the players will follow protocols to play.
"I think it shows how much everyone is willing to sacrifice to have a season. And I think it shows how much everyone is willing to make this year work."
The THSCA's findings hit social media where some people responded saying the statistics are "meaningless" and "push a narrative."
Supporters commented "sports give athletes daily monitoring" and it's a way to collect these statistics which they would not otherwise have.
