TSSAA issues response to Gov. Lee’s executive order to allow contact sports to resume

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for contact sports in the state to resume under Executive Order 55, paving the way for high school football and girls soccer to stay on track for a fall start.

The Executive Order says schools must follow the requirements issued by the TSSAA, while non-TSSAA schools are required to follow equivalent guidelines and non-school-sponsored athletics are required to follow the Tennessee Pledge guidelines.

“We appreciate being able to work with Gov. Lee and his staff on this,” said Bernard Childress, Executive Director of the TSSAA. “I am pleased that we were able to develop some very specific guidelines for every sport that will allow our kids to get out on their fields and fully participate in football and girls’ soccer this fall.”

Following Lee’s announcement Tuesday afternoon, the TSSAA said the requirements and protocols adopted by the Board of Control at its July 22 meeting are to be followed now that practice is permitted.

As for football, there will be no changes to the 2020 schedule, including the regular season or otherwise, as the contingency plan stated that if contact practice was allowed to resume by August 4, then no contests would be rescheduled. The date of the first football games will go as scheduled on August 21, while the state championships are set to be held Dec. 3-5 in Cookeville. In addition, the TSSAA said about practice, “Football teams were allowed to begin heat acclimatization on July 20th. Each athlete must complete heat acclimatization (2 days of helmets only, 3 days in helmets and shoulder pads) before practicing in full equipment, which is now permitted.”

As for girls soccer, once the order is signed by Gov. Lee, contact practice may start, and the first games will go on as scheduled on Aug. 17.

Photo Courtesy: TSSAA