Online petition urging Florida high school sports to be played this fall gathers more than 25,000 signatures
A statewide online petition urging high school sports to be played this fall already has more than 25,000 signatures as of Wednesday morning.
The petition was started Tuesday by Jaime Kent, the father of Cambridge Christian middle linebacker Noah Kent.
"I want to be an advocate for the kids," Jaime said. "I want them to have a season and this is something that gives people a voice who want the same thing with the right protocols and safety measures in place."
In the past two days, the petition gained traction on social media with players, parents and coaches using the hashtags #WeWantToPlay and #LetThemPlay.
CALLING ALL PARENTS, GUARDIANS, COACHES, STUDENT-ATHLETES and SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS!!!#WeWantToPlay FALL SPORTS IN 2020 AND WE WANT TO START AUGUST 24th‼️ Let your voice be heard by the FHSAA this season!
SIGN AND RETWEET IF YOU WANT TO PLAY FALL SPORTShttps://t.co/WtxvmwprUA
— Noah Kent (@NoahKent40) August 10, 2020
The goal is to have fall sports start on Aug. 24, the date practices are scheduled to begin after the Florida High School Athletic Association's board of directors voted to push back the original start date of July 27 at their last meeting.
"For the Class of 2021 athletes who have been working hard their entire high school careers, this season is their final chance to showcase their talent for college scholarships," the petition said. "Unlike college players they can't defer a year and still be eligible to play and they need this year to make the opportunity to receive a college education possible. Their futures are hanging in the balance."
Noah, a rising senior who has spent his entire high school career on varsity, had his past two seasons cut short due to injury. He put on 60 pounds of muscle this offseason and now weighs 220. Several colleges that have already shown interest but are searching for more film in the evaluation process.
On Friday, the FHSAA's board meets again to determine when to proceed with the fall sports calendar. Kent said he plans to send the results of the petition to Cambridge Christian Mark Butler and have it shared with FHSAA board members.
FHSAA executive director recommends fall sports starting on Aug. 24
Big Ten's postponement has a big impact locally
There are a number of former high school standouts to keep tabs on during this weekend's NFL wild-card games. Here is the schedule along with the list of locals.
Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals, 4:30 NBC
No local players
Position, name High school College
CB Vernon Hargreaves III Wharton Florida
WR Auden Tate Wharton Florida State
TE Mitch Wilcox Tarpon Springs South Florida
* Auden Tate is currently on the reserves list
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, 8:15 CBS
WR Nelson Agholor Berkeley Prep Southern California
OL Isaiah Wynn Lakewood Georgia
* Isaiah Wynn is out because of injuries
RB Matt Breida Nature Coast Georgia Southern
DE Mike Love Countryside South Florida
* Mike Love currently is on the practice squad
Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 FOX
WR Deon Cain Tampa Bay Tech Clemson
* Deon Cain currently is on the practice squad
P Sterling Hofrichter Armwood Syracuse
OG Brandon Walton Seminole Florida Atlantic
* Sterling Hofrichter and Brandon Walton currently are on the practice squad
San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys, 4:30 CBS
OG Jon Halapio St. Petersburg Catholic Florida
LB Azeez Al-Shaair Hillsborough Florida Atlantic
* Jon Halapio currently is on the practice squad
CB Anthony Brown Hillsborough Purdue
Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 NBC
OT Chaz Green Tampa Catholic Florida
WR Diontae Johnson Lennard Toledo
WR Ray-Ray McCloud Sickles Clemson
* Chaz Green currently is on the practice squad
WR Byron Pringle Robinson Kansas State
Monday, Jan. 16
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC
Tight end (89) Tyler Higbee of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass and scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals and celebrates during the Rams 31-24 victory over the Cardinals in an NFL Week 17 regular season game, Sunday, December 29, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis)
WR Jacob Harris Palm Harbor University Central Florida
TE Tyler Higbee East Lake Western Kentucky
* Jacob Harris currently is on the reserves list
Jesuit coach Matt Thompson, who led the Tigers to their first state title since 1968, was named the overall state football coach of the year by the Florida Dairy Farmers.
Thompson, named the 6A coach of the year two weeks ago, won the overall award following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of football coaches and media representatives. He finished with 10 first-place votes and 157 points to beat out Venice's John Peacock, the 8A coach of the year who led the Indians to a state title.
After reaching the state semifinals each of the last four seasons, the Tigers took the next step by beating perennial powerhouse Miami Northwestern in the state semifinals to advance to the championship game for the first time since 1992.
In the 6A final, Jesuit rallied from a 15 point second half deficit to beat Pensacola Pine Forest for its first title in 53 years. The Tigers finished the season undefeated and ended up ranked No. 8 nationally, the highest of any area program in the MaxPreps era. During the regular season, Jesuit beat 7A state champion Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, becoming the first area program to knock off the national power.
Thompson has 99 games and made six state semifinal appearances during his tenure.
Pinellas Park coach Kenny Crawford, who transformed the school's downtrodden football into a consistent playoff contender, said he was stepping down after 13 seasons.
"It was time," Crawford said. "The job was just becoming too much."
Former Boca Ciega coach Max Smith, who served as the Patriots' offensive coordinator this past season, will replace Crawford as coach. The decisions were announced to the team on Monday.
Crawford, a former assistant at Northeast, was hired at Pinellas Park in 2009. He inherited a program that won five games from 2004-08.
It did not take long for Crawford to turn things around. He went 10-10 his first two seasons in (2009-10), doubling the win total from the previous five seasons combined. Since then, Crawford has guided the Patriots to the playoffs in 10 of the past 11 seasons.
He finishes as the school's all-time leader in wins with 95.
"When I took over, this was the worst team in the county," Crawford said. "We never had a losing season during my time as coach. That's something to be proud of."
Crawford also spent countless hours helping kids play football at the next level. More than 100 of his players went on to play in college during his tenure.
Part of the reason Crawford decided to step down was because of health issues. In the past five years, he has had surgery on his spine and both hips.
"I coached half of this past season in a golf cart," Crawford said. "It just became too much."