App is a coach’s godsend in times like these
The Willowridge and Clements football teams were on the field scrimmaging at Hall Stadium on Thursday night when Fort Bend ISD made the decision to close schools Friday and Monday because of the impending hurricane threatening the area.
So as Hurricane Harvey made its way toward the coast of South Texas, Willowridge coach Richard Lazarou was able to gather his troops and come up with a plan. With the next few days up in the air, he told his players to stay locked into Hudl, an app they use to review video of their games.
After the scrimmage, they all parted ways.
Since then, the weather has wreaked havoc on a big chunk of the state. People in the Houston area are dealing with massive flooding leading to evacuations, rescues and widespread damage.
Lazarou and his coaching staff have been on the app since the disastrous weather started and have been able to account for the safety of every player on the football team.
“Technology has come a long way,” he said. “Who would have thought a football app would come in so useful during a hurricane?”
Lazarou said some of his
players are dealing with flooding — like much of the area — but everyone is holding up through the storms. He knows this because everyone on the roster has checked in through the app’s messaging system.
Lazarou has checked in with other coaches from the district, including Ridge Point’s Brett Sniffin, and all are using the app to stay in touch with their athletes.
Siena Plantation — the subdivision that feeds into Ridge Point — was evacuated Monday. Sniffin and his family evacuated, and he was checking in with all of his players during the process.
“When you’re a coach,” Lazarou said, “your staff, your players, they are your family. You pull together, and you make sure everyone is OK.”
Lazarou was on the coaching staff at Fort Bend Austin in 2005 when Hurricane Rita hit. Because of storm damage and a shortage of gas and supplies, schools were out, and the September football schedule was disrupted. It wasn’t as easy then to keep tabs on everyone.
Rita came shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Before Rita made landfall, millions of Greater Houston residents evacuated. Finding everyone involved with their programs was a task for football coaches.
“It’s much easier now, and we are grateful for that,” Lazarou said.
Because of a mold issue at Willowridge, its students have been attending Fort Bend Marshall. The football team has been able to practice at Willowridge. For the first three days of school, the players were bussed from Fort Bend Marshall after the school day let out.
With all the devastation Harvey has caused throughout the area, Lazarou and the rest of the Eagles are waiting to hear if Willowridge has sustained any additional damage.
They aren’t alone. High school football was supposed to resume this week. At this point, there is no telling when things will get back on track.
But Lazarou and other coaches across the area aren’t concerned about that right now.
“This is really sad, really hard to see,” he said. “All we care about right now is that our players are safe and taken care of. And we hope the area can recover quickly.”
In the meantime, he and other coaches are grateful to have an easy and reliable way to communicate with each other.
“It’s been good to see how the players are interacting,” Lazarou said. “They are checking on each other, they all care, they are coming together. We are so thankful to have access to the technology to be able to all be in touch and making sure we are all safe.”