Local teams pushing through the storm
Region 7-AA teams adjust their plans in the wake of school cancellations.
While classes remained canceled around Floyd County on Tuesday, high school football coaches got a ray of hope. And with Region 7-AA play coming up this weekend, some of them have already gotten to work.
Each team had their own way of dealing with the school cancellations. Whether it was getting in a quick practice in on Tuesday or figuring out how to manage the next two days,
every coach has been forced to get creative.
“You prepare for a new opponent and new offense every week, and
this week is no different,” Model head coach Gordon Powers said. “We want to prepare for the opponent’s scheme and get better ourselves as much as we can, however we can.”
It’s been a pressing year for Powers and the Blue Devils with Model falling to 0-3 for the first time since 2009 and all three losses coming by 21 points or more. They open region play Friday at Dade County, their longest trip of the season.
Powers, like other Floyd County coaches, was notified around 3 p.m. that the team could practice Tuesday after originally being told otherwise. He quickly reached out to players and coaches through email and social media to try and get a practice together.
Taking over the school’s auxiliary gym, players who were able to make it got to work in helmets and shoulder pads — no cleats, of course. But Powers remained adamant that getting in some kind of work in was still vital.
“Some people might be concerned with how the opponents are practicing, but we can only control what we’re doing,” Powers said. “We’re fortunate enough to get organized and get these practices in. It’s nothing serious, but we want to at least have people here.”
Coosa head coach Todd Wheeler said he met with his assistants Sunday and plans to have practice today that is a mixture of drills the team typically does during the first three days of the week.
“I hope we are mature enough to handle this distraction,” Wheeler said. “I think it is going to be a big advantage to whoever’s team, for our game or anywhere, which team can handle what they’ve had to change this week.”
Coosa hits the road for the first time this season on Friday to take on Chattooga, a team it has not beaten since 2014. And while the Indians have started out 0-3 for the season, Wheeler said he is not playing down the matchup.
Armuchee starts region play hosting Rockmart, a game in which the Yellow Jackets beat the Indians 62-6 last season. And other than the film session the team had on Sunday, head coach Muhammad Abdellatif hasn’t met with his team.
The coach has planned a walkthrough for this morning and a practice after school, but he is not too worried. Whether it is in region play or in a practice, he believes his team has brought intensity to everything this season.
“Our kids have been playing hard all season, but it stings that this happens first region game of the year,” Abdellatif said. “But our focus is to just keep working on our game plan and hopefully have a good Wednesday practice.”