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TSSAA delays vote for football and girls soccer contingency plans

In the Board of Control meeting on Wednesday, the TSSAA announced they are waiting to hear more information from the governor's office.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the time being, high school student-athletes, coaches and families will have to wait on a decision for the schedule of the fall season for girls soccer and football. 

In a board of control meeting on Wednesday, the TSSAA announced they are waiting to hear more information from the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force to see if they can receive an exemption from the State of Emergency renewal through Aug. 29.

“We are working with the Governor’s legal counsel and based on the conversation we are having, we think it is best to delay any vote on a contingency plan,” TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said.

The State of Emergency, in part, puts a hold on the majority of practices and competitions for contact sports through Aug. 29, except for work on weight lifting, conditioning and fundamental practices.

“The Governor’s legal counsel stated that they need time to observe the data and work with us. There will come a time when we will have to make a decision on a contingency plan, but right now it is our opinion that we need to give their legal team the opportunity to see if it is needed in girls’ soccer and football," Childress said.

Last week, the TSSAA put forth four plans for the high school football season as a way to adjust scheduling in the fall because of the impacts of the coronavirus. The plans varied from seven regular season games to the normal 10 and included a pushed-back start of the regular season to Sept. 18.

RELATED | Proposed contingency plans from TSSAA for football, soccer

The exemption the TSSAA is looking for from the governor's office is similar to what college athletics and professional athletics have, which, as of now, would allow the organizations to continue with practice and games as scheduled.

There is currently no timetable in place for a vote from the Board of Control on the schedule.

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