Meeting set to discuss dead period

David Bailey (left) listens as Columbia Central football coach Jason Hoath speaks during a Monday signing ceremony for Bailey. (Photo by Maurice Patton)

By Maurice Patton

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association will hold a specially called Legislative Council meeting Thursday remotely to discuss a possible one-year waiver of the dead period.

With schools dismissed statewide in mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of coaches have expressed concern regarding the preparation time for the upcoming 2020-21 seasons that has already been lost.

As communities across the state begin to ‘reopen’, summer workouts are restarting as well. Columbia Academy and Williamson County Schools resumed activities Monday, with Maury County Public Schools to start on June 8.

However, the dead period is currently set to begin on June 22 and continue through July 4.

“It’s tough, because (coaches) have all told our parents, ‘please take your vacations here’,” Columbia Central football coach Jason Hoath said regarding a potential reversal of the inactivity.

Free physicals Friday: Maury County Public Schools officials announced that free physicals for high school student-athletes will be available Friday at Columbia Central High School beginning at 10 a.m.

Details were incomplete, but the physicals will be provided by Northside Medical Professionals, Maury Regional Medical Center and the MRMC Foundation, according to county athletics director Chris Poynter.

The physicals will be conducted in the event center at Central.

A later session is planned for middle school student-athletes, but has yet to be scheduled.

Columbia Central’s David Bailey (center, with mom Sharon, niece Makaila Hester and dad David Sr.) has signed a football scholarship with East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss. (Photo by Maurice Patton)

Bailey celebration: A signing ceremony was held Monday at Columbia Central for David Bailey. The three-time all-Region 5-5A selection committed last month to East Central (Miss.) Community College.

“David is everything you could want as a coach – not just as an athlete, but as a young man,” Hoath said. “He’s always ‘yes sir’, ‘no sir’, always willing to do anything he could for the team. We put him in some tough spots, and he never complained. His parents did a fantastic job raising a fine young man.”

Bailey, a 6-4, 270-pounder who lined up at defensive end and tight end as a senior, recorded 39 total tackles (eight for loss, including two sacks) last fall while helping Central into the state playoffs and earning region defensive lineman of the year honors. He also played basketball for the Lions and was a member of the competitive cheer squad.

Maurice Patton is the editor for Southern Middle Tennessee Sports. He can be reached by e-mail at mopattonsports@gmail.com or on Twitter at @mopatton_sports.

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