By Jesse Smithey
The fear was that Knox County Schools would wipe out all summer workout activities until July.
That fear didn’t come to fruition.
In a memo from KCS superintendent Bob Thomas on Tuesday afternoon, Thomas announced that summer workouts for Knox County Schools athletics programs can begin Tuesday, May 26.
Here is the memo …
BREAKING — Knox Co Schools to allow summer workouts beginning May 26 pic.twitter.com/924DEJxolG
— 5Star Preps (@5StarPreps) May 19, 2020
Alcoa began its summer football workouts Monday, May 18. Maryville began today (Tuesday, May 19). Lenoir City and Union County announced preparations this week for a May 26 start.
Others, especially in Northeast Tennessee, are set for June 1.
Knox County was supposed to have a meeting last week between its athletics directors and some KCS officials. In that meeting, some area ADs feared KCS would hold off on starting summer workouts until after the dead period (June 22-July 5) in order to further remove its athletes from any possible contractions of Covid-19.
Had that transpired, Knox County athletes would be nearly two months behind its peers in preparing for the possible 2020 high school football season.
But that meeting was cancelled last week, and Thomas issued a start date Tuesday evening.
Just because May 26 is the date for Knox County teams to begin doesn’t necessarily mean all will commence on that date. Plans must be put in place for the protection of the athletes, and cleaning/sanitation supplies must be presented. That might take a little extra time in Knox County.
Whether it’s Knox County or beyond, all precautions are expected to be taken to protect athletes and coaches.
CDC guidelines are to be adhered to, and some school systems are publicizing their road maps to achieving this.
See what Lenoir City and Union County released below …
Players/Parents.. The following forms can be found on the Lenoir City High School Athletic Director’s webpage. The COVID-19 waiver must be signed upon the student/athletes return to summer practice. We will have hard copies available on Tuesday May 26th. pic.twitter.com/RI4scLRxt4
— LCHS Athletic Dept (@LC_AthleticDept) May 19, 2020
Here’s how Union County plans to return to workouts … pic.twitter.com/T4K6D2nxO0
— 5Star Preps (@5StarPreps) May 19, 2020