Prominent coaches react to NMAA’s new spring football schedule
Under the new spring high school football schedule approved by the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) a week or so ago, the best advice we can offer is this: don’t blink. Football practice is scheduled to begin Feb. 1 with…
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Continue ReadingUnder the new spring high school football schedule approved by the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) a week or so ago, the best advice we can offer is this: don’t blink.
Football practice is scheduled to begin Feb. 1 with the first games set for the weekend of Feb. 19-20. Coaches Prep Redzone New Mexico has spoken with believe the NMAA is planning a four-game regular season schedule with a two-tier playoff bracket in each classification allowing each school to play a maximum of seven or eight games.
State championship games are scheduled for April 3.
All that, of course, is contingent upon there actually being a season.
As far as many coaches and players are concerned, that’s a big IF right now. Concern, trepidation and anxiety are not in short supply throughout the state.
“Our kids and kids around the state are smart,” Centennial coach Aaron Ocampo told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “They follow social media and they talk to people. They know there’s a chance we may not play. The message we’ve been sending to our guys is we can’t control tomorrow at all.
“We don’t know what’s going to come with the virus and our response to the virus as a society. Hopefully, by February 1st we’ll be able to play competitive games and do things in bigger groups.”
The fact the state of New Mexico is set to receive its first shipment of a COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday with additional shipments supposedly on the way will hopefully brighten the prospects of a season actually being played.
“Even though it might just be four games, we’re just trying to stay positive be grateful we might get a chance to play,” Clovis head coach Cal Fullerton told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “It doesn’t matter to me what they do or how they do it as long as our kids get the opportunity to go out and show what they’ve been working for. They deserve a chance to play and a chance to go to the school.”
Many, though, won’t feel more at ease until the pads come on in early February and teams begin preparations for an actual game.
“At this point, we’ve learned to go day-by-day,” Cleveland coach Heath Ridenour told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We just have to be good today and doing what we can do today to have an opportunity for tomorrow. I can’t speculate. But all we’ve had is setback after setback to this point
“We do have the vaccine coming out, where we’re going to protect the frontline workers and the elderly and those people at risk. At that point, you have to give people the right to choose what they do with their lives. If these kids want to go out and play a game and then go back to school, that has to happen.”
Football season’s end date in early April and basketball’s late March start suggest the NMAA wanted minimal overlap between the two sports, allowing many athletes to play both.
For Fullerton and his players, a fall without football was especially frustrating because they can literally look out their kitchen windows and see the Texas border town of Farwell a few miles down the road.
Not only did Farwell High School play a full 11-game regular season schedule, they competed in a Class 2A Division I playoff game before seeing their season end.
“Farwell is six miles away from here and they played their whole season plus a playoff game,” Fullerton said. “Here we are, limited to four players to one coach. It’s been tough on our kids. We’re trying to keep a positive outlook on everything, and trying to make a positive out of a negative.”
Seeing high school teams in surrounding states such as Texas, Colorado and Arizona all playing this fall had many players asking important questions.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating for sure seeing teams all over the country finishing their season or starting the playoffs. We’re still here and the kids are wondering what the heck is going on, why we can’t play. You don’t always have the answer for them. But you have to be there for them and make sure you’re there when they need you.”
Schools conducting workouts now must follow the protocols established by the state, which limits the number of players that can work out at the same time.
“We’ve done our job in following the rules,” Ridenour said. “Our kids have been great about it. We’ve been off and one with workouts. Right now, we’re off. Our district has told us we have to hold off until January to give these numbers a chance to go down and give ourselves a legitimate chance to play in the spring.”
In contrast, the Las Cruces School District recently approved the start of workouts for its four high school football teams.
“We’ve practiced every week our school district has allowed us to practice,” Ocampo said. “We did a month of practice from mid-October into November. Then the governor did the two-week pause. Now this week we’ve been able to restart our workouts, albeit outside. We’re on a week-to-week basis with that. Our guys have gone through a lot.”
Centennial’s workouts typically feature weightlifting (yes, the equipment has been moved outside), conditioning and agility drills and football specific drills. Everything is done in groups of four.
Clovis is working out three times per week with one coach for every four players as mandated by the state.
“The biggest thing for the coaches right now is not only working out, but we have a chance to be around our players,” Fullerton said. “Overall, as a program, our kids have handled things as well as they could have. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do. I couldn’t be more proud of them. They show up every day not knowing if they’re going to get a chance to play or not.”
The abbreviated regular season means most schools will have to scrap the 7-game schedules they initially pieced together last summer and fall. But there is plenty of uncertainty concerning how many games teams will be allowed to play.
“They haven’t made any decisions on what the season is going to look like,” Ridenour said. “What I understand is it’s going to be a four-game schedule plus playoffs. They’re trying to get as many teams involved in the playoffs. There’s talk of a championship bracket that will fight for a blue trophy and another consolation bracket where you can get some games in. There’s a lot up in the air right now.”
The NMAA is considering a bunch of different scenarios on how to group teams together. Geographic pods or mini-districts are possible. No districts or keeping schedules regional regardless of classification are possible too.
Dividing each classification into divisions (see Texas) has been discussed as well. That way, most schools would be guaranteed at least five games.
“The NMAA told us in a meeting that they’re looking at a bunch of different ways of doing things,” Ocampo said. “They are looking at putting the schools into smaller districts followed by a three-week postseason. Even if you didn’t make the playoffs, you could schedule more games.
“Some coaches had some really good ideas about multiple playoffs, which will give more kids an opportunity to play meaningful games at the end of the season. I’m all for that.”