CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Clarksville Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) announced Thursday that all classes including after school activities and athletics have been canceled for students until at least May 4. Even with the current date subject to change, this decision and further postponement continues to put all of the spring sport seasons in jeopardy.
Recent TBCA Hall of Fame inductee and Clarksville High baseball coach Brian Hetland understands the significance of the situation, but hasn’t given up on the hopes of a 2020 season.
“I appreciate that our administration hasn’t done what the NCAA did right away and just cancel,” Hetland said. “We at least had postponements and a possibility of getting in kids’ spring seasons. I know Bernard Childress with TSSAA didn’t oppose the idea of having the season pushed back a little bit. Whether that’s a realistic possibility or not I do not know.
“Our citywide AD asked us for our current records because they are trying to put a kind of game plan in place right now for what would happen if we did get to resume play,” Hetland said. “You’d have to be able to practice some before you played to avoid injuries. That’s what makes it tough with this much time out is to be able to get the guys back in playing shape.”
In his 35th year at the helm for the Indians, Montgomery Central baseball coach Todd Dunn described the recent nature of events as “unprecedented”.
“I do not believe anybody really knows what is going to happen in the next few weeks or months,” Dunn shared. “Last week was a whirlwind and I did not get to talk to my team as a group. Most members of the team came and got their equipment out of their locker room a few days ago. I talked to many that day personally and talked to many via text. I have told them to be safe and be prepared if we can continue with the season in a few weeks. I have also told them to be prepared if the season is over. It is a difficult time for all of us.”
Dunn remains optimistic that his current players will get the chance take the field together a few more times as a team.
“On one hand the most important thing is the health and well-being of everyone,” Dunn said. “On the other, these young student-athletes have been working very hard in order to have a great season. We have a very special team this year. They work hard, have a great attitude and are fun to be around each day. It is very difficult to see their pain at not being able to play, especially the seniors who have worked so hard and will not have another chance. With the TSSAA’s ruling the other day, it gives us hope that the season may not end. As a coach, I am heartbroken that the season may be over. I greatly miss being with the players and to see them hurting especially the seniors is difficult. I hope in a short time that our country is safe and that we can get back to normal times.”
Hetland echoed Dunn’s sentiment that the most important aspect to be cognizant of at the moment is player safety.
“It’s a tough situation all the way around,” Hetland said. “Obviously, the health for all of our players and people is the most important thing. That’s the reason for this move. It makes it harder and harder to think about playing baseball or any spring sport right now when you’re not even in school. It’s a tough thing for our seniors and really all of our players to wrap their heads around. We don’t know where this thing is going to go or what the end result is going to be. Our administration downtown has said that if we were in school, we would be able to start playing, but obviously now school is pushed back further and further. We just have to see what ramifications this will bring about.”
First-year Clarksville Academy and former Northeast baseball coach Dustin Smith wants his team to attempt to stay mentally strong during this unique layoff.
“It has been tough,” Smith said of the recent announcements. “We have a great group of seniors that have worked extremely hard and deserve to compete for a chance at a title. Clarksville Academy along with all the other schools are in the same boat where we just want our student athletes to be safe, but also get a chance to compete on the field.
“I have tried to remain positive with the guys and TSSAA gave us a glimmer of hope with saying they have not canceled their spring fling,” Smith said. “Right now we are holding out hope that we will play this year. The impact could be that we don’t have a regular season, but hopefully a postseason. I don’t know how that will look, but hopefully the student athletes will be able to salvage some type of normalcy.”
Hetland gave his thoughts on the impact that the pause could potentially have on teams if the 2020 spring baseball season does in fact resume.
“My concern is just the preparation,” Hetland said. “It’s going to be sporadic. Some guys are going to work hard. The facilities are not able to be used which is a smart thing safety wise, so they have to find alternative sources to do their thing. I told my guys just make sure you throw. No matter what. If nothing else we can pick up from that. If we get a chance to start back it’s going to be warm. The weather shouldn’t be an issue. It’s hard to predict anything when the state and national government is doing things day by day and hour by hour things are changing.”
According to the area’s leaders, keeping a positive outlook and taking necessary precautions to avoid the spreading of the virus will go a long way in increasing the likelihood of a continued sports season.
“That would be great for the kids that’s for sure,” Hetland said. “I mean that’s what we all want from the administration to principles and coaches to players. If it becomes where they feel it’s safe enough and we can do it, then hopefully we can do it. Right now, no one knows what to think of it all completely.”