Life is more important than sports.
This is the message O’Bannon High School track coach Charles Moore has been conveying to his athletes once it became clear that this year’s high school spring sports season would not be completed.
Moore teaches chemistry and geometry at his school and has been in daily contact with many of his track athletes who he now teaches remotely.
“They are very upset about not being able to finish the season, but I told them that this is what life is all about,” Moore said. “Life is not always going to go your way, and you are going to have to learn how to make the most out of every situation.”
On Wednesday, the Executive Committee of the the Mississippi High School Activities Association voted to cancel all sports and activities until the start of the 2020-21 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Committee’s decision follows Tuesday’s announcement by Gov. Tate Reeves that all public schools will be closed for the rest of the 2019-20 academic year.
Per MHSAA rules, competition, practice or tryouts for sports and activities are not allowed while schools are closed. Therefore, offseason and summer sports and activities for schools shall not begin until June 1 or until further notice. This policy was reaffirmed by the Executive Committee during Wednesday’s conference call.
Coach Moore said he is particularly saddened that the seniors on his track team will not be able to finish their high school careers. Greenwave seniors like Zion Jessie, Curtis Austin and Jarvaris Jackson were all hoping to lead O’Bannon to a state championship in track.
Furthermore, the abrupt end is especially painful to runners like Myeshia Stephney and Rayana Johnson on the girls team who were hoping to run well enough in future meets to earn scholarship offers from college track coaches.
Coach Moore is going to try to help his seniors still obtain track scholarships, but he said it is now more difficult.
Like O’Bannon’s Moore, Greenville High School baseball coach Jeffrey Jones said he will also have tough conversations with the seniors on his team who had their season come to an end.
Over the last three years, Jones had worked with seniors (Ty’Mitchell McCollough, Aaron Coats, Ervin Simmons, Kameron Reed, Jayden Jones and Donovan Shead) for this season. The Hornets were on their way to having their best season in recent memory.
“I am real disappointed for these seniors, but real adversity builds character,” Coach Jones said.
