June 22, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The DCHS Tiger Football Team has been on the practice field this month making preparations for the start of the season in August barring any delays due to COVID-19
The TSSAA has not, to this point, had any official discussion about altering the start date for the season — which is slated for Aug. 21.
Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said June practices have gone well although some adjustments had to be made which included mostly having to work in smaller groups.
Under TSSAA dead period requirements, the team is taking a couple of weeks off but will return in July with a full schedule of pre-season activity leading up to the scheduled season opener at home on August 21 at home against their border rival Warren County.
Coach Trapp has high hopes for this team and believes it can contend for the region championship if the season is allowed to play out as scheduled.
“We were allowed June 1 to get back to work in our summer program and that’s really four days after we would have normally started. We typically start in June, the Tuesday after Memorial Day, and we would have 19 days before the dead period. This year as far as scheduling goes the only thing that has been different is we had 15 days instead of 19. This summer we have had to group our guys and do things a lot differently as far as the way we got our work done but the one thing I have told all the parents I have talked to and the players is we will get the same work done that we usually do in June. We just have to go through a different process,” said Coach Trapp.
“This summer we have had to break down our workouts into smaller groups with multiple practice sessions a day but by having them in small groups we were able to have 2 or 3 coaches working with them (10-12 guys) at a time on more of an individual basis. They might not have been able to do it that way if everybody was together. It probably made it a little easier on the guys because they got in and out sooner than what they would have and it was only 30 minutes longer for the coaches. There were a lot of positives on the structure we had to get in our practices but the biggest negative was that our whole team wasn’t together with that team bond and camaraderie that you have with your brothers. That is the one thing you start building in January and you continue to build all the way through the summer. The biggest positive is that we were able to get back with these guys and get to work a little bit and start preparing for hopefully a successful season,” he said.
“The dead period is the last week of June and the first week of July and that is always the case. We get away from each other for two weeks. We will come back July 6 and at this point as far as our July calendar all the events we would normally have are still scheduled but it’s a week by week thing as far as changes and what we are allowed to do. Over the dead period I will get more information from our local school system on if we will be allowed to get into more football-like scenarios with our team together. We need to get to that point because our season is just around the corner,” Coach Trapp continued.
“I think everybody in the community is hopeful and wanting us to play football. I know I am and these kids are ready. We have a lot of experience coming back off a team that really made some noise last year at the end of the year. We have high expectations. We have a quality football team with a lot of quality guys and quality support. Everything is there for us but ultimately we have to make sure we do our part. As long as we stay healthy, hungry, and humble I think we will be okay,” said Coach Trapp.
The season kicks off on Friday, August 21 in Smithville against Warren County followed by another home game against Upperman on August 28. The first road game will be September 4 at Stone Memorial in Crossville.
All games start at 7:00 p.m. All opponents are the same as last year but the home and away games are reversed this year.
WJLE will have LIVE coverage each week.
The DCHS 2020 Football Schedule is as follows:
REGION OPPONENTS (*)
August 21: Warren County- Smithville 7 p.m.
August 28: Upperman-Smithville 7 p.m.
September 4: Stone Memorial*-Crossville 7 p.m.
September 11: Watertown-Smithville 7 p.m.
September 18: Grundy County- Away 7 p.m.
September 25: Cannon County-Woodbury 7 p.m.
October 2: Livingston Academy*-Smithville 7 p.m.
October 9: Smith County-Carthage 7 p.m.
October 16: Macon County*-Lafayette 7 p.m.
October 23: BYE WEEK
October 30: Cumberland County* Smithville 7 p.m.