High School Football is back, changes made to prevent COVID-19

AUSTIN, Texas - As the pandemic loams across the area, the Texas Friday night lights shine through.

“Here we are, we are excited, everybody is excited,” said Donna Loehr whose son plays football for Taylor High school.

Loehr geared up in Taylor school pride in order to cheer on her son #44 who played in the high school’s first football ball game of the season. “You just want to cry when you don’t watch Friday night lights it’s awesome, I was excited all day to see it,” said Loehr.

Loehr told FOX 7 Austin, because of COVID-19 she wasn’t even sure if they would let parents like her watch or even have a game this soon into the school year. “We really thought they were going to play alone without us and we would have to watch it on tv but to be here is good we have to wear masks but we have pride so here we go,” said Loehr.

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While the game itself hasn’t changed, there are many changes around the action in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. First is the stands, people are spaced out, the band is playing on the track and of course, everyone is wearing masks.

Loehr said she still worries for her son out on the field, “All we can do is be well and pray, the coaches got it all in their hands though.”

FOX 7 Austin spoke with Taylor athletic director Robert Little on the changes being down on the field, one of them being all the players are also wearing masks, when they aren’t playing. “We’ve got a social distancing coach that’s in charge of making sure the kids are staying socially distant at the sideline and have masks on everyone has their own water bottle,” said Little.

Little said he was also iffy on if they would be playing this Friday but is hopefully the lights in their stands will inspire other schools that Texas high school football is back.