MACON, Ga. — A week from Monday, athletes will reunite with their teammates after the GHSA announced athletes can begin conditioning only workouts on June 8th. 13WMAZ caught up with a few football players to ask about their expectations. Victor Burley of Warner Robins High School, Dominic Sasser of Bleckley County High School, Nate Boehm of Veterans High School and Jason Parham of Howard High School spoke with Avery Braxton.
AVERY: Just the feeling of getting back with your teammates even if it is just looking weird, what was the reaction there?
NATE: I was very excited to see it come back out of nowhere. June 8th, who would have expected it that close to us so when I heard that I was really excited because I want to create the brotherhood with my team. I want to see my coaches. Just all that.
JASON: It's like getting back with your family like he was saying. You've been apart for so long, you're ready to just see what y'all can do for the next upcoming season and I just can't wait.
AVERY: A lot of you have had to work out on your own. Do you feel prepared individually and how do you think that's gonna affect the school time?
VICTOR: Like the coaches sent us like a at home workout so if they took that seriously, went out and worked out we'll probably still be in pretty good conditioning and with us watching film, going over plays, getting new plays I think we should be on the right track when we get back.
DOMINIC: I feel like our coaches have done a really good job lately of keeping us accountable even through online video chats or making sure we're on hudl watching film, going through the playbook. I feel like in that aspect we've been doing really good as a team. I think we're going to be ready.
AVERY: How have you been holding your teammates accountable?
JASON: You want the best for your teammates so you're always constantly texting, getting in contact with them, making sure because if they're not ready, we're not ready as a unit. So that's not going to look good for ourselves. When you're a leader that's your job to constantly get on somebody because you want the best.
AVERY: What if there are no fans in the stands? What if mom, dad and grandma can't come watch you? How does that affect the game?
VICTOR: It really doesn't affect me because when I play I block out all fans whether it's love or hate. I still go out there and play, block out everything. Basically what my coach tells me to do, I do it.
DOMINIC: There is a certain aspect of you want to put on for your city. You want to bring back some respect, some love for your city whenever you go out and play against another city's team. If we get to the point where there are no fans in the stands and it's just team on team, it's going to be a little bit of a different vibe, but I feel like the energy and the will to win is still going to be there.
It will be interesting to see athletes get back to it and what the future of Georgia high school sports holds. The first step begins June 8th.
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