The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association opened an investigation into a soccer match after a girls soccer coach pulled out his team and accused the other side of not following safety guidelines.
Coach Justin Berry of Mount Juliet Christian Academy said he had to forfeit the soccer match against Smith County High School on Tuesday because of the weather.
In a report sent to the TSSAA, Coach Berry and his athletic trainer repeatedly asked for the other team, game administrator and officials to pause the game. He said it was "due to inclement weather with lightning reaching within the TSSAA restricted limits as well as insight with audible thunder heard multiple times."
Under policy, a game should be suspended for 30 minutes if thunder could be heard or lightning could be seen.
However, he said the Smith County High School coach refused to stop the game which forced him to forfeit in the first half.
"He [Berry] said Smith County coach did not remove his team from the soccer field. They refused to leave because they didn't see lightning and felt the game could've continued," Childress said.
The report from Berry further claimed that he was given a yellow card for descent and was mocked by Smith County fans by being called quitters. He also said a referee told him, "It's not my call. That's enough, not another word!"
However, officials at Smith County High School told a different story. They also sent a report to TSSAA claiming they did not hear thunder or see lightning at all.
Their report said the game administrator was responsible for making weather-delay decisions. The administrator apparently asked the referee if he was requesting a "weather delay" and received a reply of "no."
The Smith County director of schools added that TSSAA protocol was followed at all times, and that officials were watching the weather closely.
"We have two conflicting stories that we have to decide where are we? There's the truth out there somewhere and we have to get down to the bottom of it," Childress said.
Childress said the organization is looking into the game not as a forfeited contest but a suspended one. Depending on what is determined, the teams may have to play each other again.
Mt. Juliet Christian Academy Head of School Dr. Mike Lee released a statement:
"At Mt. Juliet Christian Academy, student safety is a priority over the completion of an athletic contest. We do not put the responsibility of our students' safety on officials or another team's coaching staff, nor do we attempt to force our decisions regarding student safety on anyone else."
The decision our coaching staff made on September 22 was in the best interest of MJCA students and families, and we support that decision."
Smith County Schools Director Barry Smith also released a statement.
NewsChannel 5's storm radar showed that around the time was schedule to start at 7 pm, the closest lightning strike was about seven miles from the field.
The strike was about 15 miles away by 7:15 p.m.
Experts say lightning can strike from ten miles away.
