NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — High school football kicks off Friday night in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Fall athletes are now allowed to play competitively, but without fans in the stands.
Metro Schools is the last district in the area to begin football games amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practices resumed Sept. 11 in Nashville. They got word last week that games without fans were starting back up tonight.
The district used the $15,000 earmarked for game security to install cameras for a live stream. The games can be watched on the district's YouTube page.
Players hope people will cheer them on at home.
“It’s been hard this year especially since we’re not at school so we’re not all together all day like we usually are,” said Corey Hoggett, a football player at Pearl-Cohn High School.
However, some Metro parents are not happy about the decision to not have fans in the stands. Felicia Lively, a mom of a Hillwood cheerleader, started an online petition that so far, has gotten nearly 1,400 signatures.
She argues that surrounding counties are allowing fans and wonders why in Metro supporters can't come to games, wear masks and social distance.
“That really just hurt us because we’ve attended all of her games, and we just can’t imagine not being able to attend,” said Lively. “We went to a game on Friday in Sumner County and I was literally just in tears over the fact of not being able to go and support her school, her senior year, have senior night."
The game between McGavock High and Hillwood High, which was scheduled for tonight, was postponed due to a case of COVID-19.
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