High school coaches, administrators discuss football schedule adjustments

As the potential for severe weather approaches Friday, high school football teams across Oklahoma are moving games up to the night before.

The Moore High School Lions are one of those teams. For them, that means a Thursday afternoon bus ride to Broken Arrow. It’s one last audible moment in the final week of the regular season.

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Lions coach Greg Bryant said there would have to be a lot of movement to make it happen, but he’s not worried.

“That’s just the nature of football,” Bryant said.

From the home of Moore High School, Bryant prepares for what could be the final practice of the season. Wednesday’s training is the last of the week.

“Change is inevitable. That’s what we talked about yesterday,” Bryant said. “It’s like if you prepare for no change, then everything will change and you won’t be ready for it.”

His team first prepared for a Friday night game against the Tigers. Now, the Lions will adjust on a school night.

“It’s going to be a quick turnaround, just going through it,” Bryant admitted. “A lot of teams do that, so we have to prepare well to do that as well.”

Many teams are facing the same scenario, including those in the same district as Moore’s.

Moore Public Schools athletic director Brian Fitzgerald began preparations when he saw Sunday night’s forecast.

The Southmoore-Westmoore game would be his decision to make.

“The later you get to it, the more pressure you put on people to make things work,” Fitzgerald said.

It also provides less time to handle a long logistics list.

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“We have to check with the judges. “Without the referees, we don’t have a game,” Fitzgerals said. “Then it goes to the gate workers, security, concession workers, all kinds of things.”

It will be a late night for Moore’s players and for the coaches who are also teachers by day.

Bryant believes it could be a learning experience for his players. He said they were not scared.

“You ask a lot of these kids, they’re going to play Tuesday if they can,” Bryant said.

Adjustments are just part of the game, even in the final week of the regular season.