MNPS parents ready for officials to make a decision on fall sports

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro school families are still in limbo as they wait to find out if fall sports will be canceled.

It’s been anxiety-inducing for Overton High School parent Amie Ellis.

"It’s just a waiting game," Ellis said. “We’re trying to take the ball that’s been handed to us, and play the best game we can play. Not being communicated with is hard. I know, as an adult, it would be very difficult to go out on the practice field five days a week and practice, and not know if I was going to play next Friday.”

Some parents believe the decision should be up to them. At the same time, Ellis said she understands the severity of the pandemic.

"So to me it’s not about is COVID a real threat or not. It is a real threat. But as Cameron’s mom, I know the risk that it poses to my son, and I still let him go to practice five days a week.”

Cameron is not having a good year at Overton High School. Everything he loves was taken away. He can't play in the jazz band, perform in plays, or play football.

"I’m kind of upset because other counties around us have made decisions, and made those decisions weeks ago," Cameron said.

They’re sad that Williamson County athletes have been playing football on Friday nights just a few miles away.

"The reality is, the kids who can’t afford to live in Williamson County, don’t get to play. The kids that can afford to live in Williamson County get to play," Ellis said.

While many were hoping for a decision, on Monday a Metro School spokesperson said there’s no update.

"It puts the Davidson County kids, the Metro kids, at a huge disadvantage," Ellis said.

Most private and charter schools have resumed fall sports. Amie believes playing sports safely is possible, and she observed people doing just that at a Metro park the other day.

"They were in family pods all over the park and in-between each pod there was a good 6 feet, and some were wearing masks, some weren’t."

In addition, some families are worried about how canceling fall sports will potentially affect college scholarship opportunities. However, Metro School officials have said if games are played in the future, they would most likely live-stream them.