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(Above) Hinton High School varsity football first-year head coach Grant Potter speaks with some of his players on Sept. 6, 2019 during a game vs. Mooreland High School. ANDREW SALMI/HINTON RECORD
HINTON - Following the official announcement on March 25 from the State Superintendent that all Oklahoma public schools would remain closed until the end of the academic year, Comets’ first-year football head coach Grant Potter took to Facebook Live to update students, parents and fellow coaches on the COVID-19 situation in relation to Hinton Public Schools spring sports.
With the cancelation of all spring sports and activities, Potter announced that (as it would stand today) upcoming May football spring practices and camps in preparation for the 2020 season are also canceled.
Potter hopes that the football camps will be able to eventually be pushed back to a later date in July if there is enough progress made.
Through group chats and Facebook, coach Potter has sent workout videos to his players to help them stay in shape at home.
He also made it clear that finishing school the right way is of utmost importance.
“Most importantly in the next few weeks when we get back to schoolwork, finish school the right way,” Potter said. “Finish strong. If you have problems, make sure you’re talking with your teachers and principals. Anyone you can to make sure you get done the things that you need to.”
Potter says that his football players need to control what they can control.
“Right now, there are things that are out of our control,” Potter said. “But what’s not out of our control is getting up every day, doing what we need to do with school, getting our workouts in and getting ourselves prepared for the next football season. No excuses. I don’t care that we’re not in school right now. What matters is that we prepare ourselves for next year and we go handle our business the way we are capable of. We overcome obstacles.”
Potter was also supposed to be the head coach for the Hinton boys’ varsity track and field team this 2020 spring season before the OSSAA officially canceled all Oklahoma spring sports.
Be sure to check out future editions of the Hinton Record for more Comets’ sports updates and news regarding the COVID-19 situation going forward.
Andrew Salmi can be reached at Sports@HintonRecord.com or by phone at (580) 623-4922.