On November 10, The Fort Worth Star Telegram published an article from our head football coach, Tim Buchanan. This article stated that the coach was upset about the way the Aledo parents sponsored parties for homecoming and Halloween knowing about COVID-19 and its risks.

Coach Buchanan’s statement caused a division in the community between parents and students, some believing what he said was needed and some believing it was unnecessary and ridiculous.

At first the article caused a big uproar with the parents due to Buchanan stating that he was frustrated with the “knucklehead” parents in Aledo.   

“I was surprised and confused when I first saw the article but I found it funny that coach Buchanan used to word knucklehead when describing the parents,” junior cornerback Sammy Steffe, #26 said. 

But his football players have come to an agreement that what Buchanan said is reasonable and an important message to the parents and students in the program. 

“I think Coach Buc completely has the right and the place to say what he said and I think it’s awesome what he said because if we want to continue to play we don’t need to be partying,” senior linebacker Andrew Flatt, #44 said. 

Many boys on the team were quarantined. Luckily, it was not the whole starting lineup. Buchanan said that last week 32 players, four of them being starters, got quarantined because of a party. 

“If our whole starting lineup all got quarantined, I think it would have a big impact, JV might have to get pulled up and we would have to play some of them and that would not be good,” senior linebacker Sam Forman, #20 said. 

COVID-19 is active in our community right now. There are 30 active cases in the district with 427 students and employees in quarantine as of Nov. 20. 

“COVID-19 has not affected my family in any way but I do think it needs to be taken more serious than has been taken recently,” senior cornerback Blake Walters, #14 said. 

Although numbers are rising, Buchanan is hoping that the team will continue the rest of the season. 

“We have pretty high hopes that we are going to play through the season and through the playoffs and hopefully we make it to state,” senior linebacker Sam Forman, #20 said. 

Buchanan stated that parents getting venues and throwing parties are part of the spread. He wishes that his kids will stop going to parties because it is putting their football season at jeopardy.

“It has kind of altered my decisions, but I think it’s the best choice for the team,” senior linebacker Andrew Flatt, #44 said.

COVID-19 has already changed football enormously and players getting quarantined is not helping. Coach Buchanan and his team are now trying to stay as safe as possible so they can finish the year strong.