All Chattanooga football coaches polled support team prayer

A special report today looks at the place of faith on the football field. 32 public school football coaches responded to our poll about sports and religion in the area. Each coach professed to be a Christian and all said they endorse some form of team prayer. The poll comes after the Freedom From Religion Foundation has become more active in challenging pre-game prayer in the area. Most recently, South Pittsburg High School received an official complaint for its student-led prayers. The coaches we surveyed say they consider the foundation's activity here a violation of their religious rights and an infringement on the South's way of life. Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis went so far as to say that a coaches' Christian example is more important for athletes to remember than anything they learn on the field.