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Crockett football team not allowed to practice, Coach Sensabaugh under fire


blazer1set
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http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Football/2017/10/09/Crockett-football-team-not-allowed-to-practice.html?ci=stream&lp=1&p

Crockett football team not allowed to practice, Coach Sensabaugh under fire
 Douglas Fritz • Updated Today at 11:56 AM 

In the middle of potentially the best football season in David Crockett High School history, and in the week of the biggest game of the year to date, the Pioneers’ players were told by the administration they were not allowed to practice Monday.

Crockett head coach Gerald Sensabaugh — who recently created a firestorm of controversy with Facebook posts about situations including drugs being offered to him by a school employee, missing funds that belonged to the football program, poor learning conditions in the school system, and other things — said the administration is not doing the right thing.

“They didn’t give me rhyme or reason for it,” said Sensabaugh. “They are sacrificing the well-being and happiness of the kids for their own agenda. That’s what it is, and that is what it comes down to. They are just holding their kids back. They have taken away a tool for these kids to be successful.”

The edict to not practice came from school principal Peggy Wright, Sensabaugh said.

“She said all she does is carry out orders from people above her,” said Sensabaugh. “We had a meeting last week, and she just read off a letter. She didn’t really speak for herself.”

Attempts to get comments from the Crockett administration for the reason or reasons behind forbidding practice have been unsuccessful. The practice was scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. because Crockett is on fall break this week.

A rally in support of Sensabaugh has been set for Thursday from 3-8 p.m. at the Washington County Schools central office, 405 W College St., in Jonesborough, according to a Facebook event posting. Sensabaugh said his players — who have battled their way to a 3-0 record in Region 1-5A and 5-2 mark overall — didn’t accept the news of the canceled practice without a fight.

“They called me and said they were going to practice anyway,” said Sensabaugh. “They went and tried to practice on their own, but somebody from the school board would not let them on the property.”

Sensabaugh said he did not know if his team would be allowed to practice Tuesday. With Tennessee High on the schedule Friday, the missing practice time could put the student-athletes in a lose-lose situation.

“Instead of learning and getting better, the kids are left at home,” said Sensabaugh.

While the missed practice is certainly a football problem, Sensabaugh said he’s fighting bigger issues.

“This is a big game for us, but at the end of the day football is not that important,” said Sensabaugh. “But football is a tool to get you somewhere in life. That’s what I got out of football. I think that’s why the kids are having success. They see they can be good.”

Sensabaugh said he has the support of the players.

“I asked them if I anyone had a problem with me as their coach, and nobody raised their hand,” he said. “Then I had a silent vote, and all of them wrote ‘yes’ (in support).”

Sensabaugh said he was paying out of his own pocket to take the team to a movie Monday afternoon at the AMC theaters in Johnson City.

This is a developing story.

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I'm sure Boone practiced today as usual.     This is so unfair to the Crockett players.       I would love to see Crockett go 9-1 every year, and a lot of Boone fans feel that way, after all they are only an "enemy" one night of the year because we are still Washington County brethren otherwise.        You know that explosion @ Eastman last week?       I have a feeling that is nothing compared to the explosion getting ready to happen to Wash Co.

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4 minutes ago, blazer1set said:

I'm sure Boone practiced today as usual.     This is so unfair to the Crockett players.       I would love to see Crockett go 9-1 every year, and a lot of Boone fans feel that way, after all they are only an "enemy" one night of the year because we are still Washington County brethren otherwise.        You know that explosion @ Eastman last week?       I have a feeling that is nothing compared to the explosion getting ready to happen to Wash Co.

I'm just saying, if I were a Crockett parent and I found out Boone got to practice and Crockett did not, I would be a Central Office showing my concern.  I'm a Boone boy too, but both sides of the county should be able to practice, not 1 because the Superintendent is being vindictive.  I swear, the more I read his Facebook posts the more I wonder what else is going to happen.

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23 minutes ago, blazer1set said:

Gang, I am so hoping that another area school will offer Crockett their facilities to practice on.     It would be most hilarious if Tenn High (Crockett's opponent this Friday) let them practice at the Castle.

While that would be a good gesture, I'm pretty sure no one surrounding Washington County wants to touch it with a 10 foot pole

I will say if Boone did not practice as well, I could see it being because of the weather, but that does not mean the team could not meet on school grounds and use the gym to get something done.

This is going to be a media nightmare for Washington

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I think a lot of people knew something like this was going to happen. Whether he's fired or resigns at the end of the season Crockett will be looking for a new football coach. The whole situation is sad and really unfair to the kids. 

Edited by WBNC83
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