CANCELED: Oakland football, Rich Froning to hold CrossFit event to aid tornado victims

Cecil Joyce
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

EDITOR'S NOTE: This event has now been cancelled due to recent coronavirus concerns.

Oakland football coach Kevin Creasy has been active in trying to help victims of the March 3 tornadoes that swept through several Middle Tennessee counties and resulted in 25 deaths and millions in damages.

On Saturday, the Patriots, in conjunction with CrossFit superstar Rich Froning and his associates, will host a CrossFit competition at the Oakland indoor football facility. And 100% of the proceeds will go to help those affected by the tornadoes.

The event – "Mayhem for Middle Tennessee" – is scheduled for 9 a.m. until noon.

"I went through the flood of 2010 at Trousdale County (and) we lost everything," said Creasy, who has been empathetic to athletic programs around the Midstate that have suffered because of the storms.

"My football insurance claim was 11 pages long. So I feel sorry for (Donelson Christian Academy football) Coach (Paul) Wade and (Mt. Juliet Christian Academy football) Coach (Dan) Davis."

CrossFit superstar Rich Froning, pictured during a 2019 competition, will be part of a charity CrossFit event being held at Oakland High School's indoor football facility Saturday.

Both Donelson Christian and Mt. Juliet Christian were hit hard by the storms. Putnam County suffered arguably the most damage and 19 of the deaths.

Froning owns a CrossFit gym in Cookeville, where damage was extensive. A former Oakland student's fiance works for Froning, which is how the idea to do the event at Oakland began.

"That's exactly the kind of thing we wanted to do," Creasy said. "They are already doing one in Cookeville for Putnam County. We felt if we could do another, we would send half of the (proceeds) to (DCA and MJCA) and the other half to Putnam County."

The competition will involve two-person teams (cost to enter is $50 per team). Teams are urged to sign up early online at app.throwdowns.com/competitions/mayhem-for-middle-tennessee-at-oakland-high/registration. But teams will be accepted the morning of the competition.

Creasy said Froning will be part of a team competing in the event. His gym associates will be running the event.

Creasy said the competition won't be a "cutthroat" competition, but more of a community competition.  

"We wanted it to be where anyone who is health-conscious can go in and compete and have a good time," Creasy said. 

As for concerns about the coronavirus, Creasy said the event will take precautions by providing hand sanitizer and disenfecting spray for equipment. 

A canned food drive also will be held, with all food raised going to Nourish Food Bank.

Spectators also are urged to attend at $5 per person or five canned goods.

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.