It's probable that months of practice under a blazing sun won't be in vain for the Charlotte Amalie High School tackle football team.
Although there is no official green light yet, CAHS tackle football coach Robert Massey is confident that the boys will play their opening game against the St Thomas private school team as planned on Oct. 1 at Lionel Robert's Stadium.
The coming tackle football season has been in jeopardy due to lack of insurance for contact sports.
Massey said he's confident the funds for the insurance will come from the private sector.
Practice came to a halt Tuesday when CAHS principal Jeanette Smith was informed by the Interscholastic Athletic Association that the players were not insured.
IAA, the governing entity for school sports, must pay up to $25,000 to add tackle football on the insurance policy that normally is $2500, according to a Daily News article.
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole, a former football player of Massey's and a supporter of tackle football's comeback, has since found several options for insurance.
According to Cole, Banker's Life School Insurance already covers the players up to $10,000 and a policy for up to $50,000 can be written for $100 per person.
The Police Athletic Association has offered to insure the players, but teams would have to be renamed as PAL teams.
Massey is confident of the boys' ability to play well in the coming season. They began football drills combined with weight training last spring.
In addition to being faithful to football practice the 29 players may not have any grades under 70, according to Massey, a former college ball player himself. He coached tackle football in St Thomas from 1972 until 1987 when the sport was discontinued.
