LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While the work to build the new Southwest High School continues, Daryl Patton is trying to build the Gryphons new football program. Without actually being able to play or practice football due to COVID-19.
"When you take over a new program you're trying to get your culture in place. Instill the work habits and things you want done, and then also to install your scheme, offensively, defensively and also special teams. And then also to build a relationship with your staff," Patton, who was tabbed to lead the new program back in January said. "And so those are the things you want to get done, and with us kind of being isolated, quarantined off, it's tougher to do that."
Starting a program from scratch is always a challenge, but doing it from a safe, social distance presents a unique set of circumstances.
"We're staying in contact with our choices through a lot of Zoom teleconferencing," said Patton. "We're also staying in touch with our kids through Zoom as well, and just try to do as much as we can."
Much like everyone else, they're having to get a little creative.
"Herschel Walker-type training," Patton laughed. "A lot of pushups, situps, planks. Body squats, things like that. Main thing is we just want our kids up off the coach, being as active as they can while practicing social distancing."
It's not that there isn't any football that's the hardest part for Patton. It's that there aren't any answers for the questions that keep on coming.
"It's tough right now because there's a lot of uncertainty," he said. "Kids .. I'll get texts four or five times a day, 'Coach, when are we coming back? When are we coming back?' I wish I had that answer. I really do. I wish I could say, hey we're coming back June the 1st, but we just don't know."
Football is about wins and losses. But when it's loss of life that's at stake with COVID-19, it brings the meaning of football back into perspective.
"Just getting back together," said Patton, when asked what the best-case scenario would be. "I think the best-case scenario is us having high school football back in the fall, and everybody's back together. Win, lose or draw, there's nothing better than high school football."