At Issue: Parkview's Eric Godfree on legislative oversight

Each week, five high school coaches will discuss one issue that affects Georgia high school sports. | Last week: Teaching adversity

At Issue: Georgia's elected officials in the Senate and House often have directed their legislative focus toward the Georgia High School Association during the past 20 years, introducing some bills of great import, others borderline frivolous. There have been two home runs. The Ryan Boslet bill, named in honor of a young Chattahoochee football player who died from heart failure during offseason workouts in 2002, mandated more thorough pre-competition physicals for high school athletes. Another push from the statehouse led to wet-bulb heat and humidity testing, which took athletes off the field during late-summer and early fall workouts if the readings showed danger. Unfortunately, many other bills were sparked by "fandom," including an attempt three years ago to dissolve the GHSA and let the state take control after fans in one area of the state complained about former GHSA executive director Gary Phillips, who decided to retire.

So with that background, exactly what role should state lawmakers have in relation to the GHSA?

The Skinny: Eric Godfree has been head coach of the Parkview football team since 2014 and has a 50-22 record at the school. In the past two seasons, Godfree has led the Panthers to double-digit victories, the first time since 2005. The Panthers were undefeated in Region 7-AAAAAAA both seasons.

Now preparing for his 17th year as a head coach in Georgia, Godfree has amassed a large amount of experience in Georgia high school sports and understands all the moving pieces. One situation that’s constant is oversight from elected officials in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate, and their involvement in almost each legislative session.

“I don’t think the statehouse and government should be totally out of the GHSA, because of checks and balances,” said Godfree. “I trust the GHSA; they do a good job. It’s ultimately about high school sports, but with some extra checks and balances. You get someone in there that’s a little too power-hungry, or whatever it might be, it won’t be a good result for high school sports in the end.”

While many parties are involved in making crucial decisions that shape Georgia’s high school sports scene, it is important to remember the impacts on coaches and their communities.

Godfree: "Some result of it has been served and passed down to us coaches. One great thing about us coaches is that we're going to adapt and do what's best for our kids in the end. We're going to follow the rules. We're rule-followers. We're teaching our kids to follow the rules, as well. We don't harp on what's been good or bad.

“The rule of contact, when it first got passed down to us, really (changed what we had been doing). First thing was getting the kids to buy in. Whether I think it’s right or wrong, we have to pass it on if that’s what’s best for our kids. We’ll find a way to still make you a better football player, but with less contact.

“That’s what’s been needed, and I think the state of Georgia has upped their game, as far as football. Those non-contact rules haven’t affected us in that manner, because the coaches took it and made a positive spin with it. Our big thing as coaches is to take things that may not be seen in a positive light and give it a positive spin and see how it can make our players better football players. In the end, as more and more research comes out, I don’t think it’s been bad. We’ve been able to do everything we need to do to get prepared for Friday night and not have it affect our play.

“That’s the difference in Georgia and Florida. Georgia is working hard to keep high school communities. Florida has kind of given up. (In Florida) you can just go play wherever you want to play. You can play here in the fall, there in the winter and somewhere else in spring. There’s no community, and that’s not what high school sports in about. We still have our issues, kids moving around too much ... or rather parents moving their kids around too much. I do think Georgia is still working hard to keep these high school communities like they should be. In the end, when you go to that 20-year reunion, it means something. It makes high school a lot more meaningful and gives you more pride. I think Georgia is a step ahead in that manner. I have college coaches who will come by and say, ‘I stopped at a school that a kid played at, and when I get there he’s no longer there. He’s over at another school.’ They constantly fight that battle and don’t know where kids are. (Florida kids) can literally move in the middle of a school year and play for that school right away.

“The (GHSA) constitution does a good job of addressing this. I won’t say it’s always followed. We try to follow it to a tee as best we can. It’s well-written and really up to a lot of schools to follow through. With the GHSA, what’s great is that we can reach out and contact them and they’ll contact us back. It may not be what you want to hear, but we do get to hear back from them. I do think they really value coaches’ opinions. We do feel like we have somewhat of a voice, and they look to us in certain areas. That’s where I really like working with the GHSA, moreso than the statehouse and government, because (lawmakers) aren’t looking to ask coaches any questions.”