Coaches Speak Out After Putnam City Schools Cancel Extracurricular Activities

Putnam City Schools’ announcement to cancel all upcoming extracurriculars came out Friday night before two PC high schools played a football game.

Since the decision, coaches have voiced concerns about their students’ future.

“We have a lot of kids within all of our sports programs that need to continue to compete, whether it’s a band competition, softball game, in order to help pay for college,” Putnam City North head football coach Ryan Laverty said.

According to a district email, all Putnam City Schools practices, conditioning, rehearsals, games, and events for the coming week are suspended for the following week beginning Monday, Sept. 28.

“We are a big outlet for these kids to get out of their houses, do some schoolwork, have something to fight for, and some mentorship from the coaching staff,” Putnam City High head football coach Carter Whitson said.

“For a person like me, football has legitimately saved my life, coming as an underprivileged kid coming to play football,” Putnam City High defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Rufus Alexander said.

The email also said the new alert map released next Friday will determine the district’s next steps, but coaches said the kids need a place where they have a support system.

“The accountability that you have when you give kids who are not making the grades and not doing what he is supposed to do but still showing him that love and care,” Alexander said. 

Football coaches, players and parents plan to meet to protest the decision at 3:45 p.m. Monday outside the district’s administration office.

 “We just want the district to listen to the parents engage the parents,” Putnam City Schools parent Joey Keefer said.