HHS football team and coaching staff praised by TSSAA officials

2009 HHS Football Tomcats

Members of the HHS Football Tomcat Coaching Staff are (from let) J.R. Kirby, Travis Morton, Tim Seymour (head coach), Matthew Shearon, and Terrance Beard. Not Pictured: Coach Shane Schlicht.

The Haywood High School Football Tomcats received great praise last week from TSSAA referees who were officiating the game on October 23 between Haywood High and Martin Westview.

Mr. Mitchell and Coach Seymour,

I am sending this on behalf of the crew who officiated your game on Friday night with Westview. It was a GREAT game played by 2 well-coached teams. It was tough to see either team lose since both left everything they had on the field. Even though our job is to officiate, we all love Football and that was a great game to be a part of. Thanks also to both of you for the Hospitality shown us from the time we arrived until we left.

But the real reason for this email is to brag on your kids. The players from both teams played with outstanding sportsmanship. Both teams picked each other up from the ground after the play and there was no trash talking, etc. There were no late hits, no
unsportsmanlike fouls and I can assure you nothing came close to any of that the whole night. There were 6 fouls flagged the whole night and a majority of those were false starts and encroachments, certainly not emotionally charged fouls.

What you two don't get to see is the verbal responses of the players to our conversations with them. Everyone last night was yes sir and no sir. Very respectful. And that goes for both sides. Look at the film of the scores that both teams had and notice that they gave the ball to me (BJ) every time and did not showboat around.

Our crew and Billy Schrivner, our Supervisor who was at the game, both commented after the game that it was the best sportsmanship we have seen in years. And it was in a very and I repeat very physical game. Some of the strongest licks we have seen all year were in last night's game and again nothing but first class play from both sides.

We also know that conduct like we saw last night STARTS AT THE TOP. If the Head Coach does not preach this, and furthermore does not exhibit himself, the kids are not going to play that way. So thumbs up to Coach Seymour and Coach Coady for that.

Lastly, as Secretary of the Association, I hope you will make every effort to attend our Associational Banquet on November 9 at Lambuth University. You will be our HONORED GUESTS and we hope you come.

Good luck to you the rest of the year and beyond and thanks for all the courtesies shown our Crew on Friday night.

Floyd Flippin

“We are so proud of our Tomcat players and coaching staff,” said HHS Principal Robert Mitchell. “It is so important that our students understand that in whatever they do, they are representing our school system, and they certainly did that very well for them to receive this letter of praise. These students have set an example and standard for all others. Again, we are proud of this recognition of the players and coaches and for the entire Haywood County School System.”